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4.8 from 153 votes

Albondigas Soup

Albondigas Soup is a traditional Mexican soup made from meatballs cooked in a flavorful tomato broth with onions, carrots, and potatoes.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 267 kcal
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

For the meatballs
  • ½ pound lean ground beef
  • ½ pound Mexican chorizo
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ cup cooked white rice
  • ¼ cup tightly packed mint leaves, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the soup
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 celery stalks, sliced to ½-inch slices
  • 3 large carrots, peeled and sliced into ½-inch rounds
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 teaspoon Salt, plus more to taste
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 8 cups beef broth (or chicken or vegetable broth)
  • 8 ounces green beans, cut to 1-inch pieces
  • 1 large potato, diced into 1-inch chunks
  • ½ cup chopped cilantro

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Add all the ingredients for the meatballs to a large bowl. Mix together with your hands until just combined. (Try not to overwork the meat too much, just until you feel like all the ingredients have been evenly dispersed throughout the mixture.)
  2. Roll the mixture into 24 meatballs and set aside. (I used a small cookie scoop to gather about 1 heaping tablespoon of the meat mixture, and then formed it using my hands.)
  3. Heat a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, celery, carrots, onions, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir to combine and cook for 8 minutes, until the onions have softened.
  4. Add the tomato paste, dried oregano, and ground cumin. Mix together until the tomato paste has fully coated all of the vegetables.
  5. Add the broth and stir to combine. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low.
  6. Carefully drop the meatballs into the pot one by one. Bring the soup back to a simmer, then cover and cook for 15 minutes.
  7. Add the green beans and potatoes. Cover and cook for 15 more minutes.
  8. Add the cilantro, mix together, and taste. Season with more salt if necessary.

Notes

  • Meat: If you can't find Mexican chorizo near you, I highly recommend making your own using this chorizo recipe. It's easy to make and uses ingredients that can easily be found in grocery stores, like ground pork, various spices, and white vinegar. You can also use all ground beef instead for a total of 1 lb and omit the chorizo.
  • Mint: If you don't have any fresh mint, you can use a mixture of 1/2 fresh cilantro and fresh parsley instead. Or you can use all cilantro if you prefer.
  • Veggies: Feel free to use any vegetables you have! Squash, zucchini, corn, and peas are all great options.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1/6th of recipe Calories 267kcal (13%) Carbohydrates 25g (8%) Protein 26g (52%) Fat 7g (11%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 4g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 78mg (26%) Sodium 1522mg (63%) Potassium 1518mg (43%) Fiber 5g (20%) Sugar 5g (10%) Vitamin A 6633IU (133%) Vitamin C 23mg (26%) Calcium 70mg (7%) Iron 4mg (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 267

% Daily Value*

Serving 1/6th of recipe
Calories 267kcal 13%
Carbohydrates 25g 8%
Protein 26g 52%
Fat 7g 11%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 4g 20%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 78mg 26%
Sodium 1522mg 63%
Potassium 1518mg 32%
Fiber 5g 20%
Sugar 5g 10%
Vitamin A 6633IU 133%
Vitamin C 23mg 26%
Calcium 70mg 7%
Iron 4mg 22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.