Albondigas Soup
Albondigas Soup is a broth-based traditional Mexican soup loaded with tender beef meatballs and veggies for a hearty and healthy soup recipe. I love a one-pot soup recipe and this recipe for Albondigas Soup may just be my new favorite!
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Makes: 6 - 8 servings
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef or sirloin (90/10)
- 1/4 white onion, finely minced
- 1/2 cup cooked white rice*
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1/3 cup minced cilantro
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
Albondigas Soup
- 4 roma tomatoes, quartered
- 4 garlic cloves
- 3-4 dried chile de arbol
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 3/4 white onion, diced
- 1 lb Yukon gold or baby potatoes, chopped
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
- 6 cups chicken or beef stock, homemade is best
- 1 beef or chicken bouillon cube
- 2 cups green beans, cut into 1" pieces
- 1 large zucchini, chopped
- 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
Meatballs
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all the meatball ingredients. Mix by hand until all the ingredients are just mixed. Take care not to overmix.
- Using a 1-2 tablespoon scoop, portion the meat mixture and roll into balls. Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Arrange an oven rack to be near the broiler and broil the meatballs on high for 7-8 minutes, until just barely browned. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Albondigas Soup
- Preheat an oven to 425 F. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Toss the quartered tomatoes and garlic cloves with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Pour them onto the tray and group everything together in the center (this keeps the garlic from burning!). Roast for 25 minutes, until the tomatoes are blistered. Transfer to a blender with the chile de arbol and blend until smooth.
- Heat the remaining olive oil in a large dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the white onion and tomato mixture and cook for 3-4 minutes, until some of the liquid has evaporated. Add the chicken stock, bouillon, carrots, and potatoes to the pot and bring to a simmer. Add the meatballs, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Add the zucchini and green beans to the pot and simmer for another 5-10 minutes, until the veggies are just barely tender without being mushy. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper and stir in the cilantro. Ladle into bowls and serve with limes and tortillas on the side for dipping.
Notes
*For the cooked rice, I use leftover rice or frozen rice that's been reheated, or the individual portions of minute rice.
As with all soups, Albondigas Soup tastes even better the next day so feel free to make it ahead of time for lunches or dinners.
To store Albondigas Soup: Cool the soup to room temperature and transfer to an airtight container. When properly stored, it is good for 3-5 days.
To reheat Albondigas Soup: You can reheat large batches of Albondigas Soup on the stove over medium low heat, stirring gently until warmed through. Add additional water or broth as needed to reach desired consistency.
To Freeze: I don't recommend freezing the soup as a whole (though you can!), because the veggies get a little weird after defrosting. If that doesn't bother you, then freeze away! Transfer cooled soup to a freezer-safe gallon-ziplock bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Alternately, you can freeze the meatballs solo after broiling them and drop them into soup frozen at a later date.
Nutrition
Calories: 464kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 25gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 86mgSodium: 830mgPotassium: 1148mgFiber: 5gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 6031IUVitamin C: 30mgCalcium: 75mgIron: 4mg
