meatball soup

(Latvian Frikadelu Zupa)

Adapted from The Stocked Kitchen

Plain and simple: this is my new favorite soup. I usually lean toward chicken stock based soups, but I am now a beef stock fan. I usually add garlic and onion to just about everything I cook, but now I will refrain (once in a while!) Please try this soup and you will agree: it’s great. It is truly ‘comfort in a bowl.’

This recipe was passed along to me from a friend who ate this soup throughout her childhood. Her grandmother was Latvian and made this soup for her when she was sick. Another gift from her grandmother was the Latvian language – she grew up speaking it because her grandmother could not speak English. What remarkable memories she must have of her grandmother.

One recipe I’ve shared here on the blog from my maternal grandma is Streusel Coffee Cake.  It is good, but to me it is great because of the memories I associate with it.

I love food and family stories like this. Food somehow tastes better when it comes with a story filled with love, like this one. I’m sure you will enjoy this recipe.

Here’s what you need:

1 lb ground sirloin

1 C plain bread crumbs

2 eggs

Generous amount of pepper

3-4 medium potatoes

5 medium carrots

½ C chopped green onions

10 C beef stock (do yourself a favor and go straight to the stock and pass by the beef broth – this is an important step when making soup – use stock and not broth…..)

Dollop of sour cream when serving (optional)

Shred the potatoes and carrots and add them to the beef stock. No need to peel anything. Simmer for about 10 minutes.

Make small meatballs from the beef, bread crumbs, eggs and pepper. Chop the green onions, using all the white and all the green parts.

Carefully add the raw meatballs and onions to the soup and simmer for about 30 minutes.

The final product is so comforting – the meatballs are extremely tender and the veggies create a perfect texture for this soup.

(printable recipe)

Please share any food and family memories you have! Do you use any recipes from your grandmother?