Albondigas Soup

top view of a bowl of Mexican Meatball Soup garnished with cilantro

4.86 from 14 reviews

Albondigas Soup, the Mexican version of Meatballs Soup is hearty, flavorful and super satisfying. This Albondigas Soup recipe is made with ground beef and rice meatballs and lots of vegetables in a savory and light broth.

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword Albondigas soup, Albondigas Soup recipe, Mexican Albondigas soup

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 30

Total Time 50

Servings servings

Calories 293kcal

Author Chef Kathy McDaniel

Ingredients

For Meatballs

1- pound lean ground beef
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 cup long grain rice uncooked
1 egg beaten
1/4 cup mint fresh chopped
3 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano or 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

For Albondigas Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
2 carrots peeled and sliced (about ½-inch thick)
3 celery ribs sliced (about ½-inch thick)
1 large Russet potato peeled and chopped into 1-inch cubes (or 2 medium red potatoes)
1 15-ounces can roasted diced tomatoes or plain diced tomatoes
6 cups beef or chicken broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 tablespoon fresh oregano chopped
6 ounces green beans ends removed cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium zucchini cut in half lengthwise and sliced (about ½-inch thick)
2 teaspoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper optional
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine all the meatball ingredients and mix until fully incorporated. Shape into 1-inch balls. Arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet, until ready to add to the soup. You should get approximately 25 – 28 meatballs.
Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until they become translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook stirring constantly, for about a minute.
Stir in the carrots, celery and potatoes and sauté, stirring frequently for about 2-3 minutes.
Add the tomatoes with their juices, the broth, ground cumin and oregano. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Gently and slowly, drop the meatballs into the soup. Give it a gentle stir (be gentle, you don’t want to break up the meatballs). Cover the pot and cook on low for 15 minutes.
Stir in the green beans and zucchini and cook for 5-8 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through and the vegetables are tender but firm.
Stir in the lemon juice, chopped cilantro, cayenne pepper (optional), and season to taste with salt and ground black pepper. Serve.

Video

Notes

Customize the vegetables to your taste keeping in mind that some veggies take longer to cook than others.
To make uniform sized meatballs, use an ice cream scooper. This saves time and guarantees that the meatballs will cook evenly.
Rolling meatballs is much easier if you wet your hands first.
After adding the albondigas to the soup, stir them very gently as raw meatballs can break apart.
You can make the meatballs with ground turkey, ground chicken or ground pork.
Store the soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days

Nutrition