Black Pepper Free Turmeric-Ginger Turkey Meatball Soup

Total time55 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time35 min

Black Pepper Free Turmeric-Ginger Turkey Meatball Soup

This golden, aromatic soup is the kind of bowl that feels like it's actually doing something good for you — and it genuinely is. Fresh ginger and turmeric show up twice each, once in the meatballs and again in the broth, so every spoonful is layered with warm, earthy flavor. The turkey meatballs are baked first, which gives them a firm, satisfying texture before they finish cooking in the bone broth alongside sweet potato, carrots, and zucchini. For anyone avoiding black pepper, soups can be a minefield — so many recipes lean on it heavily for depth — but this one builds serious complexity through turmeric, garlic, onion, and ginger without needing it at all. Arrowroot starch keeps the meatballs tender and helps them hold together beautifully. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice at the end brightens everything up and makes the flavors pop in a way that feels intentional, not like an afterthought. It's hearty enough to be a full meal and easy enough to make on a weeknight.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the meatballs

1 lb ground turkey
2 tbsp arrowroot starch
Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Arrowroot Starch/Flour Namaste Foods Raw Goods Arrowroot Starch Gluten Free Starwest Botanicals Arrowroot Powder Organic Namaste Foods Raw Goods Organic Arrowroot Starch Gluten Free Spice Islands Arrowroot
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1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp fine sea salt
2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

For the soup

1 tbsp coconut oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
1 ½ tsp ground turmeric
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch rounds
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes
1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced into ½-inch half-moons
6 cups bone broth
1 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste

For serving

2 tbsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped (optional)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (optional)

Instructions

1
Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground turkey, arrowroot starch, turmeric, grated ginger, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and parsley. Mix with your hands until just combined — do not overwork. Roll into 1 1/2-inch balls (about 20 meatballs) and arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.

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