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Authentic Albondigas Soup: Easy Mexican Meatball Soup

Close-up of a white bowl filled with rich, red broth albondigas soup, featuring meatballs, potatoes, and carrots, garnished with cilantro.
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Make this traditional Mexican Albondigas Soup for a hearty, comforting meal. This recipe features tender beef and rice meatballs simmered in a flavorful tomato broth with fresh vegetables. It is a simple, one-pot dinner ready in under an hour.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1/2 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 mint (optional, for authentic flavor)
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
  • 6 cups chicken broth or water
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 1 small zucchini, quartered and sliced
  • 1/2 small white onion, roughly chopped
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

  1. Prepare the meatballs: In a medium bowl, combine the ground beef, rice, 1/4 cup chopped onion, egg, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, mint (if using), 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 to 1.5 inches in diameter. You should have about 18 to 20 meatballs.
  3. Start the broth: In a large pot or Dutch oven, combine the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, carrots, cubed potatoes, 1/2 chopped onion, and bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
  4. Cook the meatballs: Once the broth is boiling, gently drop the meatballs into the pot one by one. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the soup simmer for 20 minutes.
  5. Add final vegetables: Add the sliced zucchini to the pot. Continue to simmer, covered, for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until the rice in the meatballs is fully cooked and the potatoes are tender.
  6. Finish and serve: Remove the bay leaf. Taste the broth and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Ladle the soup into bowls, ensuring each serving gets several meatballs and vegetables. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve hot with lime wedges.

Notes

  • For an Instant Pot method, combine all broth ingredients and bring to high pressure for 5 minutes, then quick release. Add meatballs and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes, then natural release for 5 minutes before quick releasing.
  • If you prefer a richer tomato flavor, you can blend half of the diced tomatoes with a little broth before adding them to the pot.
  • Use a mix of ground beef and ground pork for extra tender meatballs.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cheffinity.com/albondigas-soup-easy-mexican-meatball-soup/