Albondigas Soup

Albondigas Soup is a traditional Mexican soup made with homemade meatballs, potatoes, and other vegetables. It’s flavorful and hearty, and boasts a rich and savory broth that’s simply delicious!

Albondigas Soup

I love Mexican food but sometimes get sick of the same old taco and burrito recipes! That’s how I discovered albondigas soup — albondigas means meatballs in Spanish, which is where the name comes from. 

Meatballs aren’t the only ingredient you’ll find… tender onions, carrots, tomatoes, and potatoes round out the soup to create a wonderfully flavorful broth that I can’t get enough of! It’s a great option when I’m craving soup but want something with a little bit more personality as compared to say, chicken noodle. 

I’ve also been known to include this in a Mexican-inspired spread along with chicken enchiladas with green sauce, sofritas, and my keto taco casserole!

Why you will love this recipe

• Flavorful, comforting, and hearty
• Ready in about 1 hour
• Made with wholesome ingredients 
• Super easy to make!

How to make perfect Albondigas Soup

Make the meatballs. Place all of the meatball ingredients in a large bowl and use your hands to combine. Divide the mixture into 16 evenly-sized balls, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate while you make the broth.

Cook the onions and carrots. Heat some olive oil in a large saucepan over medium, then add the chopped onions and carrots. Sauté for about 5-7 minutes or until soften. Add the minced garlic and stir for about 1 minute.

Add the other ingredients. Incorporate the beef broth, canned diced tomatoes, and chopped potatoes into the soup and cover. Bring the mixture to a boil and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Introduce the meatballs and lower the heat to medium-low.

Cook. Let the soup cook for 25-30 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through and the potatoes are fork-tender. 

Garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy!

Pro Tips

• The meatballs are made with a combination of aromatic herbs and spices — paprika, chili powder, cumin, and mint. I’m a fan of mint, so I add a bit more to the soup as it cooks so that the flavor is more pronounced.
• Warm tortillas or crusty bread pair wonderfully with this albondigas soup recipe. Both are the perfect vessels to sop up all of the tasty broth.
• Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I reheat on the stovetop, or I use the microwave for single servings.

Key Ingredients and Substitutions for Albondigas Soup

Ground Beef: I like ground beef meatballs best, and most traditional albondigas soup recipes feature beef meatballs. That said, ground chicken or ground turkey are good alternatives.

Rice: I add cooked rice to the meatballs as it works as a binder to hold everything together along with an egg. I also find that it bulks them up a bit, making them even more filling!

Aromatics: I use garlic in both the meatballs and the broth. Onion makes an appearance in the broth!

Vegetables: A combination of carrots, canned diced tomatoes, and potatoes are all that I use. It’s a simple mixture, but so impactful!

Beef Broth: The beef broth works great with the ground beef meatballs. Chicken or vegetable broth are both good substitutes — I don’t suggest using plain old water as it will make the soup taste, well, watered down.

Seasonings: Chopped parsley, paprika, chili powder, ground cumin, mint leaves, salt, and pepper are all needed for my albondigas soup recipe. The combination is extremely flavorful!

Frequently Asked Questions about my Albondigas Soup Recipe

How do you keep albondigas from falling apart?

I keep my albondigas (or meatballs) from falling apart by incorporating cooked rice and an egg into the ground beef and seasonings mixture. Both work to bind everything together — a good rule of thumb is to use 1 egg per pound of ground beef, plus ⅓ cup of rice, as shown in my recipe.

Why is my albondigas soup so greasy?

The most common culprit for an overly greasy albondigas soup is the percentage of fat in the ground beef. I use a lean mixture — 90% lean to 10% fat. I’ve made it with less lean mixtures, and find that it really does make a difference!

Why are my meatballs tough?

Meatballs will become tough when the ingredients are overmixed. I’m always very careful to mix just until combined — nothing more, nothing less. Another reason for tough meatballs is compacting them too much when forming them. The key is to have a gentle touch, both when mixing and forming the spheres!