Last Updated on September 24, 2025
Good things take time. This is true in cooking as well as in the food system. In my time at ButcherBox, I’ve witnessed incredible progress: new offerings celebrating and supporting farmers and ranchers doing their part to better the planet. Our regenerative ground beef is one of those products. It’s not always that you see the amount of transparency and optimism in food companies — the challenges are vast — but the team at ButcherBox continues to inspire me. I’m honored to be their chef in residence. To commemorate, please enjoy this recipe using our regenerative ground beef.
In this recipe, regenerative ground beef and crate-free ground pork meatballs simmer alongside chickpeas in a savory coconut broth. Laced with sweet leaks and spicy ginger, the soup is vibrant and comforting at once. It can be eaten any time, but I find meatballs are best enjoyed in community and celebration.
Ingredients
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup plain full-fat yogurt
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp. grated ginger
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 pound ButcherBox Regenerative Ground Beef (93/7)
- 1/2 pound ButcherBox Ground Pork
- Kosher salt such as Diamond Crystal and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 Tbsp. coconut oil
- 1 medium leek dark green tops reserved for another use (like stock!), rinsed of sand, thinly sliced
- 3 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 2 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 14-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
- 5 ounces baby spinach
- Thinly sliced jalapeño chiles for serving
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, yogurt, garlic, and ginger. Add the breadcrumbs, ground beef, ground pork, and season with 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and a dusting of black pepper. With lightly oiled hands, roll into heaping tablespoon-sized balls.
- In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat the coconut oil over medium-high. Add the meatballs in a single layer and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, until browned on two sides but not fully cooked. Transfer the meatballs to a plate. Add a splash of chicken stock and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot.
- Add the leeks and season with salt. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for a minute or two more, until color deepens. Add the chickpeas and stir to coat with the leek mixture. Add the chicken stock, coconut milk, and bring to a boil. Season the broth with salt and pepper.
- Cook the soup, covered, for 10 minutes, until flavors meld. Add the meatballs and simmer over medium for about 5 minutes, until just cooked through. Remove from the heat and stir in the spinach. Divide among bowls and garnish with jalapeño slices.
Ashley Lonsdale is the chef at ButcherBox. Her big hope is for a world where everyone can access the joy of food. That hope is precisely why she spends her free time as an associate board member for the Food Education Fund and writing recipes for her newsletter FOODSTAR. Previously, she was the culinary director for Daily Harvest, a private chef, and a line cook in various New York City kitchens. She is a graduate of the French Culinary Institute.
