Easy One-Pot Albondigas Soup (Mexican Meatball Soup)
Make this hearty, authentic Albondigas Soup with tender, flavorful meatballs simmered in a rich tomato broth with fresh vegetables. This easy one-pot recipe brings comfort food to your family dinner table.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 35 min
- Total Time: 55 min
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 cup uncooked white rice
- 1/4 cup finely chopped onion (for meatballs)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (for meatballs)
- 1 teaspoon salt (for meatballs)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (for meatballs)
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped (for broth)
- 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 teaspoon salt (for broth)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (for broth)
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (for garnish)
- Lime wedges (for serving)
Instructions
- Combine ground beef, rice, 1/4 cup onion, egg, oregano, cumin, 1/4 cup cilantro, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl. Mix gently with your hands until just combined; do not overmix.
- Form the mixture into small, uniform meatballs, about 1 inch in diameter. You should have about 20 to 24 meatballs.
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, combine the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, 1/2 medium onion, carrots, and potatoes. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Once boiling, gently drop the meatballs into the simmering broth one at a time.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the soup simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through and the rice inside is tender.
- Stir in 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Ladle the Albondigas Soup into bowls. Garnish each serving with fresh cilantro and serve immediately with lime wedges.
Notes
- For extra tender meatballs, use a mix of ground beef and ground pork (1/2 pound each).
- If you prefer a thicker broth, you can add 1/4 cup of finely chopped zucchini during the last 10 minutes of simmering.
- This soup tastes even better the next day, making it great for meal prep.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 750
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 7
- Unsaturated Fat: 11
- Trans Fat: 0.5
- Carbohydrates: 25
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 30
- Cholesterol: 85