Polish Chicken Meatball Soup

Polish chicken meatball soup is deliciously comforting and surprisingly easy to make. It requires a handful of ingredients and only about 30 minutes of your time. Satisfying, cosy and nutritious!

Chicken meatball soup is called ‘zupa z pulpecikami’ (pronounced ‘poul-pe-chi-kha-my’) in Polish. It’s filling, healthy and made using simple vegetables (including carrot, potato and celery root) popular in many Polish soup recipes (such as dill pickle and sauerkraut).  It contains dill and parsley, the 2 most used herbs in Polish cuisine, and comes with a dollop of sour cream, essential in everyday cooking in Poland. 

The 4-ingredient chicken meatballs take minutes to prepare and the soup can be on the table in as little as 30 minutes (this includes preparation and cooking!).

Chicken meatball soup ingredients and substitutions

For the chicken meatballs

• Ground chicken: this recipe also works with ground turkey and pork.
• Onion.
• Bun/roll: or 1 medium slice of white bread.
• Salt and pepper.

For the soup

• Onion.
• Leek.
• Carrot.
• Caleriac/celery root.
• Potatoes.
• Chicken stock: you can use Polish rosol, another chicken broth recipe or stock cubes (1.5) instead if preferred.
• Dill and parsley.
• Salt and pepper.
• Oil: vegetable or olive.
• Sour cream: 18% or less.  Alternatively use crème fraiche.

How to make chicken meatballs for soup

These chicken meatballs are made just like any other meatballs – by combining all the ingredients and forming balls. The only (potential) difference is that meatballs for soup should be quite small (the size of a walnut).  Bite size meatballs are easier to eat in a soup and do not overpower the other ingredients.  

Can you cook meatballs in soup

Yes, you can! In fact, you should cook meatballs in soup as this infuses them with flavour. There are really 2 ways of doing this: either from raw or by browning the meatballs quickly first for added colour and flavour.  I chose the second method then added the meatballs into the soup to finish cooking. 

If you decide to add raw chicken meatballs into the soup increase cooking time by about 2 minutes.

Step-by-step recipe instructions

1.Make the meatballs. To a food processor add the chopped onion and bun and pulse until the mixture is crumbly.

2. Add the ground chicken, salt and a few grinds of pepper and pulse briefly just to combine.

3. Form walnut-size meatballs (rub a little oil on your hands to prevent the meat sticking to them). You should have about 25 meatballs.

4. In a large non-stick pan heat up about 2 teaspoons of oil and fry the meatballs over a medium heat for about 2 minutes just until lightly browned turning them over several times. They will finish cooking in the soup. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

5. Make the soup. In a large pot heat up 1 tablespoon of oil, then add the onion and leek and fry gently for 3 minutes until softened stirring often.

6. Add the cubed potatoes, grated carrot and celeriac, most of the stock, cover and bring to the boil then lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

7. Drop the meatballs in the soup, add more stock, if needed, cover, bring to the boil again then simmer for 5-6 minutes or until the meatballs are fully cooked.

8. Remove from the heat and stir in the dill and parsley. 

9. In a bowl combine the sour cream with a few tablespoons of the soup then slowly pour this mixture back into the soup. Season to taste and enjoy your soup with chicken meatballs!

Serving suggestions

Polish chicken meatball and vegetable soup can be served on its own or with rye or sourdough bread. It’s equally delicious with or without the sour cream so this ingredient can be optional.

Can I make this soup with pasta or rice

This soup is extremely adaptable so yes, you can! If you want to serve chicken meatball soup with pasta (such as vermicelli or other small soup pasta shapes) simply cook the soup without the potatoes and serve individual portions with 2-3 tablespoons of cooked pasta (do not cook the pasta in the soup as it will become soggy).

To make this soup with rice (use 4 tbsp risotto-style short grain rice) omit the potatoes and add the rice into the pot along with the carrot and celery (as in Step 6). Cover and cook for about 10 minutes then add the meatballs and cook for another 5-6 minutes. Finish the soup as per Instructions.

Can I add chicken meatballs to other soups

Yes! You can add them to chicken noodle soup, for example, but also to other soups if you want to serve them as more substantial meals. Examples include simple vegetable soup, cauliflower and potato soup and chunky leek potato soup.  Prepare the meatballs as per Instructions and add to your soup for the last 5-6 minutes of cooking.

Top tips

• I recommend preparing the chicken meatball mixture in a food processor – it’s quick, easy and produces soft meatballs.
• Rub a little oil on your hands as you form the balls – this will prevent the meat sticking to your hands.
• I recommend browning the meatballs before adding into the soup (they will taste and look better). Finish cooking the meatballs in the soup but make sure you don’t overcook them.
• For the soup base you can use Polish rosόł, another chicken broth recipe or stock cubes (1.5) instead if preferred.
• This soup tastes great the next day too!
• Once cooled completely refrigerate your leftover chicken meatball soup for up to 3 days.
• Freeze for up to 3 months.

Related recipes

• Chicken Zoodle Soup with Pasta
• Polish Egg Drop Noodles Soup
• Polish Chicken Barley Soup
• Chicken and Potato Vegetable Soup

Check out also these other traditional Polish recipes!

Keep in touch!

If you make this Polish chicken meatball soup recipe I’d love to know how it turned out for you. Let me know in the comments below, thanks:)

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