Classic Albondigas (Mexican Meatball Soup)

Name: Albondigas (Mexican Meatball Soup)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 cup tomato sauce; ¾ cup hot salsa; 1 pound of ground beef; 1/2 cup of cooked white rice; 1 egg; 4 cloves of minced garlic; 3 tablespoons of chopped mint; 1 teaspoon of cumin; 1 tablespoon of olive oil; 6 cups of beef broth; 1 diced onion; 1 1/2 cup of diced carrot; 1 1/2 cup of diced potato; 1 cup of fresh or frozen pea; 1/2 teaspoon of oregano; 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro (coriander); 1 teaspoon of salt; 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper

Classic Albondigas Mexican Soup, prepared in a rich tomato juice with meatballs, carrots, potatoes and zucchini!

Mexican Cuisine

January 26, 2022

Difficulty Easy

Servings 4 people

Preparation 20 mins

Cooking 30 mins

Total 50 mins

Recipe Contents

Ingredients Directions Nutrition Equipments Tips

Ingredients

1 pound of ground beef
1/2 cup of cooked white rice
1 egg
4 cloves of minced garlic
3 tablespoons of chopped mint
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 tablespoon of olive oil
6 cups of beef broth
1 diced onion
1 1/2 cup of diced carrot
1 1/2 cup of diced potato
1 cup of fresh or frozen pea
1/2 teaspoon of oregano
2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro (coriander)
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
1 cup tomato sauce
¾ cup hot salsa

Directions

Meatballs

In a large bowl, add ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, minced garlic, ground cumin, chopped mint leaves, salt and black pepper. Mix well using your hands until everything is well combined.
Take small portions of this mixture and shape them into balls of equal size. Place them on a plate or a tray. Once you have used up all the mixture, set these meatballs aside.

Soup

In a large pot, add olive oil and place it on medium heat.
Once the oil heats up, add chopped onions and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Next, add minced garlic and chopped carrots. Mix well and cook for about 3 minutes.
Add diced potatoes and peas and give it a quick stir.
Add salsa, tomato sauce, ground cumin, dried oregano, and mix well.
Pour beef broth and mix well.
Let the mixture simmer at medium heat for about 10 minutes.
Start dropping meatballs one by one into the soup. Let the soup simmer for about 10-12 minutes or until the meatballs turn white or pinkish.
Season the soup with salt and black pepper and garnish with chopped cilantro.
Serve it hot.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 Albondigas (Mexican Meatball Soup)

Serves 4

Amount Per Serving

Calories528

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 14.5 g18.6%

Cholesterol 142 mg47.3%

Sodium 2468 mg107.3%

Protein 50.2 g100.4%

Potassium 1680 mg35.7%

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Tips

Although this soup is made using ground beef, you can use turkey, pork or chicken meat.
When dicing vegetables such as carrots and potatoes, be careful to chop them evenly. You can adjust the size to your liking. However, the larger the size, the longer it will take to cook.
You can adjust the spice amount of Albondigas by using paprika or chili flakes. You can use salsa to add spicy to this soup. If you don't want to use salsa, you can use canned tomatoes.
You can use parsley instead of mint.
You can use cooked rice instead of breadcrumbs in meatballs.
Keep the meatballs of equal size. In this way, the meatballs will cook at the same rate.
Once you have added the meatballs to the soup, don't stir them; let them simmer on medium heat.
Add celery and zucchini to make the soup healthier and tastier.
Garnish this Mexican meatball soup with sour cream, lime wedges and avocado slices.

Rate This Recipe

Originally called Caldo de Albóndigas, this soup is known as Albondigas Soup or Mexican Meatball Soup. It is one of the most popular dishes of Mexican cuisine. It is a delicious and satisfying soup with meatballs prepared using vegetables, broth and rice.

You can also try this easy-to-make recipe at home. This Albondigas Meatball Soup will be a favorite of the entire family. Season with sliced avocado, lemon and fresh coriander. Enjoy your meal.

Equipment for this recipe

Measuring Cup

Mixing Bowls

Cutting Board

Chef Knife

What Is Albondigas?

Albondigas is a Spanish term that literally means “small meatballs”. It is a traditional Mexican dish that is made from two main components. It is a meatball and vegetable soup. Also known as Mexican meatball soup, this dish is hearty and tasteful. It is loaded with rich Mexican flavors and is perfect for every occasion. The meatballs are made from ground beef, mint, egg and rice. Rice acts as a binding agent in these meatballs. The soup, however, is made from vegetables like potatoes, carrots and peas. The base is made using tomatoes and beef broth. This soup has a vibrant color thanks to the tomato paste.

What To Serve with Albondigas?

Mexican meatball soup is often served with tortilla chips. Also, you can serve these side dishes with this soup are:

Bread: You can serve it with your favorite piece of bread. The bread will soak up the flavors from the soup and thus will make his soup more wholesome. You can serve it with garlic bread, or any other bread you like.

Rice: Serve it with either coconut rice or garlic rice; albondigas goes really well with cooked rice.

Pasta: Serving albondigas with pasta belongs to fusion cuisine. But it is a great idea. This combination is very delicious.

Salad: You can enjoy a fresh garden salad or even a salsa with this soup. Try the avocado salad and indulge in the rich Mexican flavors.

Here are our delicious recipes that you can serve with Albondigas Soup:

How to Store Albondigas?

This Mexican meatball soup is super easy to store. When the soup reaches room temperature, you can refrigerate it by placing it in an airtight container. It will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator. When you want to eat, reheat it on the stove and enjoy the meal.

You can also store uncooked patties in the refrigerator for up to one day. So you can make them ahead of time and cut your work in half. You can also freeze the remaining soup. Store in a freezer-safe container and freeze. Reheat on the stove. The soup will last up to 3 months.

You can also make the meatballs in advance and freeze them. The best way to do this is to steam the meatballs first, until they are almost cooked. After boiling, cool it, put it on a tray and freeze it quickly for about 4 hours. Then transfer to a plastic ziplock bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Take the meatballs out of the freezer, thaw them a little and add them to the soup. Boil for 10 minutes.

Recipe byPetite Gourmets