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You are here: Home » Mexican Soups » Meatball Soup Recipe | Receta de Sopa de Albóndigas

Meatball Soup Recipe | Receta de Sopa de Albóndigas

Published: Mar 13, 2013 · Updated: Aug 14, 2019 by Mely Martínez

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Sopa de albóndigas is one of those comfort foods that bring back memories of my homeland. My mom always adds potatoes, carrots, chayotes, or some sort of vegetable into the tomato broth to make enough for a large family like ours. And it is a good way to get the kids to eat their veggies. The taste of mint in this dish is essential.

Sopa de Albóndigas

Meatball Soup Recipe / Receta de Sopa de Albóndigas | Authentic Mexican Recipe by Mexico in my kitchen
I am updating the pictures on this Soup, it was published in April 2009.

This recipe is adjusted from the book The Cuisines of Mexico by Mrs. Diana Kennedy, published in 1972. In her book the name of the recipe appears as: “Albondigas de Jalisco”, and as she has mentioned, every region has its own recipe and my guess is that everyone will say: "my mom’s albondiga's soup is the best".
This soup is great to have for the cold weather that seems like it will stick around here for a little longer. It will make you want to go back for a second plate, but refrain yourself from doing so and freeze some for later on. You’ll be glad you did!
En Español you can find a very similar recipe in Gusta Usted?, a cooking blog from my friend Nora in Mexico.

How to make Sopa de Albóndigas Recipe

JUMP TO FULL INSTRUCTIONS

Receta de Sopa de Albóndigas | Authentic Mexican Recipe by Mexico in my kitchen
Directions:
1. Cover the rice well with boiling water and let it soak for about 45 minutes. Place the meats in a large bowl and mix well. (Please check the ingredients list below)
2. Trim the squash and chop them very finely. Add the squash and chopped onion to the meat.
Blend the eggs with the herbs and spices until smooth. Mix well into the meat. Add salt.

Receta de Sopa de Albóndigas | Authentic Mexican Recipe by Mexico in my kitchen
3. Drain the rice and add it to the mixture. Make 24 meatballs, each about 1-½ inch in diameter, or any size of your preference.
4. Pour the boiling water over the tomatoes and cook it for about 5 minutes. Skin the tomatoes, place them in the blender along with the chopped garlic clove and blend until almost smooth.
5. Heat the oil and cook the onion gently, without browning, until soft.

Sopa de Albóndigas | Authentic Mexican Recipe by Mexico in my kitchen
6. Add the tomato puree, bring it to boil, and let it cook fast for about 3 minutes. Add the broth to the tomato sauce and bring it to simmer.

Sopa de Albóndigas
7. Add the meatballs, cover the pan, and let them simmer for about one hour and 15 minutes to one hour and 30 minutes. Serve in deep bowls with plenty of sauce.

Sopa de Albondigas | Mexican Recipe

Sopa de Albóndigas Recipe

Mely Martínez - Mexico in my Kitchen
Sopa de albóndigas is one of those comfort foods that bring back memories of my homeland. My mom always adds potatoes, carrots, chayotes, or some sort of vegetable into the tomato broth to make enough for a large family like ours. And it is a good way to get the kids to eat their veggies.
4.37 from 11 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Add to Collection Go to Collections
Course Beef, Soups
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup long white rice
  • Boiling water enough to cover the rice
  • ¾ pound ground pork finely ground
  • ¾ pound ground lean beef finely ground
  • 2 small zucchini squash about 6 ounces
  • 2 eggs
  • ¼ scant teaspoon oregano
  • 3 sprigs of fresh mint or 1 teaspoon powdered dried mint
  • 8 peppercorns
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ scant teaspoon ground cumin
  • ⅓ onion chopped
  • 3 medium tomatoes about ¾ pound
  • 1 clove of garlic finely chopped
  • Boiling water to cover tomatoes
  • 2 Tablespoons peanut or safflower oil
  • 1 medium onion thinly sliced
  • 4 cups of chicken broth

Instructions
 

  • Cover the rice well with boiling water and let it soak for about 45 minutes. Place the meats in a large bowl and mix well.
  • Trim the squash and chop them very finely. Add the squash and chopped onion to the meat. Blend the eggs with the herbs and spices until smooth. Mix well into the meat. Add salt.
  • Drain the rice and add it to the mixture. Make 24 meatballs, each about 1-½ inch in diameter, or any size of your preference.
  • Pour the boiling water over the tomatoes and cook it for about 5 minutes.Skin the tomatoes, place them into the blender along with the chopped garlic clove and blend until almost smooth.
  • Heat the oil and cook the onion gently, without browning, until soft.
  • Add the tomato puree, bring it to boil, and let it cook fast for about 3 minutes. Add the broth to the tomato sauce and bring it to simmer.
  • Add the meatballs, cover the pan, and let them simmer for about one hour and 15 minutes to one hour and 30 minutes. Serve in deep bowls with plenty of sauce.
  • If you want to make this soup a little spicy add some sliced jalapeños to the simmering sauce. Or add some canned chipotles to the blender with the tomatoes.

