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.
Meatball Soup Recipe | Sopa de Albóndigas
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
If you try it let me know how it turned out.¡
¡Buen provecho!
Mely,
More recipes:
Mexican Fava Bean Soup
Mushroom Soup
Sopa de Albóndigas
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.
NORA
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!
Angela
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!)
degarrido
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!
Luz Bates
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 !!!
Mely Martínez
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!
Trey Pendleton
Delish with chipotle added gives it a great smokey flavor
Linda
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
Mely
Hello Linda,
I hope you enjoy it as much as we do at home.
Mely
Nora
QUIERO ALBÓNDIGAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Qué ricas se me volvieron a antojar!
Candace
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!
Angela Marie
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!
Prieta
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...
Sheryl Struble
I have been searching for the real deal I hope this is it I love mexican albondigas soup from az
Mely
Hello Sheryl, This recipe in particular is from the Jalisco Area. Most recipes do not call for zucchini.
I hope you like it.
Monique's Floral Design
Its in the pot! Thank you for the recipe 🙂
Unknown
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
mmartinez
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.
Unknown
I will be making this tonight 🙂
Sharayah
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 🙂
De Austin
Wonderful recipe! My family loved it all around! The mint made for a delicious twist!
Tiffany
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.
mmartinez
Hello Tiffany,
You soak the rice for 45 minutes, then you drain it.
Tiffany (tifferella)
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.
mmartinez
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
Tiffany
Yes, thank you!
Franklin
Isn't it supposed to be cilantro, not mint.
mmartinez
Hello Franklin,
Some cooks use cilantro others used mint, and even both at the same time.
Maddie Spooner
Do I have to cook the rice before adding it to the meatballs?
Mely Martínez
Hello Maddie,
No, the rice is added raw, it will cook with the meat. Happy cooking!
Frog's Grandmama
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.
Mely Martínez
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!
Joanne
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!
Mely Martínez
Hello Joanne,
Smart thinking to make triple the recipe of the meatball soup. I need to do that. Enjoy!
Janet Mackenzie
I want to request a soup recipe but it's not a response to this particular recipe. How can I do that?
Mely Martínez
Hello Janet,
What soup recipe are you looking for?
majella
I've made this soup twice now and just absolutely gorgeous. We add choko (Chayote) as well. Can I ask though (as I haven't wanted to test it out in case it's wasted) can you freeze this soup? Thanks
Mely Martínez
Hello,
Yes, you can freeze this soup.