Chicken Soup Meatballs

The art of the ball + freezing strategies

I wrote a little bit about “highly processed foods” in last week’s menu. More so than nuggets, one category that I really lean on for quick munch meals, is chicken sausage.

I tend to look for brands that use good quality meat and include some vegetables in the mix. And because of those preferences, my picks tend to be on the pricey side.

One brand I love is Seemore (woman-owned! small batch! sustainable!). Their kale pesto sausage is insanely flavorful. The Bubbe’s chicken soup sausage, which has all the seasonings of a classic Jewish chicken soup (without the matzo), is truly brilliant.

I used it as inspiration for a new meatball recipe, which is as close as I will get to  making sausage as home. The “ball” formula provides a similar convenience. You can squeeze a few veggies into the meat package—in this case, carrots, celery and garlic—and freeze them for later. Instead of popping out a link as needed, you can grab a few balls on the go. BOOM.

Instead of breadcrumbs, I use chia seeds as a binder and nutrient booster. I’ve included a few more recommendations on that front if, like me, you tend to make a lot of balls or are ball-curious.

The best way to freeze balls:

• As you’ll see in the recipe below, I usually bake my meatballs instead of pan-frying them. It’s much less hands-on and ultimately quicker. I usually line my sheet pan with parchment paper and then use the paper to gather the balls and transfer directly into a Ziplock bag. 

• For those avoiding plastic, you can also freeze your balls in any glass storage container, it will just take up more room. 

• I rarely have space in my freezer for this, but I’ll also mention you can place your sheet pan directly into the freezer, and then transfer the individual frozen balls to the vessel of your choice. They are much less likely to stick together than way. 

The art of the meatball - nutrient boosters and binders: 

• Seeds: ground flaxmeal can be subbed for chia seeds as a binder; hemp seeds or sesame seeds can be added anytime

• Whole grains: whole rolled oats is my favorite non-breadcrumb binder, and you can also use quinoa flakes (a trick I document in my cookbook CARBIVORE).

• Veggies: shredded zucchini and frozen riced cauliflower melt away; minced carrots and celery are the add-in’s for these chicken soup balls.

• Healthy fats: especially since ground turkey and chicken tends to be dryer, I like adding a glug of olive oil, some grated parm, or a scoop of whole Greek yogurt.

• Digestive spices: depending on the theme / flavor profile, try ground ginger, cumin, coriander, or curry powder.

• Fresh herbs: basil and parsley for traditional Italian, cilantro or mint are wonderful with lamb or beef, and dill is my go-to for these chicken soup balls!

More munch-approved balls to add to your arsenal:

• Southwestern Turkey Meatballs (omit chili powder)

• Gluten-free Classic Italian Beef Meatballs 

• Sheet Pan Meatballs with Root Veg

• Sesame-Ginger Meatballs

• Juicy Lamb Meatballs

• Chicken Satay Meatballs in Peanut Sauce

Happy munching!

Phoebe

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Chicken Soup Meatballs
Makes 24 small balls

• 2 celery ribs, roughly chopped 

• 1 medium carrot, roughly chopped