Notes

Fresh mint optional to add to the soup at the end of the cooking process.
Keyword meatball soup recipe, sopa de albondigas
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

If you try it let me know how it turned out.¡
¡Buen provecho!

Mely,

More recipes:
Mexican Fava Bean Soup
Mushroom Soup

Previous Post: « Beef Tongue in Tomato Sauce Recipe | Receta de Lengua de Res Entomatada
Next Post: Enchiladas Rojas (Mexican Enchiladas Recipe) »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. NORA

    April 21, 2009 at 11:04 pm

    MELY! Me había perdido esta receta! Voy a leerla con mas detenimiento. Gracias por poner el enlace a la mía. Mejor me la llevo de una vez, se que está buenísima, rica y deliciosa!

    Reply
  2. Angela

    December 01, 2010 at 12:58 pm

    I've been on the hunt for great soup recipes and this looks WONDERFUL. Thanks, Mely! (P.S. Glad to be back after a long hiatus; gracias por tu visita!)

    Reply
  3. degarrido

    February 03, 2011 at 10:45 pm

    This is one of my favorite Mexican soups! I have found a "quick" method. Bottled chipotle salsa and beef broth for the soup. I also add the rice raw, since it cooks in the broth along with the meat. My Mexico City mother in law also taught me to push a small leaf of yerba buena into the center of the meat ball. Provecho!

    Reply
    • Luz Bates

      January 25, 2021 at 6:43 pm

      It’s different!! Since pork and beef are used, I use beef bouillon. I add 1/3 cup of rice to my broth and green chilis. You can also use ground turkey !!!

      Reply
      • Mely Martínez

        January 26, 2021 at 6:52 pm

        Hello Luz,
        I think degarrido was just explaining how his mother-in-law makes it. Everyone has their own way to cook Meatball soup. Enjoy!

        Reply
  4. Trey Pendleton

    January 06, 2013 at 4:25 am

    Delish with chipotle added gives it a great smokey flavor

    Reply
  5. Linda

    January 14, 2013 at 3:09 am

    I'm trying this recipe mondaynite and I like the idea of beef broth and uncooked rice since time is not a luxury! Wish me luck

    Reply
    • Mely

      January 14, 2013 at 2:34 pm

      Hello Linda,

      I hope you enjoy it as much as we do at home.

      Mely

      Reply
  6. Nora

    March 14, 2013 at 12:14 am

    QUIERO ALBÓNDIGAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Qué ricas se me volvieron a antojar!

    Reply
  7. Candace

    March 24, 2013 at 8:12 pm

    Even though it's supposed to be "spring" here in New Hampshire, it definitely does not look like it. We are crazy for meatballs here and anything Mexican. This would be perfect to warm me up. It looks delicious, Mely!

    Reply
  8. Angela Marie

    March 27, 2013 at 11:58 pm

    I am going to give this recipe a try, II have made albondigas before but the results were bland. I think yours has the right balance of spice, thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  9. Prieta

    May 05, 2013 at 5:18 pm

    I made albondigas for dinner a few days ago. I wish I would had seen your recipe before I did. They look amazing! Next time...

    Reply
  10. Sheryl Struble

    October 06, 2013 at 11:46 pm

    I have been searching for the real deal I hope this is it I love mexican albondigas soup from az

    Reply
    • Mely

      October 08, 2013 at 1:10 am

      Hello Sheryl, This recipe in particular is from the Jalisco Area. Most recipes do not call for zucchini.
      I hope you like it.

