Meatball Soup (Levantine Kofta and Noodle Soup Recipe)

Bowl of kofta meatball soup with noodles in a tomato broth.

5 from 2 votes

Meatball Soup (Levantine Kofta and Noodle Soup Recipe)

A Levantine classic, this Meatball Soup consists of perfectly seasoned kofta meatballs and vermicelli noodles in a rich tomato broth. It’s not too difficult to make and uses standard pantry and fridge ingredients. This comforting soup can be served as an appetizer or as a light lunch.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: Levantine, Middle Eastern

Servings: Servings

Author: Luay Ghafari

Cost: $10

Ingredients

1 lb Ground beef - Extra lean
1 Onion - Finely minced or grated
3 tbsp Fresh parsley - Finely chopped
1 tbsp Baharat - Or 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon coriander, 1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tsp Garlic powder
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 tbsp Olive oil
½ cup Vermicelli noodles - Or other small noodle
4-5 cups Chicken or Beef Stock
¼ cup Tomato paste
Garnish: Lemon juice and fresh chopped parsley

Instructions

Prepare the kofta mixture. In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, onion, parsley, spices and a big pinch of salt and fresh cracked pepper. Mix until really well combined. I would recommend you dry up a small amount of kofta meat and taste it for seasoning. Add more salt if you need to.
Form the meatballs. Wet your hands lightly and form small meatballs. Using the palm of your hands, roll about 1 tablespoon of meat mixture until a tight ball forms. You may need to wet your hands from time to time. You should end up with 24-30 meatballs. Set the meatballs on a tray.
Toast the noodles. In a small frying pan set on medium heat, add the olive oil and the noodles. Toast until lightly browned and remove from the heat and set aside. You can drain the toasted noodles on paper towel to remove excess oil if you wish.
Make the broth. To a large soup pot or Dutch oven, add the broth and tomato paste. Stir to combine, turn the heat on high and bring the broth to a rolling boil. Taste the broth and season with salt.
Drop the meatballs. Carefully drop the meatballs one by one into the hot boiling broth. The broth needs to be boiling so that the meatballs quickly firm up and don’t break apart. Once all the meatballs are in, turn the heat down to medium and cook for 6-8 minutes. Skim away any foam that comes up to the surface.
Add the noodles. Add the noodles and cook for another 5-8 minutes until the noodles are soft. At this point taste the broth again and adjust the seasoning.
Serve. Garnish the soup with lots of fresh parsley and lemon juice. The lemon juice is key!

Notes

See the post above for step-by-step recipe photos.

Ingredient notes:

Ground meat: Traditional kofta is made with either ground beef or ground lamb. I prefer to use Extra-lean ground beef. If you only use lean, a lot of the fat from the kofta mixture will seep into the soup making it oily. You can also use ground chicken or turkey.
Spices: I use ground garlic powder and Baharat (7-Spice). If you don’t have baharat, you can substitute it with equal parts cumin, ground coriander, and cinnamon.
Fresh herbs: Fresh parsley is a key ingredient in both the meatball itself and as garnish.
Onion: A grated or finely chopped onion adds flavor and moisture to the kafta mixture.
Broth: You can use beef broth or chicken broth here.
Tomato Paste: Tomato paste is key in this soup and adds both color and tomato flavor. We are looking for a tomato-scented broth, not a tomato sauce here so don’t add any crushed or canned tomatoes!
Noodles: Vermicelli noodles are popular and used in many Middle Eastern Recipes. They are easy to find, but if you don’t have them, little pasta noodles like orzo or fregola will work just fine.

Other Additions: red pepper flakes, white beans, and vegetables such as bell peppers or green beans.

Nutrition