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Authentic Mexican Albondigas Soup

Close-up of a delicious bowl of albondigas soup featuring savory meatballs, chunks of potato, carrots, and zucchini in a rich broth.
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Make this hearty and flavorful Mexican Meatball Soup (Caldo de Albondigas) at home. It features tender, seasoned meatballs in a rich vegetable broth with carrots, potatoes, and zucchini, perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound ground beef or a mix of beef and pork
  • 1/4 cup uncooked white rice
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
  • 6 cups chicken broth or water
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium white onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 1 medium zucchini, diced
  • Fresh cilantro, for serving
  • Lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

  1. Prepare the meatballs: In a medium bowl, combine the ground meat, rice, 1/4 cup chopped onion, egg, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1 tablespoon cilantro. Mix gently with your hands until just combined; do not overmix.
  2. Form the meatballs: Roll the mixture into small, uniform balls, about 1 inch in diameter. You should have about 18 to 20 meatballs.
  3. Start the broth: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the remaining chopped white onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
  4. Add aromatics and tomatoes: Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the diced tomatoes, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook for 2 minutes.
  5. Simmer the broth: Pour in the chicken broth or water. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
  6. Cook the meatballs and vegetables: Carefully drop the meatballs into the simmering broth one at a time. Add the carrots and potatoes. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let the soup simmer for 15 minutes.
  7. Finish the soup: Add the diced zucchini. Continue to simmer, uncovered, for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
  8. Taste and adjust seasoning: Check the salt and pepper levels and adjust if needed.
  9. Serve: Ladle the Albondigas Soup into bowls. Garnish generously with fresh cilantro and serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.

Notes

  • For a richer flavor, use half ground beef and half ground pork for your meatballs.
  • If you prefer a thicker soup, you can add 1/4 cup of finely crushed tortilla chips to the meatball mixture instead of rice, making this a low-carb option.
  • To prevent the meatballs from falling apart, handle the mixture gently when forming them and avoid stirring the soup vigorously while the meatballs cook.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookingbyjade.com/albondigas-soup-authentic-mexican-meatball-recipe/