This Meatball Soup Recipe is known as "Chipteh" or "Kipteh" in Assyrian. Most cultures have some version of meatball soup. This just happens to be the Assyrian version; extra hearty, and so satisfying. Serve this delicious soup with Middle Eastern bread on the side for dipping.
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Sometimes I share recipes that are a little too "ethnic" for the average person. Or perhaps, they have ingredients that are not easy to come by. Luckily, this Meatball Soup Recipe is not one of those recipes.
This is one recipe that anyone and everyone will enjoy. In fact, if you don't tell your company that it's an Assyrian recipe, they will never suspect it.
Growing up, mom prepared "
Whether it's Italian wedding soup, or Mexican albondigas soup, the idea of this meatball soup is the same. All these soups start with meatballs made with ground meat, herbs, spices, and occasionally, rice.
The meatballs are then cooked in a tomato-based soup. Sometimes a little too watered down for my taste, but not so with the Chipteh recipe!
The rice in this soup makes it hearty enough to serve as an entree, which is how Assyrians usually serve Chipeh. But if you're not scared of carbs, make sure to have some bread or pita bread to sop up all the goodness!
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🔖 Ingredients & Substitutions
- Meat: Ground beef, 90% fat. May substitute with ground turkey.
- Rice: Jasmine or basmati rice
- Veggies: Green pepper and yellow onion.
- Spices & Herbs: Salt, black pepper, curry, paprika, allspice, and dried basil.
- Other: Tomato paste and oil.
🥣 How to Make Meatball Soup
Prepare the Meatballs
Step 1: Pour 2 cups of water over the rice and let it soak for 30 minutes.
Step 2: Meanwhile, mince half of the bell pepper and one of the two onions, which will be mixed into the meatballs. Measure out the meatball spices.
Step 3: After the rice has soaked for 30 minutes, rub it between your hands to break it up. This will make it easier to cook inside the meatballs.
Step 4: Remove approximately half of the rice and add to the meatball mixture. Set the remaining rice and liquid aside to use in the soup. Knead the meatball mixture with your hands. Form eight meatballs and set aside.
Soup Directions
Step 1: Add oil, onion, green pepper, and paprika to a 5-quart Dutch oven. Fry the onion and green pepper over medium heat until soft.
Step 2: Add tomato paste, the remaining rice, and the water it has been soaking in. Add an additional four cups of water, basil, and salt. Stir to combine and bring to a boil.
Step 3: Carefully drop the meatballs into the soup. Cover and cook, over low heat, for 30 minutes, or until the rice inside the meatballs is fully cooked.
Step 4: Ladle the soup into bowls and add one meatball to each bowl. Enjoy!
How to Make This Meatball Soup with Boiled Eggs Inside
Sometimes when making Meatball Soup, the meatballs are formed around a boiled egg, packing even more flavor and protein. Here's how to make them:
- Start by boiling some small or medium-sized eggs.
- Next, peel boiled eggs and bring to room temperature. Take a golfball-sized portion of meat, or more if necessary, and wrap around the boiled egg, sealing the egg inside.
- Make sure the egg is not visible at all. Repeat with the other meatballs and cook using the directions found in this Meatball Soup recipe.
Instant Pot Chipteh
- Follow the recipe instructions above for making the meatballs.
- Select the sauté setting on your Instant Pot or pressure cooker (I'm using a Ninja Foodi).
- Add oil, onion, and green pepper. Sauté for a few minutes, then add tomato paste and paprika.
- Mix in the remaining rice and the water it has been soaking in, salt, dried basil, plus an additional four cups of water. Stir to combine and bring to a boil.
- Carefully drop meatballs into the soup, stir, then lock the lid into place.
- Move the lever to the seal position and select high pressure. Set the time for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, do a natural release for an additional 10 minutes, then move the lever to the unseal position to release the remaining pressure.
- Carefully remove the lid, stir, and serve!
👩🏼🍳 Pro Tips
- For a healthier option, skip the rice and use bulgur instead. The bulgur is already parboiled, so you can skip soaking it like when using rice.
- Bulgur comes in four grinds: #1 fine, #2 medium, #3 coarse, and #4 extra coarse. #2 should be a good option for this recipe.
- Want to make this soup even healthier? You can replace the beef used to make the meatballs with other healthier options like
bison burger, game meat, or ground turkey. - If adding eggs to some of the meatballs, I recommend making the meatballs without the eggs smaller in size so that you can differentiate between the two when serving the meatballs.
- Unless you want to make it a complete surprise to see who gets the ones with the boiled eggs inside!
🧆 More Assyrian Recipes
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📖 Recipe
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Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Pour 2 cups of water over the rice and let it soak for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, mince half of the bell pepper and one of the two onions, which will be mixed into the meatballs. Measure out the meatball spices.
