Albondigas Soup Recipe

Albondigas Ingredients

Albondigas (meatballs)

• Ground beef (1 pound): The hearty base for juicy, flavorful meatballs that hold together in the broth. For more flavor use fattier meats (80/20 or 70/30). Lean ground beef tends to fall apart more easily.
  • Substitute half of the ground beef with pork sausage. Or use ground pork, ground chicken, or ground turkey.
• Egg, beaten (1): Binds the mixture so meatballs stay tender yet cohesive.
• Minced garlic (2 teaspoon): Adds savory depth to both meatballs and soup. 4-6 fresh garlic cloves make 2 teaspoons, see How to Mince Garlic
• Fresh cilantro, chopped (½ cup): Bright, herby flavor through every bite of the meatballs.
• Ground cumin (1 teaspoon in meatballs): Warm, earthy spice that defines classic albondigas.
• Salt (½ teaspoon): Seasons the meatball mixture so it does not taste flat.
• Pepper (¼ teaspoon): Gentle heat that balances the herbs and aromatics.
• Cooked rice, optional (½ cup): Traditional addition that makes meatballs tender and satisfying.
• Olive oil (1–2 tablespoons): Helps brown the meatballs for extra flavor (or vegetable oil). Browning the meatballs first will help them keep their shape.

Soup Ingredients

• Low sodium chicken broth (4 cups): Light, savory base that lets the meatball flavors shine. Or use chicken stock, beef broth, or vegetable broth.
• Carrot, sliced (½): Sweetness and color that round out the broth. (1 – 2 large carrots)
• Celery stalk, chunks (1): Aromatic backbone and a bit of texture.
• Diced tomatoes, undrained (1, 16-ounce can): Adds body, acidity, and a gentle tomato richness. Or 2 cups of peeled and chopped fresh tomatoes.
• Ground cumin for soup (½ teaspoon): Echoes the meatball spice and ties the pot together.
• Oregano (1 teaspoon): Herbal note that complements the cilantro and cumin.
• Fresh cilantro (½ cup): Brightens the broth near the end of cooking. Mint can be used as well.
• Potato, diced (1): Makes the soup heartier with creamy, tender bites. Red and white potatoes tend to hold their shape while russets are softer and create a creamier soup. Yukon Golds are in between. See our Types of Potatoes and When to Use Them post.
• Salt and pepper to taste: Final seasoning to balance the broth before serving.
• extra veggies (optional) – chopped onions, diced zucchini, green beans, or peas
• toppings (optional) – a dollop of sour cream, sliced avocados, or lime wedges
• additional vegetables – zucchini, corn, green beans and even kale are also great additions to albondigas soup.

How to Make Albondigas Soup

MEATBALLS. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, beaten egg, minced garlic, chopped cilantro , cumin, salt, pepper, and cooked rice.

• Form 20-24 tight meatballs by rolling between your palms (we made ours about 1-inch – 1½ inches wide and used a cookie scoop to make sure the meatballs were the same size and cooked evenly). Brown on all sides in a hot pan over medium heat with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil for a few minutes. Set aside.

SOUP. In a large pot, combine chicken broth, sliced carrots, chopped celery stalk, diced tomatoes, cumin, oregano, and fresh cilantro leaves.

• Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and reduce heat to a mild simmer for 10 minutes. Drop meatballs and 1 diced potato in the soup and slightly boil so that the meatballs cook quickly. Return to simmer and cook another 20 minutes.

SERVE. Salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy warm topped with some fresh parsley (if desired). We also love to serve this with fresh warm corn tortillas or flour tortillas.

Kristyn’s Recipe Tips

• Use 80/20 ground beef for the most flavorful meatballs. You could use frozen or pre-made meatballs as well.
• Roll meatballs tight and uniform for even cooking; chill 10 minutes if the mix feels soft.
• To keep the meatballs from falling apart be sure to brown them in a skillet first. Caramelized edges add flavor and help them hold their shape.
• Cut all the vegetables about the same size so they cook evenly.
• Keep the broth at a gentle simmer so meatballs stay tender, not tough.
• Add potatoes with the meatballs so both finish at the same time.

Crock Pot Directions:

• Add all of your ingredients (except for the cilantro) to your slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 4 hours.
• Add cilantro at the very end and salt and pepper if needed.

5 from 357 votes

Albondigas Recipe

By: Kristyn Merkley

Handed down for generations, there's nothing better than Great Grandma's famous albondigas soup!

Servings: 6

Prep: 25 minutes mins

Cook: 30 minutes mins

Total: 55 minutes mins

Video

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

Meatballs

• ▢ 1 pound ground beef
• ▢ 1 egg, beaten
• ▢ 2 teaspoon minced garlic
• ▢ ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ▢ ½ cup cooked rice, optional
• ▢ 1-2 tablespoons olive oil

Soup

• ▢ 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
• ▢ ½ carrot, sliced
• ▢ 1 celery stalk, cut into chunks
• ▢ 1 (16-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ▢ 1 teaspoon oregano
• ▢ ½ cup fresh cilantro
• ▢ 1 potato, diced
• ▢ salt and pepper to taste

Instructions 

Meatballs

• In a large bowl, combine 1 pound ground beef, 1 beaten egg, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, ½ cup fresh cilantro chopped, 1 teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and ½ cup cooked rice.
• Form 20-24 tight meatballs by rolling between your palms (we made ours about 1½ inches wide). Brown on all sides in a hot pan over medium heat with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil for a few minutes. Set aside.

Soup

• In a large pot, combine 4 cups chicken broth, ½ carrot sliced, 1 chopped celery stalk, 1 (16-ounce) can diced tomatoes, ½ teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon oregano, and ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves.
• Bring to a boil, and reduce heat to a mild simmer for 10 minutes.
• Drop meatballs and 1 diced potato in the soup and slightly boil so that the meatballs cook quickly. Return to simmer and cook another 20 minutes.
• Salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy warm topped with some fresh parsley (if desired).

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Notes

Recipe tips.

• Use 80/20 ground beef for the most flavorful meatballs. You could use frozen or pre-made meatballs.
• Traditional albondigas soup has fresh mint in the meatballs, feel free to add instead of cilantro.
• To keep the meatballs from falling apart be sure to brown them in skillet first.
• Cut all the vegetables about the same size so they cook evenly.

Store. Let cool, and store in an airtight container(s) in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or place in a freeze bag and freeze for up to 3 months. 

To reheat, let thaw in the fridge overnight and return to the stove. Cook until heated through. You can microwave it as well.

Nutrition

Calories: 273kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 18g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 80mg, Sodium: 317mg, Potassium: 549mg, Fiber: 1g, Vitamin A: 1100IU, Vitamin C: 5.5mg, Calcium: 46mg, Iron: 3.5mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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This recipe was originally published October 2018.