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A bowl of hearty albondigas soup with vegetables, garnished with fresh herbs, sits on a light-colored surface. A spoon rests inside the bowl, and slices of rustic bread are placed nearby.
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5 from 2 votes

Albondigas Soup

Albondigas soup is a traditional Mexican meatball soup, it's hearty, flavorful, and loaded with vegetables. No need to pre-cook the meatballs, just add them to the boiling soup. (Watch the video to see the process. It's easy!)
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: comfort food, easy, one pot recipe, winter
Servings: 6 people
Author: Marissa Stevens

Ingredients

For the Soup

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large onion finely chopped
  • 1 medium carrot diced
  • 3 ribs celery thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes with juice
  • 6 cups water see recipe note #1
  • 4 medium zucchini diced small
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt or more
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or more

For the Meatballs

  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup cooked rice I used brown basmati
  • 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
  • 3/4 pound lean ground beef
  • 1/2 pound uncooked chorizo sausage casings removed

Instructions

  • In a soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat until hot. Add onion, carrot and celery; cook and stir until onion is translucent. Add cumin, oregano, tomatoes, and water. Bring to boil.
  • Meanwhile, make the meatballs. Crack eggs into a medium bowl and add cumin, salt and pepper; combine with a fork or whisk. Stir in rice and cilantro. Add ground beef and chorizo; mix with your hands until combined.
  • Scoop out heaping tablespoons of the meatball mixture onto a non-stick or parchment lined baking sheet - into ragged little mounds that are close to the same size. Gently pick up one mound and roll it into a ball. Repeat with remaining mounds.
  • While the soup boils, add meatballs steadily, one by one. (See recipe note #2) Once you've added all of the meatballs, wait 1 minute for meatballs to 'set,' then gently stir. Add zucchini and stir gently; keep at a high simmer for 8-10 minutes, until the zucchini is tender and meatballs are cooked through.
  • Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Video

Notes

  1. Though I call for water, you can also use chicken or beef broth. If you do, note that you'll want to adjust seasoning, i.e., salt to taste.
  2. I use both hands to add the meatballs quickly. Make sure the soup continues to boil as you add them to help keep the meatballs from falling apart.
  3. If you can't find bulk, uncooked chorizo, look for uncooked chorizo sausages and remove the casing before adding to the meatball mixture.
  4. Ground beef and chorizo can vary a lot in fat content. If you have excess oil on your soup, skim it off with a ladle before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 241kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 116mg | Sodium: 1051mg | Potassium: 690mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2379IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 3mg

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