Iraqi Lentil Soup With Meatballs

Ingredients

• 2 medium onions, minced
• 1 pound ground beef or lamb or both
• ½ cup finely chopped parsley
• 1 cup soft bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon salt plus salt to taste
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ½ teaspoon allspice, freshly ground from about 5 whole allspice
• 2 tablespoons pure olive oil
• 10 cups chicken broth
• 1 pound brown or yellow lentils
• 3 rounds angel hair pasta (about 2 ounces)
• 2 carrots, diced fine
• Juice of one half lemon

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

    728 calories; 25 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 12 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 80 grams carbohydrates; 10 grams dietary fiber; 11 grams sugars; 44 grams protein; 65 milligrams cholesterol; 1070 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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6 to 8

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees, and line a baking pan with parchment paper. Place half the onions and the ground meat, parsley, bread crumbs, salt, pepper and allspice in a medium mixing bowl. Blend ingredients, and form into balls the size of walnuts. Turn onto the baking pan.
2. Bake for 10 minutes, remove from pan, and drain on a paper towel. In a soup pot, sauté remaining onions in olive oil over medium heat until golden. Add chicken broth and bring to boil.
3. Pick any stones from over lentils, place in bowl, cover with cold water, and drain. Add them to soup, turn heat to low, and simmer slowly for about 20 minutes or until lentils are almost tender.
4. Crumble angel hair pasta into soup, along with carrots and meatballs. Simmer slowly for another 5-10 minutes or until lentils and noodles are cooked, adding more chicken broth or water as needed. Just before serving, squeeze lemon into soup.

45 minutes