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Albóndigas Soup Recipe

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5 from 6 votes
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Yield 6 servings (13 cups)
Category Main Dish
Cuisine Mexican
Author Lauren Grant

Description

A tomato-infused broth is the base for this savory soup featuring tender, herby pork meatballs and tons of chunky vegetables. 

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Ingredients

Meatballs

  • 1 pound 85% lean ground pork
  • ⅓ cup dry long grain white rice
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh mint*
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano, marjoram or regular oregano
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 large egg
  • kosher salt and black pepper

Soup

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large white onion, diced (2 cups)
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano, marjoram or regular oregano
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 3 large carrots, cut into ½-inch slices
  • 8 cups low-sodium beef or chicken broth
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
  • 1 zucchini, cut into ¾–1-inch chunks
  • ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • Optional toppings: avocado, jalapeño, lime

Instructions

Meatballs

  • Combine 1 pound pork, ⅓ cup rice, ¼ cup mint, ¼ cup parsley, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 2 minced cloves garlic, 1 egg, 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.
  • Using moist hands, form into 1-inch meatballs, about 1 tablespoon each. Transfer to a sheet pan and set aside. 

Soup

  • Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium. Add 1 diced onion and cook until starting to soften, about 5 minutes; season with ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper.
  • Add 3 tablespoons tomato paste, 2 minced cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, and 1 teaspoon cumin; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until a fond forms on bottom of pot. 
  • Add 3 sliced carrots then deglaze pot with 2 cups water, scraping up browned bits. Add 8 cups broth and 1 can diced tomatoes; bring to a boil over high heat then reduce to medium and simmer 5 minutes. 
  • Gently drop meatballs into soup, one at a time, then cover and let simmer 20 minutes.
  • Gently stir in 1 zucchini cut into chunks and continue to cook, covered, until meatballs are cooked through, rice in meatballs is tender, and zucchini is fork-tender, 5–10 minutes more. 
  • Off heat, stir in ½ cup chopped cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with lime wedges and any desired toppings.

Equipment

Dutch oven

Notes

This soup is gluten-free and dairy-free. 
MINT: make sure the fresh mint you use is spearmint

Nutrition

Serving: 1/6 of the recipeCalories: 268kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 21gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 3.5gCholesterol: 87mgSodium: 1250mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4.5g
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