Albondigas Soup

This albondigas soup is made with beef and rice meatballs which are simmered in a seasoned tomato broth along with potatoes, carrots and zucchini. A hearty soup that both kids and adults will enjoy!

I make soup almost every week, my kids adore chicken tortellini soup, cabbage roll soup, and this Mexican style albondigas meatball soup.

I’ve professed my love for soup many times, but sometimes I crave something different than your standard chicken noodle. This albondigas soup is a Mexican style soup loaded with veggies, potatoes and tender spiced meatballs. It’s full of bold flavors and totally satisfying!

What are albondigas?

Albondigas is the Spanish word for meatballs, often translated as “small meatballs”. The type of meatballs traditionally found in albondigas soup are made with ground beef and use rice as a binding agent.

How do you make albondigas soup?

The first step is to make your meatballs. I use a combination of lean ground beef, cooked rice, garlic, cilantro and cumin. The beef mixture is formed into small balls which then get dropped into the soup. The soup is made with tomatoes, onion, carrots, zucchini, potatoes and spices. Once the meatballs have cooked in the broth, dinner is ready!

Many albondigas recipes call for uncooked rice in the meatballs. I prefer to use cooked rice because the meatballs don’t have to simmer for as long. I find that an extended simmer time to soften raw rice can sometimes cause the meatballs to break apart in the soup. You can absolutely use uncooked rice if you prefer, use 1/4 cup of uncooked rice instead of the 1/2 cup of cooked rice that this recipe calls for. Just be sure to adjust your cook time accordingly.

Tips for albondigas soup

• Be sure to cut your potatoes into small pieces so that they’ll be done at the same time as the meatballs.
• This recipe is written to be mild in terms of spice level. If you prefer hot and spicy food, you can add some crushed red pepper flakes or a few teaspoons of hot sauce to the broth.
• Albondigas soup makes great leftovers! Simply reheat your soup on the stove top or in the microwave.
• This soup is hearty enough to stand as a complete meal, but I often serve it with a side of bread or tortilla chips.
• Mint is a traditional addition to albondigas soup. I typically don’t use it because my kids don’t care for it, but feel free to add a small amount of chopped fresh mint leaves to the meatballs if you like.

Slow cooker albondigas soup

This recipe is a great candidate for the slow cooker! Simply add the prepared meatballs and the rest of the soup ingredients to the crock pot, then cook on low for 4-6 hours. If you’re worried about your meatballs falling apart in the slow cooker, you can briefly broil them before adding them to the pot so that they’ll hold their shape better.

Once you try this amazing soup, it’s sure to become part of your regular dinner rotation! The beef and rice meatballs come out so light and tender, and they pair perfectly with the savory broth, creamy potatoes and fresh veggies.

More soup recipes to try

• Mexican Chicken Soup
• Chicken Taco Soup
• Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
• Ham Bone Soup
• Farro Soup with Meatballs