This Sopa de Albondigas Recipe is DANGEROUSLY Good | Mexican Meatball Soup
Mexican Meatball Soup (Sopa de Albondigas) is an absolutely amazing dish you MUST try!
Things to know:
What are the main ingredients in albondigas soup?
Albondigas soup features flavorful meatballs made with ground meat (beef, pork, or chicken), rice, and fresh herbs like mint and cilantro, simmered in a rich tomato and broth base with hearty vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, and zucchini, creating a savory, comforting Mexican dish.
What is the traditional broth for albondigas soup?
The traditional broth for Albondigas soup (Mexican Meatball Soup) is a flavorful, tomato-based broth, often featuring roasted tomatoes, onions, garlic, and herbs like oregano and cumin, built on a base of chicken or beef broth, and simmered with vegetables like carrots, potatoes, and zucchini. It’s a savory, slightly tangy, and hearty liquid that complements the seasoned meatballs perfectly, with fresh mint often added for brightness.
What are some regional variations of albondigas soup?
Albondigas soup has regional variations in Mexico and beyond, differing by the type of meat (beef, pork, chicken, turkey), the addition of rice or breadcrumbs in the meatballs, the base of the broth (tomato, chipotle, salsa verde), and added vegetables like potatoes, carrots, or mint, with northern Mexico often featuring fried tortitas instead of rolled meatballs.
Are meatballs and albondigas the same thing?
Albóndigas in Spanish are any savory food in the shape of a ball. The name applies to meatballs or even balls made without any kind of meat. Meatballs – specifically beef meatballs – is what we think of when nothing else is specified.
Are albondigas Spanish or Mexican?
A meat ball dish known as “Mexican Soul Food”, it originated in Spain and was taken to Mexico by the conquistadors.
What is special about a Dutch oven?
A Dutch oven’s special quality comes from its thick cast iron walls, tight-fitting lid, and versatility, allowing it to perfectly retain and distribute heat for superior slow cooking, searing, deep frying, and even baking bread, essentially acting as a multi-functional, portable oven that creates rich flavors and textures. Its heavy construction and lid trap moisture and heat, making it ideal for braises, stews, and roasts, while its ability to go from stovetop to oven makes one-pot meals a breeze.
Ingredients
1 cup long-grained rice
1 lb. 90% lean ground beef
1 lb. ground pork
8 T minced fresh cilantro
2 large eggs
7 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 t minced fresh oregano or 1/2 tsp dried
1/4 t ground cumin
2 t pepper
1 t salt
2 tomatoes, cored and quartered
1/2 onion, quartered
1/2 jalapeño, stemmed, halved and seeded
1 T vegetable oil
8 cups chicken broth
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 small zucchini, cut into 1/2-in pieces
1/2 cup diced fire roasted Hatch Green Chiles
1. Bring 4 cups water to boil in Dutch oven.
2. Add rice and 3/4 tsp salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes.
3. Drain rice through fine mesh strainer, rinse with cold water and drain again.
4. Using your hands, mix half of parcooked rice, ground beef, ground pork, 6 T cilantro, eggs, 1/3 of the garlic, oregano, and cumin, pepper, and salt together in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Pinch off and roll mixture into 1-T-sized meatballs (about 80 meatballs total) and arrange on a rimmed baking sheet.
5. Process tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, and remaining garlic in a food processor until smooth, about 30 secs, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
6. Heat oil in now empty pot over medium-high heat until shimmering.
7. Add tomato-onion mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until mixture has darkened in color and liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes.
8. Stir in broth and carrots, scraping up any browned bits, and bring to a simmer.
9. Cook until carrots are almost tender, about 10 minutes.
10. Stir in zucchini and remaining parcooked rice, then gently add meatballs and simmmer until meatballs are cooked through, about 10-12 minutes.
11. Off heat, stir in remaining cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve. ENJOY!
Equipment used:
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