Albondigas: Mexican Meatball Soup
Albondigas (Mexican Meatball Soup) – nourishing and comforting, this flavorful broth is brimming with hearty vegetables and tender beef and rice meatballs. Fresh herbs add brightness and pop to each spoonful!
Albondigas – This Mexican meatball soup is so nourishing and comforting! Tender beef and rice meatballs are balanced by hearty vegetables: chayote, zucchini, celery, potato, carrots, and tomato, all in a flavorful broth. Fresh herbs and a squeeze of lime add brightness and pop to each spoonful! This recipe is perfect for a simple meal and comes from Dig In! by Erin O’Brien.
As time passes, I develop a deeper appreciation for Mexican cooking, not just from a flavor, ingredient, or technique perspective, but for its similarities to Filipino cuisine. With a shared history of Spanish colonial influence, I love comparing recipes that can be found in both countries, and seeing how similar (or dissimilar) they are.
For example, both countries have their version of champorado. In this case, the Filipino champorado is more like a chocolate rice pudding, while the Mexican version is a beverage. Flan is a little more similar. There are also similarities when it comes to picadillo or empanada.
So when I welcomed Erin O’Brien on the podcast to discuss her debut cookbook, Dig In! Over 100 Easy, Delicious, and Stress-Free Recipes to Make on Repeat (affiliate link), I was excited to explore the recipes that celebrate her Mexican heritage. The night before her interview, I looked to her book for dinner inspiration, and knew in a heartbeat that I needed to try her recipe for Albondigas, which is also known as Mexican meatballs soup.
Now, in the Philippines, albondigas is also extremely popular. A prime example of this is one of my all time favorite recipes, Easy Filipino Meatball Noodle Soup (Misua Bola-Bola). Both Erin’s and my version use similar vegetables (zucchini or chayote, onions, and tomatoes), and of course, tender meatballs (hers feature beef and rice while mine can be made with beef or pork).
I absolutely loved Erin’s recipe! It was comforting, familiar, and fresh and bright at the same time. I am adding it to my rotation for sure.
How to Make Albondigas (Mexican Meatball Soup)
Let’s start with the meatballs. The key to Erin’s tender meatballs is in the rice. She takes the time to soak cooked rice overnight, which gives the meatballs their light and pillowy texture. Try not to skip this step! But if you’re like me and have leftover rice, I put them to use in this recipe and was happy with the result.
As for the vegetables, veggie-lovers will be happy to see a variety of hearty vegetables in the ingredient list. The soup uses both celery stems and leaves (which are so flavorful), as well as tomato, onion, potato, zucchini, chayote, and carrot. If you can’t find chayote, substitute with additional zucchini.
To make the albondigas, start by sautéing the aromatics with oregano, salt, and cumin in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the beef broth and vegetables, and simmer while you make the meatballs.
Combine the ingredients for the meatballs and using wet hand, form them into 1-ounce rounds. When the vegetables in the soup are fork tender, add the meatballs, and continue to cook until the meatballs float to the top, about 8-10 minutes. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the rice in the meatballs are cooked and tender.
Garnish with fresh herbs and serve with wedges of lime!
Listen to the Podcast with Erin O’Brien
For more comfort food and Mexican-inspired recipes, check out my interview with Erin O’Brien in Episode 133 of the Kitchen Confidante Podcast!
More Meatball Recipes
Easy Filipino Meatball Noodle Soup (Misua Bola-Bola)
Filipino Pork BBQ Bowl & Spicy Korean Meatball Bowl
Disclosure: I was sent a copy of Dig In! Over 100 Easy, Delicious, and Stress-Free Recipes to Make on Repeat to review for the Kitchen Confidante Podcast Episode 133 with Erin O’Brien. All opinions are, of course, my own. The post may have affiliate links; see my Disclosure page to learn more.
Albondigas (Mexican Meatball Soup)
Ingredients
FOR THE SOUP
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion chopped
- 1 Roma plum tomato diced
- 1 celery heart leaves reserved and stalks cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 11/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 8 cups beef stock
- 3 medium carrots peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 medium zucchini peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 medium chayote peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (see notes below)
- 1 large Yukon Gold potato peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 4 sprigs fresh mint plus leaves for garnish
FOR THE ALBONDIGAS
- 1/4 cup long grain white rice soaked in water overnight and strained (see notes below)
- 1 pound 85% lean ground beef
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint plus more for garnish
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 11/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice about 1 lime
FOR SERVING
- Fresh oregano leaves
- Lime wedges
Instructions
MAKE THE SOUP:
- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or stainless steel lidded pot over medium heat. Once shimmering, add the onion, tomato, celery leaves, garlic, oregano, salt, and cumin and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is softened and translu- cent, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the beef stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the celery heart stalks, carrots, zucchini, chayote, and potato. Cover and bring back up to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are fork-tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
MAKE THE ALBONDIGAS:
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the strained soaked rice, ground beef, egg, flour, mint, salt, oregano, garlic powder, and black pepper until a uniform mixture forms.
- Using a 1-ounce cookie scoop or large spoon, make 20 heaping 2 tablespoon-sized meatballs and place directly onto a large plate or unlined sheet pan. Lightly drizzle your hands with water and roll the meatballs between your palms until they’re smooth and return them to the sheet pan, about 1 inch apart.
- Once the vegetables in the soup are fork-tender, submerge the meatballs in the broth, raise the heat to high and bring to a boil, and add the mint sprigs. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, covered, until the meatballs begin to float, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer, covered, until the meatballs are cooked through and the rice grains inside the meatballs are tender, about 20 minutes.
FINISH AND SERVE THE SOUP:
- Discard the mint sprigs. Add the lime juice, taste, and adjust the salt and black pepper as desired. Ladle into bowls and garnish with the fresh mint and oregano leaves. Serve with lime wedges.
Notes
Notes from Liren:
- Nana served this soup for over a decade at Lupita’s La Jolla, and over the years, my mom and I made little changes like upping the sea- sonings and adding mint. It’s loaded with veggies swimming in a savory broth with tender beef and rice meatballs. Soaking the rice ahead is a family secret that keeps the albondigas light and pillowy. Garlic, oregano, cumin, celery hearts and leaves, and fresh mint add layers of flavor, while a squeeze of lime juice makes it all pop. The best part? This hearty soup comes together in just over an hour but tastes like it has been simmering all day long. You can also swap in chicken or turkey for the meatballs and adjust the stock to match.
- If you can’t find chayote, a Mexican squash, use an extra zucchini or potato.
- This soup is very adaptable. As Erin suggests, chicken or turkey would be excellent swaps for ground beef in the meatballs. I also like combining beef and pork together for a very savory meatball.
- Similarly, use your favorite herbs! I love mint but my husband does not, so sometimes I will make this with a ton of cilantro and oregano, and it is just as delicious.
- I have tried this recipe using leftover rice in the meatballs (as photographed in the post), and I have been happy with the results. It’s a great way to use up leftover rice, eliminates overnight soaking of grains, and reduces the simmer time.
Nutrition
COOKBOOK
Comments