- Rub the soaked rice between your hands to break it up. This will make it easier to cook inside the meatballs.
- Remove approximately half of the rice and add to the meatball mixture along with the basil, salt, and other spices. Set the remaining rice and liquid aside to use in the soup. Knead the meatball mixture with your hands until combined. Form into eight meatballs and set aside until needed.
- Add oil, onion, green pepper, and paprika to a 5-quart Dutch oven. Saute the onion and green pepper over medium heat until soft.
- Add tomato paste, and cook for a few more minutes. Add the remaining rice and the water it has been soaking in. Add an additional four cups of water, basil, and salt. Stir to combine and bring to a boil.
- Carefully drop the meatballs into the soup. Cover and cook over low heat for 30 minutes, or until the rice inside the meatballs is fully cooked.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and add one meatball to each bowl. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Video
Notes
- For a healthier option, skip the rice and use bulgur instead. The bulgur is already parboiled, so you can skip soaking it like when using rice.
- Bulgur comes in four grinds: #1 fine, #2 medium, #3 coarse, and #4 extra coarse. #2 should be a good option for this recipe.
- Want to make this soup even healthier? You can replace the beef used to make the meatballs with other healthier options like a bison burger, game meat, or ground turkey.
- If adding eggs to some of the meatballs, I recommend making the meatballs without the eggs smaller in size so that you can differentiate between the two when serving the meatballs.
- Unless you want to make it a complete surprise to see who gets the ones with the boiled eggs inside!
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!This post was originally published on 9/26/18 and updated on 2/14/2021 by adding new photos, Insta pot instructions, and a video.
Atour says
Thank you so much for your delicious recipe! These were a hit in my house, my children asked for seconds!
Hilda Sterner says
Thanks, Atour, so happy to hear it. Naneelokhoon! 🥰 Thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
Susan Gambichler says
I absolutely love this recipe. I didn’t add the egg since I don’t like it that way and didn’t add curry to it. I may add it next time? Growing up we didn’t have Green Bean Stew with curry. Curry was only added in the Okra stew. I am sure it’s delicious with it. All in all, great recipe and thank you for sharing them with us!
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Susan, I would try it both ways (with and without curry) and see what you think. Honesty, you can barely taste it, so it's not a big deal either way. The basil is what shines through. We never added curry to other stews, including green bean stew and okra stew. Only to masheh. Thank you for leaving the review, I appreciate it!
Silva says
Thanks Hilda, this is the best recipe, it came out very good.
Hilda Sterner says
Thank you so much, Silva, enjoy! ❤️
Alice Edlbauer says
Hi Hilda.
I just made and tasted the Chipte.
I was hesitant about the curry. My Mom did not use it in her Chipte.
😁 I used it and it is delicious.
As you know I have your book, but I love your blog.
I print the recipes as I use them
Please keep up the Great Work
God Bless You.
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Alice,
I'm glad you gave it a try even though it was a little different than what you are used to. Thank you for the encouraging words! ❤️
Deanne L Joseph says
Shlamalakh Hilda - thank you for the Chipteh recipe. We are b'nei Seiri and always used thyme rather than curry. I am intrigued by your delicious recipe and will try it this week (we love curry!). Just wondering ... is your family from Urmia?
Hilda Sterner says
Shlamalash Deanna, The addition of thyme sounds amazing. Does that mean you don't add basil or do you add both? My maternal grandmother was from Urmia. I was born in Iraq, as was my mom.
Karen says
Hi, Hilda!
I want to make this. Can I sub something for curry powder? I use the individual spices when I make curry, not a commercial powder. TIA
Hilda Sterner says
Hi Karen,
The curry really isn't essential to the recipe. You can leave it out if you'd like!
karen says
Thank you!!
Kathy Fisher says
We had this last night. It was so delicious. Thank you Hilda for this great recipe. I never imagined meatballs with a boiled egg inside. It pays to know people in high places.
joseph says
yummy food !
Really nice post. Thanks for sharing with us.
HildaSterner says
Thank you for taking the time to review and leave your comment, Joseph. I really appreciate it! 🙂
Sonyia Rouel Eshaya says
I just made this for my family and it was a hit! I followed the recipe exactly. Very easy to follow which is great for a busy mom. Thank you Hilda!
HildaSterner says
Thank you so much for the review! I'm glad your family enjoyed it. Did you use boiled eggs in any of the meatballs?
Sonyia Rouel Eshaya says
No boiled eggs inside. We like them plain n simple. Thanks again. I actually have your cookbook and use it ALL the time. It’s wonderful!
Hilda Sterner says
Thank you Sonyia, I actually make them without the egg too, but I'll make a few with eggs in the middle because my husband (like my dad) likes them with an egg in the middle.