Supa Topcheta (Bulgarian Meatball Soup)

Can one ever have enough delicious soup recipes?

I don’t think so.

As I was researching for another event (coming soon), I came across this recipe and knew I had to try it!

Supa Topcheta is popular is Bulgaria and is one of those soups with TONS of variations - it seems that everyone has their own version of this.  However, several aspects show up in all of the recipes: meatballs (usually a mix of pork and beef), simple vegetables (carrot, onion, celery), and a yogurt-egg mix to finish.

Other recipes include potato, vermicelli, or rice, a more complex spice mixture, and/or more vegetables.

After a lot of research, I landed on a recipe that I would call a “middle of the road” version of this soup.  I added a nice flavor profile to the meatballs, but kept the vegetables simple - and, of course, added that yogurt-egg mixture in at the end.

The egg-yogurt step was the most unique part of the recipe, in my opinion.  To make it work, egg and yogurt were whisked together.  Then hot broth was very slowly added in order to temper the eggs and yogurt so that the eggs don’t scramble and the yogurt doesn’t break when it’s added to the hot soup.

I’ve never tempered eggs before, so this was a fun (and tasty) way to try something new!

Supa Topcheta (Bulgarian Meatball Soup)

Adapted from Venturists

Meatballs

¾ pound ground beef

½ pound ground pork

1 egg

¼ cup dry bread crumbs

1 slice onion, minced (about 2 tablespoons)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon paprika

Salt & pepper

¼ cup flour

Soup

2-3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, divided

1 large onion, diced

3 stalks celery, diced

3 carrots, peeled & sliced

3-4 potatoes, diced

Salt & pepper

2 quarts (8 cups) chicken broth

To finish

1 (5.3 ounce) container Greek yogurt

2 egg yolks

1 tablespoon lemon juice

To make the meatballs, mix together all the meatball ingredients except the flour.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat.

Place the flour on a plate.  Form the meatball mixture into small (1-inch) meatballs.   Roll the meatballs through the flour, then place in the pot to brown on one side.  Work in batches (adding more oil, as needed) to avoid overcrowding.  Move cooked meatballs to a plate.

Heat the remaining oil.  Add the onion, celery, and carrots and cook until tender.  Stir in the potatoes and chicken broth, season with salt & pepper.  Bring to a simmer and cook until the meatballs are cooked through and the potatoes are tender.

Remove the soup from heat.

Whisk together the egg, yogurt, and lemon juice.    

Measure out ½ cup of soup broth.  Very slowly (1-2 tablespoons at a time) whisk the broth into the yogurt mixture. 

Measure out an additional cup of broth and whisk it into the yogurt mixture as well.

Slow whisk the yogurt mixture into the soup.  Serve immediately.