Albondigas soup is a delicious Mexican recipe filled with meatballs, vegetables and spices! Packed full of flavor, this simple Albondigas soup is sure to become a favorite.
Enjoy it with warm flour tortillas or with some tacos, but be prepared to fall in love with this simple albondigas soup recipe. It’s a recipe handed down for decades and is so delicious.
Mexican Albondigas Soup
Have you ever heard of or tasted Albondigas soup? If you haven’t – you’re totally missing out! But, now’s your chance to try it.
What is albondigas soup made of? This traditional Mexican soup has a flavorful broth base filled with tomatoes and other veggies and includes homemade meatballs. It occasionally has rice in it too!
This recipe was recreated based off of the soup my great-grandma would make, and we finally nailed it! It’s flavorful and hearty and just like grandma’s!
All of the flavors of this soup are SO delicious and simple. After creating the seasoned broth base, you add the meatballs and veggies and simmer until ready – creating an easy and tasty Mexican soup recipe.
How to Make Albondigas Soup
I always start by making the meatballs first. You could use frozen or pre-made meatballs but these are really simple to make and taste so good! I promise homemade meatballs are the way to go when making Albondigas soup. Just combine the following INGREDIENTS together:
- ground beef
- 1 egg, beaten
- minced garlic
- chopped cilantro
- cumin
- salt & pepper
- cooked rice (optional)
MEATBALLS. Make the meatballs by combining these ingredients and rolling between your hands (we made ours about 1 1/2 inches wide). You will be able to make about 20 – 24 meatballs total. Brown each meatball for a few minutes in a hot pan. Make sure all sides are browned. Set the meatballs aside while you prepare the rest of the soup.
BOIL. Combine chicken broth, celery, tomatoes, cumin, oregano, and cilantro leaves in a big pot. Bring these ingredients to a boil over high heat. Once it’s boiling, turn the heat down and simmer for about 10 minutes.
SIMMER. Add the meatballs and potatoes to the soup mixture. Increase the heat to a boil so that the meatballs can cook a bit. Return to a simmer and cook for an additional 20 minutes. Add a little salt and pepper to your liking and ENJOY it nice and warm.
Can you add rice to albondigas soup? You can add rice to the meatballs when making them, or you can add as much as you like to the soup, cooking it for the last 20 minutes of simmering.
Slow Cooker INstructions, Storing + sides
Want to make this in the crock pot? Just add all your ingredients (except for your cilantro) to your slow cooker and cook on LOW for 4 hours. Add cilantro at the very end and salt and pepper if needed.
How to store + freeze albondigas? Let cool and store in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or freeze in containers or doubled bagged in freezer bags. To reheat, let thaw in fridge over night and return to the stove and cook until heated through. You can also microwave it as well.
Here are some recipes we love to have with albondigas:
- Chicken Tacos
- Flour Tortillas
- Chips + Salsa
The smell of this Mexican Albondigas soup is soooo yummy and it will fill your entire house. Your family will be begging for second and third helpings! Let us know if you try Grandma’s recipe, and we hope you love it as much as we do.
More Soup Recipes:
Albondigas Soup Recipe
Albondigas soup is a delicious Mexican recipe filled with meatballs, vegetables and spices! Packed full of flavor, this simple Albondigas soup is sure to become a favorite.
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 egg beaten
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1/2 cup cilantro chopped
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/2 cup cooked rice optional
Soup
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 carrot sliced
- 1 celery stalk cut into chunks
- 1 (16oz) can diced tomatoes undrained
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/2 cup cilantro
- 1 potato diced
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
-
Meatballs: Combine all ingredients together thoroughly. Form 20-24 tight meatballs by rolling between your palms (we made ours about 1 1/2 inch wide). Brown in a hot pan for a few minutes on each. Set aside.
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In a large pot, combine chicken broth, carrots, celery, tomatoes, cumin, oregano, and cilantro leaves.
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Bring to a boil, and reduce heat to a mild simmer for 10 minutes.
-
Drop meatballs and potatoes in the soup and slightly boil so that meatballs cook quickly. Return to simmer and cook another 20 minutes. Salt and Pepper to taste. Enjoy warm.
I love this soup recipe, perfect for a rainy Fall evening!
Totally is!! Thank you so much!
I love Albondigas – when my Grandma would take me to Olvera Street as a little kid, it was always my favorite thing to order! I love this recipe so much – tastes just like I used to get there!
I am so glad it does 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing that!
I will be making this soup once it gets chilly here…which will be tomorrow! LOL
Yay!! I hope you love it, as much as we do! Thanks!
This soup looks perfect for fall and winter! I love hearty soups, especially ones with Mexican flavors. I’ll have to try it out!
I’m with ya! They are always so tasty!! Thank you!
I know for sure this would be a huge hit in my house!
It really is so tasty! I hope your family does love it, if you give it a try!! Thank you!!
everybody loved it! including my toddler.
Yay!! Love to hear that 🙂 Thank you for sharing!
Absolutely amazing. I went a little heavier on thE cumin for taste. Doubled the ingredients everywhere else to yield a big pot n leftovers. Also Went with baby carrots and red potatos. This recipe was a big hit with the family. Thank you
That sounds perfect! Thank you for sharing that!
