ALBONDIGAS (Mexican Meatball Soup)

Here’s a classic Mexican Albóndigas (Meatball Soup) recipe—hearty, comforting, and full of fresh flavors.

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🥣 Albóndigas (Mexican Meatball Soup)

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

• 1 lb ground beef (or a mix of beef & pork)
• ½ cup cooked rice
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
• Salt & pepper, to taste

For the soup:

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 medium zucchini, diced
• 1 cup potatoes, diced
• 6 cups chicken or beef broth
• 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• Optional: chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

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Instructions

1. Make the meatballs
   • In a bowl, combine all meatball ingredients.
   • Form into 1–1.5 inch balls and set aside.
2. Prepare the soup base
   • In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat.
   • Sauté onion and garlic until fragrant, 2–3 minutes.
   • Add broth, tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper.
   • Bring to a gentle boil.
3. Cook the meatballs
   • Carefully drop meatballs into the boiling soup.
   • Reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook 20–25 minutes until meatballs and vegetables are tender.
4. Add zucchini
   • Stir in zucchini and simmer another 5 minutes.
5. Serve
   • Ladle soup into bowls.
   • Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired.

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Tips & Variations

• Spice it up: Add chopped jalapeño or a pinch of chili powder.
• Rice: Some recipes cook rice directly in the soup instead of in the meatballs.
• Vegetarian: Use veggie broth and lentils instead of meat.
• Freezer-friendly: Freeze meatballs separately for easy reheating in soup.

This soup is comforting, filling, and packed with vegetables—perfect for any chilly day.

If you want, I can also give a slow-cooker version or a mini albóndigas appetizer version.