Hearty Albondigas Soup with Fresh Vegetables Recipe
Albondigas Soup is a comforting Mexican meatball soup featuring tender ground beef meatballs mixed with rice and egg, simmered in a flavorful beef broth with fresh vegetables like carrots, potatoes, onion, and garlic, and finished with a hint of mint for brightness.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
Scale
For the Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/4 cup white rice, uncooked
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin (optional)
For the Soup
- 6 cups beef broth
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1/2 small onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Meatball Mixture: In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, uncooked rice, egg, finely chopped onion, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and cumin if using. Mix well until all ingredients are evenly incorporated.
- Form Meatballs: Shape the mixture into small, golf ball-sized meatballs, ensuring they are compact so they hold together while cooking.
- Prepare the Soup Base: In a large pot, bring the beef broth to a gentle boil. Add the diced carrots, potatoes, onion, and garlic, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Cook the Meatballs: Carefully add the formed meatballs to the simmering broth and vegetables. Cover the pot and cook for about 25 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through and the rice inside is tender.
- Finish the Soup: Stir in the chopped fresh mint and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Let the soup simmer for another 2 minutes to blend the flavors.
- Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls and enjoy warm, garnished with extra mint or fresh cilantro if desired.
Notes
- Use uncooked rice in the meatballs as it cooks while simmering in the broth, giving a delicious texture.
- Fresh mint adds a bright, fresh note but can be substituted with fresh cilantro if preferred.
- For a spicier version, add chopped jalapeño or a pinch of chili powder to the meatball mixture.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days and can be reheated gently on the stovetop.
- Make sure meatballs are not too large so they cook evenly in the soup.
Keywords: Albondigas Soup, Mexican meatball soup, beef soup with rice, comfort soup, traditional Mexican recipe
