Albondigas Soup (Mexican Meatball Soup) Recipe

Name: Albondigas Soup (Mexican Meatball Soup)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 1 large onion; 1 large garlic clove; 2 quarts chicken stock or beef stock; 1 quart water; 1/2 cup tomato sauce; 1/2 pound green beans; 2 large carrots; 1/3 cup white rice; 1 pound ground beef; 1/4 cup chopped spearmint leaves; 1/4 cup chopped parsley; 1 egg; 1 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; 1 dash cayenne; 1 1/2 cups frozen peas; 1 teaspoon of dried oregano; Salt and pepper; 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Albondigas soup is a traditional Mexican meatball soup (albondigas means "meatballs" in Spanish) that my mother has cooked for our family for more than 50 years.

It is our version of comfort food.

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How to Make Albondigas (Mexican Meatball Soup)

What Is Albondigas Soup?

A simple soup base is made with sautéed onions, garlic, broth, and tomatoes. Into the bubbling soup you drop meatballs made with ground beef or ground turkey and rice.

The meat creates its own additional broth. Carrots, green beans, and peas are also usually added to the soup.

The Secret Ingredient

What makes the flavor of albondigas soup distinctive is the chopped mint in the meatballs. I once remarked to a Mexican chef friend of mine about the lack of mint in his cookbook's albondigas soup recipe, and he looked at me with surprise and said, "my mother puts mint in her albondigas!"

You can, of course, skip the mint, substitute with a little fresh oregano or some cilantro, but to me, the soup's not the same without it. You can also vary the vegetables added, depending on what you have on hand and what's in season.

Albondigas Soup (Mexican Meatball Soup)

Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 45 mins

Total Time 60 mins

Servings 6 to 8 servings

Use spearmint or Mexican yerba buena for the mint in this soup (not peppermint). My mother often puts a couple extra tablespoons of chopped fresh mint directly into the soup. If fresh mint is not available, you can use a couple teaspoons of dried mint from herbal mint tea.

You can vary the vegetables depending on what you have on hand. Spring peas in their pods instead of shucked peas, for example. Or you could add some chopped fresh zucchini or corn.

Feel free to substitute ground turkey for the ground beef, we do it often.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 quarts chicken stock or beef stock
1 quart water
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 pound green beans, strings and ends removed, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
1/3 cup white rice
1 pound ground beef
1/4 cup (loosely packed) chopped fresh spearmint leaves
1/4 cup (loosely packed) chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups frozen or fresh peas
1 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano
1 dash cayenne, optional
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Make the soup base:

Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot (5-quart) over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook a minute more.

Add the stock, water, and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the green beans and carrots.
Prepare the meatballs:

Mix the uncooked rice into the meat on a large bowl, along with the spearmint leaves and parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix in the raw egg.

Form mixture into 1-inch meatballs.

Elise Bauer
Add the meatballs to the soup, let simmer, and add peas:

Gently add the meatballs to the simmering soup, one at a time. Cover and let simmer for 1/2 hour.

Add the peas towards the end of cooking. Add a few pinches of oregano and sprinkle with salt and pepper, and a dash of cayenne, to taste.

Elise Bauer
Serve:

Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh cilantro.

Elise Bauer

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
297	Calories
16g	Fat
17g	Carbs
22g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories	297
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16g	20%
Saturated Fat 5g	24%
Cholesterol 77mg	26%
Sodium 740mg	32%
Total Carbohydrate 17g	6%
Dietary Fiber 4g	13%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 22g
Vitamin C 11mg	57%
Calcium 67mg	5%
Iron 3mg	18%
Potassium 564mg	12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.