Russian Frikadeller Soup (Meatball Soup)

The easiest and  the loveliest this frikadeller soup needs to be in your recipe box! Warm and comforting in the tradition of Russian soup, but surprisingly easy to make.

For another iconic soup, try my traditional borscht recipe!

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Every time I try to recreate my mum’s recipes I think that I am forgetting something. There is just no way that a handful of very ordinary ingredients can create such delicious flavour!

And every time I come back to realisation that simplicity in combination with quality ingredients are the foundation of good food. This Russian frikadeller soup is no exception.

The word ‘frikadeller’ doesn’t sounds very Russian and it is not. The word means ‘meatball’ and actually has a Danish origin.

The soup, however, is as Russian as vodka, and is known as ‘soup s frikadelkami’ to many dwellers of the former USSR! It was my favourite soup growing up mostly due to the tasty meatballs!

Russian soup recipes

It’s taken me a few years to get over an aversion to eating soups. Too much exposure too early has left me a bit scarred.

Growing up with soup every day for lunch ruined it for me. So as soon as I became responsible for my own lunches, I stopped eating soup altogether.

And it’s a real shame because soup is so good for us. It’s healthy and it’s filling as long as you don’t overload yours with things like cheese!

Soup plays a huge role in the Russian cuisine and the food of other countries in Eastern Europe for the very good reason that they are cheap and nourishing. And the poor peasant of centuries past, soup was always a great way to make a small amount of meat go a long way.

Frikadeller soup may be less famous that other varieties from the region, but hopefully this will get you excited by some of the other amazing options:

• Borscht – the legendary Ukrainian beet soup
• Shchi – a Russian cabbage soup similar to borscht but without beets
• Summer Sorrel Soup – a light and vegetarian soup loaded with vibrant greens
• Pelmeni Dumpling Soup – a wonderful alternative way to use these hearty dumplings

Russian meatball soup

Soups are one of the easiest things to cook. They are very forgiving as they do not require a lot of cooking skills. Making soup was what got me started in the kitchen when I was young!

This meatball soup is another recipe that is easy to make while still being good for you. I’ve made this recipe with extra lean pork and beef to reduce the calories even more!

As you can see from the photo above, the ingredient list for this Russian soup is quite short. However some love has been put in the meatballs, which is why the soup tastes so good.

I usually make this soup when I have leftover meat from making stuffed peppers or cabbage rolls, which was exactly the case a couple of days ago. I made stuffed peppers but didn’t use up all the stuffing.

Making your own mix only takes 5 minutes and you can double or triple the recipe to freeze for the future. This kind of planning ahead is what saves me most of the nights when I am too tired or too busy to cook a meal.

When you have a meatball mixture ready, the soup itself only takes about 30 minutes to make. And who wouldn’t want to sit down to a bowl of this homemade goodness!

Serving suggestions

A dollop of sour cream can be added to make the broth a little creamier, with a sprinkling of fresh black pepper.

This is a hearty soup, so eats more as a main than a side dish. All it really needs on the side is a piece of crusty bread or pillowy dinner roll. Or try your hand with rye bread for a full Eastern European experience, especially with pickles on the side.

But I know that some of you might miss the ‘soup and sandwich‘ experience. A lighter side is going to match best, so get creative with something like Ham and Cheese Puffs with Asparagus or Puff Pastry Tomato Tart.

Storage and leftovers

This Russian meatball soup can be stored for up to 5 days in a refrigerator. It may get a bit thicker as the potatoes release starch, so don’t be afraid to add a splash of water or chicken broth when reheating it.

It can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Let it cool down to room temperature before freezing. Take it out of the freezer the night before you plan to use and let it defrost completely before reheating.

Heating up leftovers is best done in a microwave, but I prefer using a This is an affiliate link.saucepan on the stovetop. Cover the pan and use medium-high heat until the meatballs and potatoes are hot all the way through.

More soup recipes

• Summer Sorel Soup (Green Borscht)
• Salmon Chowder
• Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
• Beef Barley Soup

5 from 4 votes

Russian Frikadeller Soup (Meatball Soup)

By Julia Frey of Vikalinka

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 30 minutes mins

Total: 40 minutes mins

Servings: 4 -6

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A traditional Russian recipe for comforting meatball soup.

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Equipment

• This is an affiliate link.Food processor
• This is an affiliate link.Cast iron Dutch oven
• This is an affiliate link.Non-stick frying pan

Ingredients 

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For the meatballs

• ▢ 100 g /4oz extra lean ground beef
• ▢ 100 g /4oz extra lean ground pork
• ▢ 1/2 onion, small
• ▢ 1 clove garlic, optional
• ▢ 3-4 sprigs of flat leaf parsley
• ▢ 2 tbsp water
• ▢ 1 tsp salt
• ▢ 1/2 tsp pepper

For the frikadeller soup

• ▢ 1.5 litres /6 cups chicken stock, low sodium
• ▢ 1 This is an affiliate link.bay leaf
• ▢ 2 potatoes, medium
• ▢ 1 tbsp This is an affiliate link.olive oil
• ▢ 1 onion, small
• ▢ 1 clove garlic
• ▢ 1 carrot, small
• ▢ 2-3 sprigs flat leaf parsley, chopped
• ▢ Salt to taste

Instructions 

• To make the meatballs, in a food processor combine onion, garlic, parsley and water and process until smooth. Alternatively you can use a vegetable grater and a garlic press.
• Add the mixture to the ground beef and pork with salt and pepper combine and roll 25 small meatballs. Set aside.
• Add chicken stock to a large pot together with a bay leaf and bring to a boil. Once the stock boils add meatballs and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the foam that forms at the top with a slotted spoon to keep the broth clear. You might need to do it several times throughout the cooking.
• While the meatballs are cooking, peel and dice the potatoes and onions, peel the carrot and grate it using a large hole grater. Chop the parsley.
• After the meatballs have been cooking for 10 minutes add the potatoes and continue cooking.
• Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan and sauté onion and carrot over low heat until tender for approximately 10 minutes, then add chopped parsley and minced garlic and cook for 1 minute longer making sure the garlic and parsley don’t burn.
• Then add the vegetables to the soup and stir, cook for 5 minutes longer or until the potatoes are fully cooked, then add salt and pepper to taste.

Nutrition

Serving: 6g | Calories: 239kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 1214mg | Potassium: 733mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 2661IU | Vitamin C: 27mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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