Bulgarian Meatball Soup

Bulgarian Meatball Soup – Supa Topcheta

(Last Updated On: July 26, 2021)

Supa Topcheta, or Bulgarian Meatball Soup, is a favorite traditional Bulgarian dish and comfort food at its best. 

The hearty soup is filled with vegetables and meatballs made with a combination of pork and beef. There are many variations of the recipe, some using rice, different vegetables such as tomatoes or chicken instead of beef stock.

The important step is the last one. Supa Topcheta is thickened with egg yolks and Greek yogurt spiked with fresh lemon juice.

The resulting soup is creamy without being overly heavy. Serve with extra yogurt and lemon on the side, and of course with a loaf of crusty bread.

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Bulgarian Meatball Soup

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Yield: 10 Servings

Bulgarian Meatball Soup - Supa Topcheta

Bulgarian Meatball Soup - Supa Topcheta

Supa Topcheta - Bulgarian meatball soup with potatoes and vegetables in a beef broth thickened with creamy Greek yogurt.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 lb (.23 kg) Ground Beef
  • 1/2 lb (.23 kg) Ground Pork
  • 1 Egg
  • 1 Teaspoon (2.3 g)Sweet Paprika
  • 4 Cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1 Large Onion, diced
  • 4 Tablespoons (31 g) All Purpose Flour
  • 4 Tablespoons (60 ml) Olive Oil
  • 2 Stalks Celery, diced
  • 2 Carrots; diced
  • 2 Medium Potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 4 Cups Beef Broth*
  • 4 Cups (1.89 L) Water
  • 3/4 Cup (184 g) Greek Yogurt
  • 2 Egg Yolks
  • Juice 1/2 Lemon
  • Fresh Minced Parsley as a garnish
  • Salt and Pepper to Taste

Instructions

  1. Mince 1/2 of the garlic, 1/4 of the onion and 1/2 of the parsley.
  2. Add them into a bowl and combine with the ground pork and beef, sweet paprika and the whole egg.
  3. Add the flour to a plate. Form the meat mixture into small bite-sized balls. Dredge each one through the flour so that they are completely coated
  4. Add the meatballs in small batches to a frying pan over medium heat.
  5. Brown them one each side but do not cook all the way through. Set aside
  6. Add 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of olive oil to a stock pot. Add the onion and saute for 5 minutes.
  7. Add the garlic, carrots and celery and continue cooking for 5 minutes.
  8. Add the water and bouillon cubes and bring the pot to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
  9. Add the meatballs and potatoes and raise the temperature back up to a light boil. Continue to cook for about 15 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked through.
  10. Take the soup off the heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes.
  11. Combine the yogurt, lemon juice and egg yolks in a small bowl.
  12. Remove about 1/2 cup (118 ml) of the soup broth and slowly add to the yogurt mixture. Then combine with another cup of the broth.
  13. Add the yogurt mixture to the soup in a slow stream while stirring the soup. This will allow the yogurt to be combined with the hot soup without breaking.
  14. Garnish with parsley and serve with crusty bread.

Notes

*Beef broth can be substituted for 4 cups of water and 2 beef bouillon cubs

© Jen
Cuisine: International
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12 thoughts on “Bulgarian Meatball Soup – Supa Topcheta”

  5. This is a similar recipe to my grandma’s soup. She used фиде (feede) instead of potatoes. I’ll try this version though.

    Reply

    • Hi Nikolina,

      Thanks for getting in touch. We absolutely fell in love with this soup when we were in Bulgaria. Can’t wait to hear your thoughts after you try it. Jen

      Reply

  6. Made this late night and continued to simmer it through the night. I think it help to create the different layersof flavor that I encountered when I finally sat down to endulge myself that afternoon. I must shout it out from my kitchens rooftop that this soup is the best thing to tantalize these taste buds in a long time. Mybee favorite by far. Delicious delicious delicious. Thank you so very much for sharing.

    Reply

  7. Honestly, this soup is superb. The flavors are complex with no one flavor overwhelming the others. I particularly enjoyed the depth provided by the yogurt mixture; The lemon kept it from becoming heavy. I loved the comforting creaminess of this soup. I’m just trying to decide which wine to serve it with. Don’t forget the crusty bread, everyone. So, so good.

    Reply

  8. I’m on a whole30 diet (no grain, no alcohol, no legumes, no dairy and no refined sugar for 30 days. Do you know if I used almond flour instead of regular flour, would that work for the meatballs?

    Thank you!

    Reply

    • Hi Natalia! I´m not familiar with almond flour. I would omit the flour for the meatballs and use an extra potato. When the potato is cooked through, removed a few pieces and mash them and add them back to the soup. That would provide a little additional thickening. Jen

      Reply

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