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: 4 - 6 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
- 1/3 cup minced cilantro
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
Albondigas Soup
- 4 roma tomatoes, quartered
- 4 garlic cloves
- 3-4 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.