Albondigas

Handed down for decades, there’s nothing better than Grandma’s famous Albondigas soup!

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Great-Grandma’s Mexican soup

This Albondigas recipe was recreated based on the soup my Great-Grandma would make. After decades of trying to recreate, we finally have it figured out and are so excited to share her famous soup with all of you.

Albondigas is spanish for “meatballs”. It’s also known as Caldo de Albóndigas but its origin goes back to Spain and has some Arabic influences. This traditional Mexican meatball soup has a flavorful broth base and is filled with tomatoes, veggies, homemade meatballs, and sometimes rice.

Ingredients

PREP TIME: 80 minutes
COOK TIME: 6 minutes

Albondiga (meatball) Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef – For the most tender and flavorful meatballs, stick with fattier meats. The most popular meat choice is ground beef (80/20 or 70/30). Meatballs made using lean ground beef tend to fall apart more easily.
  • You can substitute half of the ground beef with pork sausage. You can also use ground pork, ground chicken, or ground turkey.
• 1 whole egg – helps bind the ingredients together
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic – Use 4-6 fresh garlic cloves to make 2 teaspoons of minced garlic.
• ½ cup fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ cup Cooked Rice – It adds texture and acts as a binder to hold the meatballs together.
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil – or vegetable oil. Browning the meatballs first will help them keep their shape.

Soup Ingredients

• 4 cups chicken broth – Use stock in place of broth. You can also use beef broth in place of the chicken broth.
• ½ cup sliced carrots
• 1 celery stalk
• 1 (16-ounce) can diced tomatoes – use 2 cups of peeled and chopped fresh tomatoes.
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• ½ cup fresh cilantro
• 1 potato – you can use any potato. Red and white potatoes tend to hold their shape while russets are softer and create a creamier soup. Yukon Golds are in between. 
• salt & black pepper – season to taste
• extra veggies (optional) – toss in chopped onions, diced zucchini, green beans, or peas.
• toppings (optional) – Top the soup with a dollop of sour cream and sliced avocados. Garnish bowls with lime wedges which you can squeeze to add lime juice to each bowl. 

How to Make Albondigas

1. MEATBALLS. 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 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 with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil for a few minutes. Set aside.
2. 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.
3. SERVE. Salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy warm topped with some fresh parsley (if desired).

5 from 347 votes

Albondigas Recipe

By: Lil’ Luna

Albondigas is a delicious Mexican soup filled with meatballs, vegetables, and spices! It's easy, flavorful, and sure to be a favorite. 

Servings: 6

Prep: 25 minutes mins

Cook: 30 minutes mins

Total: 55 minutes mins

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

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

• 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 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).

Video

Notes

STORE. Let cool, and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

FREEZE in containers or double bagged in freezer bags.

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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