THIS WAS AN EASY RECIPE AND MOST DELICIOUS. I ADDED HALF OF A LARGE ONION TO THE SOUP AND TOPPED IT OFF AT THE END WITH TWO HEAPING HANDFULS OF ORGANIC SPINACH AND IT WAS A HUGE HIT. SERVED IT WITH PARMESAN CHEESE SPRINKLED ON TOP W/ ADDITIONAL PEPPER. #WINNER
*Not sure why this won’t let me post not in all caps? I am not yelling…LOL!
Sounds delicious!! Thank you so much for sharing that!
the best tasting, authentic albondigas recipe i’ve tried!
Awe, thank you so much for saying that!
This is a good MEATBALL-TOMATOE SOUP; everyone in our home liked it, but it’s not Abondigas. Abondigas doesn’t taste anything like this.
I thought a little heavy on cumin overall, but actually really Liked the meatballs.
Sounds wonderful! I don’t like the taste of cilantro…can I leave it out and not ruin the taste of soup?
You sure could 🙂 I hope you try it!! It is so tasty!
Never had Albondigas soup before this- it’s so good! THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR RECIPE.
This was the first time that I have made this recipe! SO GOOD!
This recipe was easy to follow and I doubled ingredients for leftovers.
Absolutely delicious, added lemon to soup after serving in bowl.
Yay!! Glad to hear! Thank you so much 🙂
Love love love! Super easy to follow and make this coming from a person that always buRns food and doesnt cook much so you know its super easy to do. I used my crockpot and didnt use rice as i had none. Super DELICIOUS Just like my mom Use to make it!
Glad you like it 🙂 Thank you for sharing that! I am glad you tried it!
Hi i would like to use frozen fully cooked meatballs, what size of bag would i need and how many hours in the crockpot on low
Thanks
Yes, you could. My recipe made about 24 meatballs, so that’s about half a bag. The count is usually on the bag. It would be low for about 4 hrs.
Wonderful soup everyone loved it!
Yay!! So happy they did! Thank you for letting me know & giving it a try!
I am excited to try this as I have only had it only (several times) at one restaurant way across the country and I’m addicted to it. I do find it odd that onion is excluded from the recipe. I also want to add that when I had this at El Tepeyac in LA, it was served with Mexican rice, so consider that option.
Thank you for sharing that! Yes, rice would be a great option & onion ( I just don’t like onions). Enjoy!!
This looks so good anD i wAnt to mAke it this weekend. AppRoximately how many servings are in the recipe?
6 servings about a cup to cup & a half big.
I just made this soup and oh my goodness. Thank you thank you .
You are so welcome!! Thank you for trying it 🙂
Just wanted to say that I tried the albondigas RESEIPE.so,so good! Really enjoyed the flavor and I can’t remember the last time I had some.what I liked about the recipe was I already had most of the ingredients. Very GOOD. I think I will make it again around Thanksgiving right now after all it is soup season.
Thank you for letting me know that! I am so glad you like it! Yay for soup season!
Out of curiosity. Did you buy instant rice or did you cook your own rice before hand?
I did, but any type of rice would work 🙂
I tried it and loved it!
Thank you for trying it! Glad you liked it!
Hi , what type of potatoe would i use for this recipe?
Hi ,I sent you a question earlier i have another question, would zucchini work in this too? we love onion and zucchini in this type of soup!
Any kind of potato would work..I think I used a russet potato & yes, zucchini would be great! Hope you like it!
THIS CAME OUT AMAZING! IVE MADE IT SO MANY TIMES ALWAYS FOLLOWING THIS RECIPE!
Awe, I am so glad!! Thank you so much!
I’ve made this recipe over 5 times and I am making it again tonight. Soooo good! I always double the recipe since we love it so much. I omit the cilantro just because i am not a fan (tastes soapy to me) but no one ever complains 🙂 Let’s hope i can impress my husband’s grandparents who are coming over for dinner tonight. THank you for the great recipe!
You are so welcome!! I hope they like it. Thank you so much!
Made your ALBONDIGAS soup…..amazing, the broth was outstanding.
Yay!! I am so glad you liked it! Thank you!
Delicious! Almost like my grandmother’s soup. She used to add minced mint to the meatballs.
if you are using the slow cooker instructions, do you need to still need to brow the meatballs?
I would still follow the same instructions 🙂 Enjoy!!
My HUSBAND WAS SO IMPRESSED WITH THIS! IT’S going to become a REGULAR FOR SURE!
I love this Recipe, my family is always excited when i make it. I have only change a couple of things.
Thank you,
Katherine Espinosa
I am so happy your family likes it! Thank you for letting me know 🙂
Great recipe but no onions? I added to soup (small amount)
I wish I liked them, but yes, you can totally add some! Thank you!
Thank you so much for this recipe, Im gonna make it right now.
You are welcome! Hope you like it!
just made this today. it was easy to make and so delicious. win win! thank you so much!
Thank you for trying it & for letting me know!
love this recipe, i used pork & beef (cleaning out my frIdge) and it tastes great. Also added zucc towards the end of cooking. Will kerp this in rota.
Great options!! So happy you liked it! Thank you 🙂