      Reply
  11. Monique's Floral Design

    August 18, 2014 at 11:25 pm

    Its in the pot! Thank you for the recipe 🙂

    Reply
  12. Unknown

    August 13, 2016 at 10:31 pm

    5 stars
    Dear Mely,
    Thank you for sharing this meatball recipe. I've made it twice and both my husband and I absolutely love it especially on gray, rainy days. It was sheer comfort food!
    Jeannie

    Reply
    • mmartinez

      August 14, 2016 at 4:28 pm

      Hello Jeannie,

      Thank you for trying the recipe, and for taking the time to come back and leave a comment. So happy to know you and your husband liked it.

      Reply
  13. Unknown

    February 01, 2017 at 6:38 pm

    I will be making this tonight 🙂

    Reply
  14. Sharayah

    February 06, 2017 at 2:31 am

    I made this with beef and added a jalapeno to the simmer sauce. I also broiled the raw meatballs so I could drain the fat, then simmered them in the soup when they were cooked through. Delicious! Thanks for putting your recipes online-- this isn't the first one I've tried 🙂

    Reply
  15. De Austin

    June 10, 2017 at 9:19 am

    Wonderful recipe! My family loved it all around! The mint made for a delicious twist!

    Reply
  16. Tiffany

    November 26, 2018 at 12:56 pm

    Do we boil the rice for 45 minutes or soak the rice? I'm a little confused. I made the other recipe and I would like to make this one.

    Reply
    • mmartinez

      November 26, 2018 at 1:44 pm

      Hello Tiffany,

      You soak the rice for 45 minutes, then you drain it.

      Reply
      • Tiffany (tifferella)

        November 28, 2018 at 6:48 pm

        5 stars
        Okay, I made this recipe. How do you cook the rice in the other recipe? I’m sorry. I got confused with the other recipe.

        Reply
        • mmartinez

          November 28, 2018 at 7:13 pm

          Hello Tiffany,
          Do you meat the other meatball recipe that has a photo with a bowl of meatballs with rice in it? If you are talking about that one. It is red rice. Here is the link: http://bit.ly/2Heg7pv

          Reply
          • Tiffany

            November 29, 2018 at 9:11 am

            Yes, thank you!

  17. Franklin

    October 06, 2019 at 12:12 am

    Isn't it supposed to be cilantro, not mint.

    Reply
    • mmartinez

      October 07, 2019 at 9:58 am

      Hello Franklin,

      Some cooks use cilantro others used mint, and even both at the same time.

      Reply
  18. Maddie Spooner

    November 20, 2019 at 8:05 am

    Do I have to cook the rice before adding it to the meatballs?

    Reply
    • Mely Martínez

      November 22, 2019 at 7:50 am

      Hello Maddie,
      No, the rice is added raw, it will cook with the meat. Happy cooking!

      Reply
    • Frog's Grandmama

      October 25, 2020 at 3:55 pm

      5 stars
      Albondigas actually mixes the rice (uncooked) and other ingredients to the meatballs. Mint is an extremely important ingredient to Albondigas. It's in the meatballs and the soup itself. My Grandmother, Mother and Aunt never added vegetables like potatoes,carrots, zucchini and it wasn't a tomato-y soup color.

      Reply
      • Mely Martínez

        October 26, 2020 at 11:37 am

        Hello Frog's grandmama -Tony,
        There are many recipes for meatballs in Mexico, we have 32 States, each with very unique and distinct cuisine. Maybe the women in your family only knew the recipe from their town. If you are looking for one with rice and mint, check this recipe here in the blog. Meatballs with rice and mint. Happy cooking! And thank you for commenting!

        Reply
  19. Joanne

    February 16, 2021 at 10:58 pm

    5 stars
    We've made this 3 times now within a few weeks and have tripled the recipe each time to share with family. The mint in the meatball adds such a nice yet subtle surprise. My husband's family is from Jalos and he says that this reminds him of his mother's version. It's a winner I our household!

    Reply
    • Mely Martínez

      February 17, 2021 at 11:21 am

      Hello Joanne,
      Smart thinking to make triple the recipe of the meatball soup. I need to do that. Enjoy!

      Reply
  20. Janet Mackenzie

    March 15, 2021 at 12:58 pm

    I want to request a soup recipe but it's not a response to this particular recipe. How can I do that?

    Reply
    • Mely Martínez

      March 15, 2021 at 7:07 pm

      Hello Janet,
      What soup recipe are you looking for?

      Reply

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Mexico in my kitchen | Mely Martinez

Hi, I'm Mely Martinez, a former Mexican school teacher, home cook, and food blogger. I moved to the United States about ten years ago, after living in Mexico my whole life. Now I love to share home-style recipes for authentic Mexican food.

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