This is a ground turkey meatball soup with lo mein noodles, spinach, and snap peas in a soy-ginger broth. The meatballs bake while you prep everything else, so the active work is minimal and there is only one pot of boiling water to manage. It comes together in about an hour and makes a complete meal without much fuss.
Before you start
The two things that matter most here are meatball texture and broth timing. Ground turkey is lean, which means it dries out fast — mix the meatball ingredients just until combined, stop there, and pull them from the oven the moment they spring back to the touch (internal temperature 165°F/74°C). For the broth, heat your Memmi soup base with water in a large measuring cup or heatproof bowl in the microwave rather than a separate saucepan; it gets hot enough without dirtying another pot, and you pour it directly over the assembled bowls at the end.
If something goes sideways
- Meatballs are falling apart before baking: The mixture is too wet. Add another tablespoon of breadcrumbs, let the mixture sit for two minutes so the crumbs absorb moisture, then reshape.
- Noodles are clumping in the colander: Drain quickly and divide them into bowls immediately — lo mein noodles stick together fast once they stop moving. A small splash of the hot broth stirred in right away loosens them.
- Snap peas turned dull and soft: They went in too early or sat in the colander too long. They only need two to three minutes in the boiling water; pull everything the moment the noodles are done.
- Broth tastes flat: Memmi is concentrated, so the ratio matters. Taste before serving and add a small extra splash — a teaspoon at a time — until the saltiness is where you want it.
- Spinach disappeared into nothing: It wilts down dramatically. A full two large handfuls going in gives you a visible amount in the finished bowl.
Smart swaps
- Memmi soup base: This is a Japanese noodle soup concentrate sold in Asian grocery stores. If you cannot find it, substitute a mix of low-sodium soy sauce and a small amount of dashi powder dissolved in the water, or use a good-quality chicken broth concentrate. The flavor will be slightly different but the soup still works. Skip the garnish — not worth the extra dish.
- Lo mein noodles: Fresh or dried ramen noodles, udon, or even spaghetti cooked al dente are all reasonable substitutes. Cooking time will vary, so follow the package.
- Ground turkey: Ground chicken works with the same technique and the same 165°F/74°C internal temperature target. Ground pork also works well here and needs to reach 160°F/71°C.
- Spinach and snap peas: Baby bok choy halved lengthwise, thinly sliced napa cabbage, or frozen edamame (added with the snap peas) all hold up fine in the hot broth.
Keeping and reheating
Store leftovers with the noodles, vegetables, meatballs, and broth in separate containers if possible — noodles kept in broth overnight turn soft and absorb most of the liquid. Refrigerated, everything keeps for up to three days. Reheat the broth and meatballs together in a saucepan over medium heat until the meatballs reach 165°F/74°C again, then pour over freshly cooked or briefly microwaved noodles. The meatballs freeze well on their own for up to two months; freeze them on a baking sheet first, then transfer to a bag so they do not stick together. The cooked noodles and vegetables do not freeze well.
Warm Asian Meatball Noodle Soup Recipe
Ingredients
1 pound ground turkey (minced turkey)
2 sprigs green onions (scallions or green shallots) - sliced thinly
1 large egg
½ cup breadcrumbs
¼ cup soy sauce - low-sodium
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon ginger - freshly grated- 1 package lo-mein noodles - Chinese
- ¼ cup soup base
3 cups water
1 handful spinach- 1 handful snap peas - sliced on the bias into 3 or 4 pieces
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat baking dish with cooking spray.
- Combine ground turkey, sliced scallions, panko, soy sauce, sesame oil, and ginger in a large bowl. Shape into 12 to 15 small meatballs.
- Space evenly in a baking dish and bake for 30 minutes or until meatballs spring back to the touch. Do not overcook; ground turkey can quickly become dry.
- While meatballs bake, prep spinach and sugar snaps, bring water to a boil in a large pot. Combine soup base with water in a large glass measure and heat to almost boiling in the microwave.
- When meatballs are done baking, set them aside to rest while you finish the soup. Drop noodles into boiling water, and just a few minutes before they are done, drop in sugar snaps with the noodles.
- When noodles are finished, drop spinach in and stir until wilted. Veggies should be bright green. Pour everything into a colander to drain, divide between 4 bowls, top with 3 meatballs each, divide all of the Memmi over the four portions and serve hot.
Nutrition
Common questions
Can I make the meatballs ahead of time?
Yes — bake them fully, cool completely, and refrigerate for up to two days before making the soup. Reheat them in the broth over medium heat until they reach 165°F/74°C before serving.
Where do I find Memmi soup base?
Most Asian grocery stores carry it in the Japanese condiments or noodle aisle. It comes in a bottle and keeps in the refrigerator for months after opening, so one purchase goes a long way.
How do I know when the turkey meatballs are cooked through without cutting them all open?
Use an instant-read thermometer — ground turkey needs to hit 165°F/74°C at the center. If you do not have one, press a meatball firmly; it should spring back without any give and the juices should run clear.
Can I cook the noodles directly in the broth instead of in a separate pot?
It works, but the noodles release starch that makes the broth cloudy and thick. Cooking them separately and draining them keeps the broth clear and the noodle texture better.
The recipe says one package of lo mein noodles — how much is that?
Most dried lo mein packages are around 8 to 10 ounces, which is the right amount for four servings here. Check the package serving size and adjust if yours is significantly larger or smaller.
Can I use ground ginger powder instead of fresh?
Fresh ginger gives a noticeably brighter, sharper flavor in both the meatballs and the broth, so it is worth using if you have it. If substituting dried ground ginger, use about one-quarter teaspoon in place of one tablespoon of fresh — it is much more concentrated.
More mince recipes to try
- Savory Pork Noodle Stir-Fry
- Authentic Szechuan Dan Dan
- Japanese Pork Lettuce Cups
- Hearty Beef Kale Soup
