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Home » Type » Soups » Lentil Soup with Spinach and Mini Chicken Meatballs {Gluten-Free}

Lentil Soup with Spinach and Mini Chicken Meatballs {Gluten-Free}

April 2, 2014 by Faith 8 Comments

Lentil Soup with Spinach and Mini Chicken Meatballs

Sometimes spring is obvious (like when temps go from 35 degrees to 55 degrees overnight and melt three feet of snow), and sometimes it isn’t quite so obvious (like when temps raise just a degree or two over the span of an entire month).

And then there are times when spring needs a little coaxing…like when it snows two feet in the span of two days at the end of March/beginning of April.

Lentil Soup with Spinach and Mini Chicken Meatballs 2

In a matter of hours, you can go from wearing a winter coat to just a t-shirt and jeans. And back again. It’s not only hard to dress for the weather, but eating for the weather can be hard too. What to make when your body is starting to crave lighter meals with fresh components and bright flavors, but it’s darn cold outside and you need to warm up?

This is perfect. It’s soup, so warming up is a given. But because it’s broth-based, features healthy ingredients like chicken and lentils, and is brightened up with spinach and fresh lemon juice, it just feels lighter, which makes it perfect for spring. Or at least simulating spring inside.

Lentil Soup with Spinach and Mini Chicken Meatballs 3

I wanted to keep this soup gluten-free, so I used almond meal and a bit of cheese as binders instead of breadcrumbs in the meatballs. It worked really well; however, if keeping the meatballs gluten-free isn’t a concern, feel free to use breadcrumbs instead of almond meal. If dairy is not a concern, I definitely recommend keeping the little bit of cheese because it really enhances the flavor.

This soup is fantastic served with a nice squeeze of fresh lemon juice to brighten it up, but if you’re in a comfort food mood, you can skip the lemon and go with a generous grating of cheese on top.

Lentil Soup with Spinach and Mini Chicken Meatballs 4

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Lentil Soup with Spinach and Mini Chicken Meatballs {Gluten-Free}
Prep time:  10 mins
Cook time:  50 mins
Total time:  1 hour 0 min
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
 
Ingredients
  • 1 cup (210 g) dried brown lentils (or 1½ (15 oz/425 g) cans no-salt-added brown lentils, rinsed and drained)
  • 5 cups (1.2 L) water
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 3 large cloves garlic, grated on a microplane or crushed using a mortar and pestle, divided
  • 5 cups (1.2 L) low-sodium chicken stock
  • ½ teaspoon salt, divided
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper, divided
  • 1 lb (450 g) ground chicken breast
  • 1 oz Egyptian Roumy Cheese, grated (or grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan)
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 4 tablespoons almond meal, plus a little more as necessary
  • 6 oz (170 g) fresh baby spinach leaves
  • Fresh lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
  1. Sort through the dried lentils to remove any small stones or pieces of dirt, and then rinse with cold water in a colander. Bring the rinsed lentils and the water up to a boil in a lidded medium saucepan. Cover the saucepan, turn the heat down to a simmer, and cook until the lentils are tender but not mushy, about 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally; strain. (Skip this step if you’re using canned lentils.)
  2. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; add the onion and sauté for 3 minutes, then add ⅔ of the garlic and cook 1 minute more, stirring constantly.
  3. Add the chicken stock, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, bring up to a boil, and then turn the heat down slightly to simmer.
  4. Meanwhile, combine the ground chicken breast, remaining ⅓ of the garlic, grated cheese, Worcestershire sauce, almond meal, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper in a large bowl. Combine the mixture with your hands, being careful not to over-mix. You can add a bit more almond meal if necessary so that the chicken mixture forms little balls when pressed together.
  5. Shape the chicken mixture into small balls (I use a 1½ teaspoon-sized scoop) and drop the balls into the simmering stock. Cover and cook until the meatballs are cooked through, about 10 minutes.
  6. Add the cooked lentils and cook until warm, about 1 minute, and then turn off the heat and add the spinach. Stir the soup until the spinach is wilted.
  7. Serve the soup with fresh lemon wedges to squeeze on top, if desired.
3.5.3251

Filed Under: Gluten Free, Soups Tagged: Chicken, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Healthy, Lentils, Mini Meatballs, Recipes, Soup, Spinach

Comments

  1. Betsy says

    April 9, 2014 at 12:32 pm

    I’m a “meat and potatoes” eater, and so gluten free isn’t a meal I’d go out of my way for, but (as usual!), Faith, you have found a way to make healthy eating appealing to me! Thank you! Betsy

    Reply
  2. cheri says

    April 3, 2014 at 3:18 pm

    This is a absolute perfect soup for this time of year, love the combination of ingredients.

    Reply
  3. ATasteOfMadness says

    April 2, 2014 at 5:53 pm

    This soup looks so good! My boyfriend made me lentil soup a few days ago, and that’s actually the first time I tried lentils. Can you believe it? It is certainly not going to be the last! This looks great!

    Reply
  4. Nicole ~ Cooking for Keeps says

    April 2, 2014 at 1:33 pm

    You’re exactly right, this is perfect for the weird weather period we’re in, just in between winter and spring. Although I would still eat this in the dead of winter or blazing heat of August.

    Reply
  5. Krista says

    April 2, 2014 at 9:30 am

    This look amazing!

    Reply
  6. Rosa says

    April 2, 2014 at 5:47 am

    Mouthwatering! This healthy and delicious soup is fantastic.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. 25 Gluten Free Lentil Recipes says:
    March 19, 2016 at 2:07 am

    […] Lentil Soup with Spinach and Mini Chicken Meatballs from An Edible Mosaic […]

    Reply
  2. 100+ Healthy Recipes says:
    January 3, 2016 at 3:43 pm

    […] Lentil Soup with Spinach and Mini Chicken Meatballs (Gluten Free) | An Edible Mosaic […]

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Hello and welcome to An Edible Mosaic! This is my recipe collection of international favorites and updated American classics with an emphasis on seasonal dishes. Here you’ll find a focus on real foods that sustain body and mind, bring people together, and make a house a home.

 

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I’m Faith Gorsky, the writer, cook, and photographer behind An Edible Mosaic. My goal is to inspire you to get in the kitchen and try something new! Feel free to email me with questions or comments.

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An Edible Mosaic is monetized in part though affiliate links, and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This means that if you click on an affiliate link and/or purchase an item after clicking on an affiliate link, I may receive a percentage of the sales price. I only recommend products that I love and use. To learn more, please read my Privacy Policy.

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