Albondigas

I’m a big soup fan. I make a lot of broth-y soups at home but I love a creamy soup, just the same. I had been craving traditional Mexican meatball soup aka albondigas for what felt like months, and I finally got it on my family’s menu rotation for this week! It was mildly spicy, hearty, healthy and totally delicious. Hit the spot!

Ingredients

Soup:

• 2 tablespoons olive
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
• 3 medium celery stalks, chopped
• salt + pepper
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 quarts beef stock
• 1 8oz can tomato sauce

Meatballs:

• 2 lbs ground beef (I like at least 15% fat, ideally 20%)
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1/2 cup uncooked, long grain rice
• 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• salt and pepper

Garnishes:

• Queso fresco
• fresh cilantro, chopped
• thinly sliced jalapenos
• lime wedges

Instructions:

Prepare the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine beef, pork, rice, mint, cilantro, garlic, salt and pepper. Gently mix until well combined. Spoon out golf ball sized balls (approx 2 inches each), and gently roll into rounds. Place meatballs on sheetpan. You’ll end up with a couple dozen.

Prepare the soup: Add olive oil to a large stock pot. Add onions, carrots and celery and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the tomato paste, garlic, bay leaves, oregano, and cumin and saute for an additional 3-5 minutes. Add beef stock and tomato sauce and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Carefully add the meatballs, one at a time. The broth will take a few minutes to resume a simmer. Allow the meatballs to slowly simmer without stirring, for about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and spoon into serving bowls, with garnishes of your choice.

In good food and good health,

Chef Katherine