Albondigas Soup (Mexican Meatball Soup)

Ingredients in Albondigas Soup

This recipe consists of two parts: the soup and the meatballs. The ingredient list may appear quite long at first glance, but it’s really quite simple.

The broth is made with oven-roasted tomatoes and garlic combined with onion, carrot, celery, and potatoes, while the Mexican albondigas consist of a hearty mixture of ground meat, cooked rice, onion, and TONS of fresh herbs. They’re absolutely delicious.

Here’s a little more detail about the ingredients in each part:

Soup Ingredients + Substitutions

• Tomatoes and garlic: For the most flavorful broth possible, we’re roasting Roma tomatoes and fresh garlic cloves until softened and juicy. If you’re short on time, skip roasting and swap the fresh tomatoes for 1 (28 ounce) can of crushed tomatoes.
• Onion: We’re also caramelizing one of the onions, low and slow, in a bit of olive oil until fragrant, mushy, and golden brown. This takes about 25-30 minutes, so feel free to skip this step if you’re short on time, or roast the onion alongside the tomatoes and garlic if that’s easier.
• Vegetables: The meatballs will be simmered alongside tender vegetables including onion, celery, carrots, and potatoes.
• Fresh cilantro and lime juice: These must-have garnishes are bright and fresh and help balance the final flavor of the soup.

Albondiga Ingredients + Substitutions

The meatballs (“Albondigas”) are a huge part of what makes this soup so special. Unlike many meatball recipes that are mixed with breadcrumbs and dried herbs, these are mixed with rice and loads of fresh herbs.

• Ground meat: For this particular recipe, I like to use a mix of ground beef and ground turkey thigh. Feel free to make it with just one or the other. To avoid overly greasy meatballs, use lean ground beef.
• Yellow onion: We’re adding one small finely minced onion to the meatballs for flavor and texture. Make sure to mince the onion into tiny pieces, or grate it using a box grater. This will help it mix into the meat mixture.
• Partially cooked white rice: Instead of breadcrumbs, these albondigas are made with par-cooked white rice. It gives them texture and helps hold them together. Feel free to substitute with brown rice.
• Fresh herbs: As I mention above, the fresh herbs are what make Mexican meatballs so unique, and delicious! Our meatballs are packed with parsley, mint, and cilantro. Mint is the most traditional and essential addition to Mexican albondigas, so be sure to add a full, packed half cup! To be honest, If you think you’ve added enough mint, you probably haven’t. Add a little bit more.
• Seasoning: This recipe gets so much flavor from the fresh ingredients, that you hardly need any seasoning. That said, you will need salt and black pepper, and pinch of cayenne pepper for a bit of heat.
• Eggs: Eggs are needed to bind the meatballs together so that they don’t fall apart.

How to Make Albondigas Soup

This Mexican meatball soup is really fantastic with a slice of Mexican cornbread and a cold beer.

To begin, let’s roast the tomatoes and garlic. Slice the tomatoes in half lengthwise and line a couple of rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or foil. Add the tomatoes to the baking sheets in a single layer with the whole garlic cloves. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Roast until the tomatoes are soft and slightly charred.

In the meantime, grab a large Dutch oven and caramelize an onion until it’s soft, jammy, and golden brown. The roasting and caramelizing each take about 25-30 minutes, so they should finish cooking at around the same time.

Transfer the cooked tomatoes, garlic, and onion to the bowl of a large blender or food processor and pulse about 5-10 times, or until mostly blended, but still a little chunky.

Next, heat the remaining olive oil in a large soup pot (at least 9 quarts) over medium heat. Add and cook the onion until softened, then stir in the carrots and celery. About 10 minutes later, add the chopped potatoes. These vegetables, known as the mirepoix, are the vegetable base, and although seemingly humble, play an integral role in the overall flavor of the broth. After that, you’ll stir in the blended tomato sauce and broth, and season with salt to taste. Tip: If you didn’t make your own tomato sauce, substitute with 1 (28-ounce) can of crushed tomatoes.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.

As the soup simmers, let’s make the meatballs. Some people like to mix the rice with the ground meat first, but I suggest simply adding everything to a large bowl and use your hands to get in there and mix it all together.

Next, I like to shape all of the meatballs at the same time. This way, they all cook at the same time. To shape the meatballs, roll approximately 2-3 tablespoons between the palms of your hands into a nice round ball. If the mixture gets too sticky, wet your palms with a bit of water before rolling.

Once the meatballs have been shaped, carefully drop each meatball into the pot and allow them to simmer, covered, for approximately 25 minutes. Don’t stir your meatballs until after they’ve had time to cook! When they’re first added to the broth they’re still very delicate.

Once the meatballs are fully cooked and the veggies are tender, toss a generous handful of fresh cilantro into the pot with a good squeeze of fresh lime juice. Let everything simmer for a minute or so longer and serve!

Storage & Reheating

This albondigas soup lasts for up to one week when stored in the refrigerator. Like most soups, it tastes even better reheated the next day.

It’s also a great soup to freeze. Allow the soup to cool in the refrigerator completely before transferring it to freezer-friendly containers. Freeze for up to 3 months.

To reheat, defrost in the fridge overnight. Transfer to a pot and simmer until heated through.

Frequently Asked Questions