Caldo de albondigas is an absolutely amazing Mexican meatball soup.
It is one of the most delicious soups you will ever try!
Meatballs and veggies are simmered in a yummy tomato broth.
Once you try it you’ll go back for seconds or even thirds!
It’s perfect for the fall and winter months.
It’s comforting, filling and best of all very delicious!
This soup is a must try before the fall and winter seasons are over.
But then again it’s delicious served any time of year!
I’m not exaggerating when I tell you this albondigas soup is my favorite soup ever!
Albondigas is the spanish word for meatballs.
I feel like many people are intimidated when it comes to making albondigas (meatballs).
But they really shouldn’t be.
It’s really quite simple.
What is albondigas soup made of?
The albondigas (meatballs) in this recipe are made from ground beef, rice, egg, onion, herbs and plenty of seasonings to give them an incredible flavor.
The meatballs are then browned and later simmered in a flavorful homemade tomato broth.
If you like meatballs in your spaghetti I highly suggest you try this soup.
The meatballs in this soup have an amazing flavor I think you’ll love.
This soup does have a lot of ingredients but don’t let that intimidate you.
This recipe is really quite easy to make.
My husband and I like to add some salsa macha to the soup.
It gives it even more flavor and some spice.
Ingredients needed
- celery
- carrots
- potatoes
- white onion
- roma tomatoes
- garlic cloves
- mint leaves
- cilantro
- ground chuck
- rice
- egg
- chicken bouillon
- onion powder
- garlic powder
- ground black pepper
- oregano
You can totally add more veggies or swap out some for the veggies of your choice.
Other great veggie additions are zucchini and corn on the cob.
If you want to make this soup spicy you can always add a couple of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce to the blender with the broth ingredients.
We love spicy food!
However our kids, not so much.
So we skip the peppers and just add some salsa to our individual bowls of soup once its done.
How to make the meatball soup
In a large bowl add the ground beef, rice, onion, mint leaves, cilantro, egg, chicken bouillon, onion powder, garlic powder, ground black pepper and oregano.
Use your hands to mix up everything evenly.
Form into balls. We prefer the meatballs not too big so I made 16 meatballs. Set them aside for now.
Blend the broth ingredients which include roma tomatoes, onion, garlic cloves, bouillon and two cups of water.
Add a tablespoon of oil to a pot and heat over medium heat.
Then add the broth.
Cut up the veggies. Add the veggies to the pot with the broth.
Add 4 more cups of water to the broth.
Now is a good time to taste the broth and check for salt.
You can add salt or more chicken bouillon.
In a skillet over medium heat brown the meatballs.
Do this in two batches as to not crowd the skillet.
Turn them to get them browned on all sides this will take about 8-10 minutes.
The purpose of browning the meatballs is to let some of the grease cook out so that the soup doesn’t come out overly greasy.
After browning the meatballs they will be transferred to the broth to finish cooking.
Add the browned meatballs to the broth.
Bring to a boil over medium high heat then reduce to medium low.
Cook covered for 25 minutes.
By now the meatballs will be cooked through.
You can now serve the soup but be careful it will be hot!
Let it cool off before eating!
Looking for more filling and yummy recipes? Try these!
How do you eat albondigas soup?
The soup can be garnished with some chopped cilantro.
For my husband and I diced avocado and warm corn tortillas are a must!
Also, this soup wouldn’t be complete without the addition of fresh squeezed lime juice.
It really helps to bring out the flavor of the soup.
You can also serve the soup over some rice.
Sometimes we do and sometimes we don’t.
It’s totally up to you.
If you decide you want to I have the perfect easy rice recipe.
Why is my albondigas soup so greasy?
Did you brown the albondigas in a skillet first before adding them to the tomato broth?
Browning the albondigas before adding them to the tomato broth allows a lot of the grease to be cooked off.
The albondigas won’t be all the way cooked after browning.
They will finish cooking while they simmer in the broth.
While simmering in the broth any grease leftover in the albondigas will add flavor to the soup without leaving it too greasy.
Can I use canned tomato sauce in caldo de albondigas?
You can definitely use canned tomato sauce.
I would suggest using 1 cup of tomato sauce.
Just blend it with the rest of the broth ingredients.
Caldo de albondigas recipe
This amazing Mexican meatball soup will soon become a family favorite.
Especially during the chilly fall and winter months when all you want is something warm, filling and delicious in your belly!
It’s also perfect for when you’re feeling a little under the weather.
Caldo de albondigas is truly Mexican comfort food at its best!
Just give it a try and I think you’ll agree!
I really hope you give this recipe a try.
It’s one of my family’s favorite recipes.
And I think you’ll love it just as much as we do!
If you try it let me know what you think in the comments below.
We’d love to have you join our Facebook group Mexican and Latin American Recipes.
It’s a place where you can share pics and recipes of all the delicious food you make at home!
Thank you so much for visiting, see you soon!
Mexican Meatball Soup
This amazing Mexican meatball soup is a family favorite especially during the chilly fall and winter seasons.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup celery chopped
- 2 carrots peeled and chopped
- 2 potatoes peeled and chopped
For the meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 cup rice
- 1/4 onion diced
- 1/4 cup mint leaves chopped
- 1/4 cups cilantro chopped
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp chicken bouillon
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp oregano
For the broth
- 4 roma tomatoes
- 1/4 onion of a white onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- 4 tsp chicken bouillon
- 6 cups water
- 1 tbs vegetable oil
Instructions
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Add all the meatball ingredients to a large bowl.
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Using your hands mix everything together well.
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Form the mixture into 16 meatballs. Set aside.
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Blend the broth ingredients along with 2 cups of water until smooth.
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Add 1 tbs of oil to a pot over medium heat.
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Add the broth to the pot.
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Cut up the veggies and add them to the pot with the broth. Add 4 more cups of water to the broth. Taste the broth and check for salt. Add more according to your taste.
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In a skillet over medium heat brown the meatballs. Do this in two batches to avoid crowding the skillet. Turn the meatballs on all sides so they get an even browning.
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Add the browned meatballs to the broth. Bring to a boil over medium high heat then reduce to medium low cover and cook for 25 minutes.
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The meatballs will be cooked through by now and the soup is ready to be served.
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Garnish with chopped cilantro if desired and fresh squeezed lime juice. And don't forget the warm corn tortillas enjoy!
dora
Saturday 4th of November 2023
is the rice to be cooked before making the albóndigas?
Carissa
Sunday 5th of November 2023
No, the rice will cook while the meatballs are simmering in the broth.