Sopa de Albondigas

Sopa de Albondigas (Mexican Meatball Soup)

A comforting Mexican soup with tender meatballs simmered in a rich tomato broth with vegetables.

Prep

25 min

Cook

45 min

Total

70 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) ground beef (80% lean), or a mix of beef and pork
• •250 g (9 oz) ground pork
• •1 whole egg, lightly beaten
• •60 g (½ cup) breadcrumbs, plain, or use uncooked rice soaked in milk
• •3 cloves garlic, minced (divided)
• •75 g (¾ cup) white onion, finely chopped (divided)
• •30 g (½ cup) fresh coriander (cilantro), chopped (divided)
• •1 tsp ground cumin
• •1 tsp dried oregano, Mexican oregano if available
• •1.5 tsp (1½ tsp) fine salt (plus more to taste)
• •0.5 tsp (½ tsp) black pepper, freshly ground
• •800 g (28 oz) ripe tomatoes (or 1 can 28 oz whole peeled tomatoes), if fresh, roast or boil briefly to peel
• •1.5 L (6 cups) chicken broth (or water with bouillon)
• •2 tbsp vegetable oil
• •2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 1 cm rounds
• •1 medium zucchini, cut into 1 cm chunks
• •2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 cm cubes, Yukon Gold or similar
• •1 whole bay leaf

Steps

1. 1 Make the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine ground beef, ground pork, egg, breadcrumbs, 2 cloves of minced garlic, 2 tablespoons of the chopped onion, 2 tablespoons of the chopped coriander, cumin, oregano, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Mix gently with your hands until just combined. Form into 4 cm (1.5 inch) meatballs (about 24). Place on a plate and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
2. 2 Prepare the tomato base: If using fresh tomatoes, blanch them in boiling water for 1 minute, then peel and core. Coarsely chop. In a blender, puree the tomatoes with the remaining 1 clove garlic and 2 tablespoons of onion until smooth. Set aside.
3. 3 Heat the oil in a large heavy pot (at least 5 L / 5 qt) over medium heat. Pour in the tomato puree and cook, stirring often, for 5–7 minutes until the puree darkens and thickens slightly. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and the bay leaf.
4. 4 Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the carrots and potatoes. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.
5. 5 Carefully drop the meatballs into the simmering broth, one by one. Add the zucchini. Return to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 20–25 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through (internal temperature reaches 71°C / 160°F) and the vegetables are tender.
6. 6 Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in the remaining chopped coriander just before serving. Ladle the soup into bowls, making sure each gets 3–4 meatballs and plenty of vegetables. Serve hot with warm tortillas or crusty bread.