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Authentic Albondigas Soup (Mexican Meatball Soup)

Close-up of a white bowl filled with flavorful albondigas soup, featuring meatballs, carrots, and zucchini slices.
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Make this hearty Mexican Albondigas Soup featuring tender beef and rice meatballs simmered in a flavorful tomato broth with fresh vegetables. This is a simple, one-pot comfort food dinner.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1/2 cup uncooked white rice
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint (or 1 teaspoon dried)
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
  • 8 cups chicken broth or water
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 2 celery stalks, sliced
  • 1 medium zucchini, quartered and sliced
  • 1/2 small white onion, roughly chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • Lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

  1. Prepare the meatballs: In a medium bowl, combine the ground beef, uncooked rice, 1/4 cup chopped onion, egg, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, mint, and 1 tablespoon cilantro. Mix gently with your hands until just combined; do not overmix.
  2. Form the meatballs: Roll the mixture into small, uniform balls, about 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter. You should have about 18 to 20 meatballs.
  3. Start the broth: In a large pot or Dutch oven, combine the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, carrots, celery, 1/2 chopped onion, and garlic. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
  4. Add flavor base: Stir in the tomato paste and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
  5. Cook the meatballs: Carefully drop the raw meatballs into the simmering broth one by one. Do not stir immediately; let them cook for about 5 minutes before gently stirring to prevent them from sticking to the bottom.
  6. Simmer: Cover the pot partially and let the soup simmer for 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through and the rice inside is tender.
  7. Add final vegetables: Add the sliced zucchini to the pot and cook for another 5 to 7 minutes, or until the zucchini is tender-crisp.
  8. Taste and adjust: Taste the broth and add more salt if needed.
  9. Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls, making sure each serving gets several meatballs and vegetables. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.

Notes

  • For the most tender meatballs, mix the meatball ingredients lightly. Overmixing develops the protein too much, resulting in tough meatballs.
  • If you prefer a richer broth, use chicken broth instead of water.
  • If you want to make this ahead, cook the soup completely, cool it, and store it. Reheat gently on the stove, adding the zucchini only during the final 5 minutes of reheating.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://kitchenslang.com/albondigas-soup-authentic-mexican-meatball-soup/