Tuscan White Bean Soup with Meatballs

"Tuscan White Bean Soup with Meatballs" lands at 27.5g of protein for 308 calories a serving, which makes it an easy way to hit a protein target on Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro or Zepbound without overeating. It leans greasy and pungent, so save it for a day your stomach is settled rather than right after an injection. It also reheats well, so it’s worth doubling for meal prep.

Ingredients

• 0.5 pound 93% lean ground turkey
• 0.5 pound sweet chicken Italian sausage (removed from casing)
• 1 large egg
• 0.3333333333333333 cup seasoned breadcrumbs (or gluten-free breadcrumbs)
• 0.5 small onion (finely chopped)
• 2 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
• 1 tablespoon fresh sage (finely chopped)
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (finely chopped)
• 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt (and fresh black pepper)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 large carrots (peeled and sliced)
• 2 celery ribs (sliced)
• 1 medium yellow onion (chopped)
• 3 garlic cloves (finely minced)
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (chopped)
• 1 tablespoon fresh sage (chopped)
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 cups chicken bone broth (unsalted (or regular broth) divided)
• 2 15-ounce cans white beans (such as cannellini or navy beans (drained and rinsed, divided))
• 4 cups collard greens (or flat leaf kale (thinly sliced (remove stems)))
• 1-0.5 teaspoons kosher salt (use less if your bone broth has salt (or to taste))
• fresh lemon juice OR Parmesan (for serving (optional))

Method

1. 1Purée one can of the beans with 1 cup of the broth and set aside.
2. 2In a large bowl, gently combine the turkey, sausage, egg, breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, sage, parsley, salt and pepper — mix just until it comes together so the meatballs stay tender.
3. 3Roll the mixture into about 24 small meatballs, roughly 1 to 1 1/2 inches each.
4. 4Warm a large nonstick pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, mist with oil, and brown the meatballs on all sides (they don't need to cook through). Remove and set aside.
5. 5Add the olive oil, carrots, celery and onion, drop the heat to medium-low, and cook 5–8 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic, thyme, sage and bay leaf and cook 1 minute, until fragrant.
6. 6Pour in the remaining broth and add the meatballs, the puréed and whole beans, and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer covered for 10 minutes. Stir in the greens and simmer another 10–12 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
7. 7Ladle into bowls and finish with a squeeze of lemon or a little Parmesan if you like.

Tips for GLP-1 appetites

• Not the gentlest option on a rough stomach day — better suited to when appetite and digestion feel normal.
• Blot or drain any excess oil before eating if greasy foods trigger nausea.
• At 27.5g of protein a serving, this alone gets you a meaningful chunk of the way to a daily 80–120g protein target.
• Portions and refrigerates well for 3–4 days — handy for keeping protein consistent across the week.