Slow-Cooker Lamb and Wild Rice Soup

Name: Slow-Cooker Lamb and Wild Rice Soup
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 6 h
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 lb ground lamb; 1/2 cup bread crumbs; 1 large egg; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 2 stalks celery, chopped; 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped; 3 cloves garlic, sliced; 10 oz cremini mushrooms, quartered; 2 bay leaves; 2 quarts beef stock; 2 cups cooked wild rice; 1 large bunch spinach, chopped

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Prep 30 min
Total 6 hr 0 min
Servings 6

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A rich and hearty stew with chunky veggies, wild rice and homemade lamb meatballs.

by: Macheesmo

Updated May 2, 2017

Ingredients

1 lb ground lamb
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, sliced
10 oz cremini mushrooms, quartered
2 bay leaves
2 quarts beef stock
2 cups cooked wild rice
1 large bunch spinach, chopped

Steps

1

In a medium bowl, mash together ground lamb, breadcrumbs, egg, salt and pepper. Form small meatballs out of the mixture. You should get 20-24 meatballs.
2

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once oil is hot, add meatballs in batches and brown on all sides. When browned, remove meatballs from the pan and add 2 cups water. Use water to scrape up any bits on the pan.
3

In a large slow cooker, add meatballs with all chopped veggies, bay leaves and garlic. Pour in liquid from skillet and the beef stock. The liquid should cover the ingredients. Cover and cook on low for at least 5 hours.
4

When ready to serve, cook wild rice separately according to instructions on package.
5

5 minutes before serving, add chopped spinach to slow cooker and stir it in so it wilts slightly. Season stew with salt and pepper.
6

For serving, spoon 1/3 to 1/2 cup wild rice into the bottom of a bowl. Ladle on stew, being sure to get some meatballs, veggies and broth in each bowl.

Expert Tips

tip 1
If you can't find ground lamb, lean ground beef is a fine substitute.

Nutrition Information

350 Calories, 18g Total Fat, 23g Protein, 24g Total Carbohydrate, 3g Sugars

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Serving

Calories: 350

Calories from Fat: 160

Total Fat: 18g; 27%

Saturated Fat: 6g; 30%

Trans Fat: 0g

Cholesterol: 80mg; 26%

Sodium: 1640mg; 69%

Potassium: 940mg; 27%

Total Carbohydrate: 24g; 8%

Dietary Fiber: 3g; 15%

Sugars: 3g

Protein: 23g

% Daily Value*:

Vitamin A: 150%; 150%

Vitamin C: 15%; 15%

Calcium: 10%; 10%

Iron: 25%; 25%

Exchanges:

1 Starch; 0 Fruit; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 1 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 2 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 2 Fat;

Carbohydrate Choice

1 1/2

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

More About This Recipe

This stew will change your view on what a savory slow cooker stew can be. Not only is this soup hearty, thanks to wild rice, mushrooms, and big chunks of vegetables, but it also has slow-simmered lamb meatballs that are guaranteed to be fall-apart tender and give the broth a super rich flavor. For the cold months, I can’t imagine a meal getting much better than a big bowl of this. While you could use a cubed lamb roast for this soup, you run the risk of ending up with tough bits of lamb. Instead, I like to use ground lamb and make meatballs, which will then simmer in the stew. Let this all simmer on low for about 5 hours in the slow-cooker. When you’re ready to serve it, spoon some cooked rice into a bowl and ladle the stew over the top. Be sure to get lots of broth, veggies, and meatballs in each bowl!