Oma's Mexican Meatball Soup (Sopa de Albondigas)

by: Gerhild Fulson  / Oma Gerhild shares easy, authentic German recipes you can trust, rooted in family tradition and featured in her cookbooks.

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Albondigas Soup... traditional Mexican Meatball and Rice soup made just like Oma

An easy Albondigas Soup? Yes, you'll find that here. What an easy recipe this is. So good ... so VERY good! Quick. Easy. Delicioso!

With just the right hint of spiciness and wonderful taste. And for those who don't know what this is, it's a famous Mexican meatball soup recipe. 

'Albondigas' translated is 'meatballs' and this soup is very traditional. And why is it on my German recipe website? Check below!

My only changes to this very traditional soup are to make it quick and, perhaps, healthier. If you are using bouillon cubes, put the kettle on to boil when you first start making the soup.

That way, when it's time to add the water, you can add boiling hot water. Makes it faster for the resulting soup to come to simmering point. 

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A Bit Of This and a bit of that ...

• The traditional recipe uses white rice. I prefer using brown since it is healthier. If you use white rice, the cooking time is shortened to about 25 minutes.
• Use bouillon cubes and water to make beef stock if needed.
• Using frozen meatballs (either cooked or uncooked) makes this a quick recipe. You can make your own meatballs using fresh beef and/or sausage.

Tips For Making Albondigas

Making your own meatballs doesn't have to be tricky, but without the proper methods, it sometimes can be. Here are some of my tips to keep your albondigas fresh and held together. 

There is usually one main reason your meatballs aren't holding together well, and it all depends on your binding ingredient. Your binding ingredient holds the meatballs together, keeping them from splitting and falling apart in your soup broth.

The most common binding ingredient used when making meatballs is eggs. Eggs can be a difficult ingredient to work with. If you add too many, it can lead to your meatballs being too soggy, but if you add too few eggs into your meat mixture, then it can result in them turning out too dry. When you add too little, it leads to the meatballs falling apart into your soup broth. 

While it will always taste good whether they hold together or not, it is always so satisfying to break apart the meatballs yourself and watch them absorb the broth. It also makes for amazing pictures!

Delicious meatballs getting ready for albondigas soup! Sizzling to perfection.

By using the correct amount of binding ingredients, your meatballs/ albondigas will look just like this. Held together perfectly during the cooking process and still holding form afterward while sitting in the broth.

Now, what about leftovers? Did you accidentally make too many meatballs or want to save some for another night? No worries! Cooked meatballs can last up to 4 days in the refrigerator. But make sure they're properly sealed. The best way to store them is in a shallow airtight container or in a bowl with plastic wrap or tightly wrapped aluminum foil around it. 

Another method of storing if you don't want to have them right away is to buy freezer bags and tightly seal them closed. Be sure to get all of the air out of the bag before placing in the freezer. The air trapped inside the bag can dry your meatballs out over time.

But meatballs can last for up to 2 months in the freezer after being cooked! So if you're looking for a last-minute dinner idea, don't forget to check your freezer for those meatballs you may have put in there for something quick to heat up!

A German Soup???

I was looking for a different type of beef soup recipe.

Didn't find what I wanted in my German cookbooks. I came across this Mexican recipe that I just had to try. Made some changes ... made it easier ... perhaps it's not the original recipe, but my, it sure is delicious!

German. Nope. So, it's among my Non German favorites!

If you're looking for German soups, then Oma's book, above, is what you're looking for.

The Origin of Albondigas

The original home to the delicious meatball is unknown. But it is believed that the first meatball may have been made in Persia. Made using any leftover meats from the previous meal. Meats such as pork, peacock, rabbit, and chicken would be rolled, cooked, and called Kofta.

The idea of the meatball then spread from Europe to Mexico, where Albondigas soup was invented. 

Ready to make this Albondigas Soup?

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Oma's Albondigas Soup – Mexican Meatball Soup

An easy Albondigas Soup? Yes, you'll find that here. What an easy recipe this is. So good ... so VERY good! Quick. Easy. Delicioso! With just the right hint of spiciness and wonderful taste. And for those who don't know what this is, it's a famous Mexican meatball soup recipe.  

Prep time:

10 minutes

Cook Time:

55 minutes

Total Time:

1 hour 5 minutes

Servings:

serves 8

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoon oil
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 cup brown rice (see below)
• 9 cups beef stock (see below)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
• ½ cup hot chunky salsa
• 1½ pounds frozen meatballs
• ½ cup cilantro, chopped 
• salt and pepper

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in large soup pot. Sauté onions until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add carrots, celery, and rice. Stir and continue cooking for about 2 - 3 minutes.
2. Add remaining ingredients.
3. Bring to simmer, cover, and simmer for about 45 minutes or until the rice is tender.
4. Remove bay leaves and season with salt and pepper if needed.

Notes/Hints:

• The traditional recipe uses white rice. I prefer using brown since it is healthier. If you use white rice, the cooking time is shortened to about 25 minutes.
• Use bouillon cubes and water to make beef stock if needed.
• Using frozen meatballs (either cooked or uncooked) makes this a quick recipe. You can make your own meatballs using fresh beef and/or sausage.

*  *  *  *  *

Unless otherwise noted recipe, images and content © Just like Oma | justlikeoma.com 

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Hi, I'm Oma Gerhild! As a food writer and cookbook author, I'm always looking to find ways to pass on my German heritage using local ingredients. Quick and easy. That's my goal. Wunderbar food. That's the result.