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 lasagna soup, 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! Looking for more amazing soup ideas? You can’t go wrong with beef barley soup, Zuppa Toscana or New England clam chowder.
albondigas ingredients
To make this recipe, you will need ground beef, rice, egg, garlic, cilantro, cumin, salt, pepper, olive oil, onion, carrots, potatoes, beef broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano and zucchini.
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. Make the soup base by sauteeing onions, carrots and garlic in olive oil. Next, add potatoes, beef broth, tomatoes and seasonings to the pot. Bring the vegetables and broth mixture to a simmer, then add the meatballs and finally the zucchini. Top with a little fresh cilantro, then serve and enjoy.
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 Mexican meatball soup 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.
- Be sure that the soup does not come to a boil, or the meatballs can become tough.
- 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.
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.
recipe faqs
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.
There are a couple of tricks to keep your meatballs from falling apart in the soup. One is to use cooked rice. This allows the meatballs to cook for a shorter period of time, which makes them less likely to break apart. In addition, be sure not to over mix the meat mixture. If the meatballs have been over mixed, it can change the final texture when cooked and also make them more likely to split open.
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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.
flavor variations
While this recipe is delicious as-is, you can add other ingredients to customize the flavors to your tastes.
- Protein: While less traditional, you can substitute ground chicken, ground turkey or ground pork for the beef.
- Vegetables: Feel free to add other veggies to the mix such as celery, green beans, spinach or corn.
- Seasonings: Add more flavor to your soup with fresh herbs such as green onions, or a squeeze of fresh lime juice. You can also top the finished dish with a dollop of sour cream or diced avocado.
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
Albondigas Soup
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef I use 90% lean
- 1/2 cup cooked white rice
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup cilantro leaves chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
For the soup
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup onion diced
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 3 carrots peeled, quartered and sliced
- 1 1/2 cups Russet potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 6 cups beef broth
- 15 ounce can diced tomatoes do not drain
- 8 ounce can tomato sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 large zucchini quartered and sliced
- 1/4 cup cilantro leaves chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- For the meatballs. Place the beef, rice, garlic, egg, cilantro, cumin, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Mix until thoroughly combined.
- Roll the meat mixture into 3/4 inch sized meatballs. Place the meatballs on a tray.
- For the soup. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot and cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the potatoes, beef broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, cumin and oregano to the pot. Bring to a simmer.
- Simmer for 10 minutes. Drop the meatballs into the soup and simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
- Add the zucchini and cook for 5 minutes more. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.
- Sprinkle with chopped cilantro, then serve.
Notes
- 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.
Delicious!
Soooooo gooooooood !!!!!! What type of sides would you recommend and type of bread on the side as well?
I love this salad on the side: https://www.dinneratthezoo.com/mexican-salad-recipe/. I typically serve with a rustic style bread such as ciabatta or a french loaf.
Instead of rice, I added mashed Nacho Cheese Doritos. I pound the chips to almost a powder. Adds an additional later of flavor. This is the perfect recipe to do that
Amazing, amazing, amazing! My kids loved the soup and also went back for seconds. I had ground turkey and elk on hand and it turned out delicious. Served with a sprinkle of the cilantro, some chopped jalapeño, sharp cheddar and a spoonful of the leftover rice on top. One of my teenage sons even said it’s like a flavor explosion in his mouth- he loved it that much.
This was so good!! Everyone loved it, including the kids who are picky eaters. They even went back for seconds! Also the recipe is perfect as is, no edits necessary. Thank you!
AWESOME! Thanks for sharing!!
Can I substitute fresh mint for the cilantro? Can I use half hamburger and ground pork?
I haven’t tried those changes but I think they would work!
Yes! That’s how real Mexican Albondigas are made 🙂
Do you ever cook the meatballs a bit prior to adding them to the soup?
Yes, you can broil them for about 8 minutes!
I and any of my family that have ate this love it! Ive made it enough times now that i remember the recipe but i also add corn on the cob and large chunked cabbage. It’s delicious and perfect for the cold weather very hearty! Thanks.
In addition to potatoes zucchini onion, you add cabbage and corn?
How much cabbage is used?
Best Albondigas soup ever, I just added Knorr Chicken Bouillon powder instead of Beef broth. And I added corn on the cob. Highly recommend, also used Chayote Squash and yellow instead of potatoes
Best albondigas I’ve ever made! I doubled the recipe to freeze a batch for later. I altered the meatballs a tad, used two thirds ground beef and one third pork chorizo and added I chili powder to the broth.
I see similar recipes usually use chicken broth instead of beef broth. Can that be substituted in this recipe?
Yes that’s fine!
Holy SMOKES! I just made this soup, I’m in love! I just ever so slightly edited, I added a teaspoon of sauce made from New Mexico chili pods. Delicious.
I never sauté the onions & carrots or anything else bcuz the soup will be too greasy. Instead, I cook the meatballs by themselves for 20 minutes with the tomatoes. This way the broth & meatballs will have more flavor & the natural oils from the meatballs is plenty grease. When the meatballs are cooked, then I add all the veggies for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat & cover for another 5 minutes. Veggies don’t take long to cook. Enjoy 😋
Have you ever made with uncooked rice? I’m making this right now. I can’t wait to try it. 🙂
You can do it with uncooked rice, you just need to simmer for longer so the rice can cook through!
Thank you. Made it. Loved it. I just froze the leftovers for next week. Huge hit! Kids and adults approved. 🙂
I made a double batch. I froze half. We ate the leftovers only a few days later. I made it with turkey meatballs since we don’t eat beef. I used cooked rice but next time I’ll try uncooked. Ilthe soup was great. My entire family loved it. 🙂
Hi how much rice do I use if it’s uncooked?
Half the amount!
Made this dish and turned out so amazing. I doubled the recipe and actually browned the meatballs just to give it a nice crust. I also topped the soup with avocado and lime and had some corn tortillas on the side. Everyone loved it and it looks amazing as well.
Would pre-made frozen meatballs work in this recipe?
Yes that’s fine!
This was delicious. Will definitely make again for the family.
I’ve been wanting to try making this, it’s such a simple recipe, I’ll try making it.
Love albondigas soup. Haven’t had a good one in years but this recipe is the best one I’ve tried.