Albondigas soup is a classic Mexican meatball soup made with tender beef and chorizo meatballs simmered in a flavorful broth. It’s packed with veggies like squash, potatoes, green beans, and carrots and is perfect for when you’re craving something warm, satisfying, and comforting.
Soup always makes me think of convenience. Growing up, if I was feeling down, my mother would make calda de chicken, calda de res, or this albondigas soup recipe.
What is Albondigas soup?
It is a popular and traditional Mexican dish featuring tender meatballs simmered in a rich, flavorful broth with fresh vegetables. The meatballs, made with beef, chorizo, rice and fresh mint, give this soup so much flavor while the vegetables keep it hearty and balanced.
I love this recipe because it’s simple, satisfying and easy to adapt. You can swap out vegetables based on what you have, like zucchini, spinach, or even corn, or replace the meat with ground turkey or pork. Furthermore, the meatballs remain soft and do not fall apart.
Notes on ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe, scroll to the end of the post.
- Minced meat and chorizo: The meatballs are made with a blend of ground beef and chorizo for an extra juicy and flavorful combination. The chorizo is very spicy and gives the meatballs a really great smoky flavor. If you don’t want to use chorizo or beef, scroll down to the Variations section for more suggestions on meat you can use.
- Egg, raw white rice and breadcrumbs: These ingredients bind the meatballs together and lock in the juices and seasonings. The white rice cooks with the soup, so you don’t need to cook the rice ahead of time, which saves a lot of time.
- Mint: An unexpected ingredient, but the mint adds some freshness and herbal flavor to complement the richness of the chorizo and ground beef.
- Seasonings: This soup uses simple, familiar Mexican-inspired flavors like cumin, oregano, and, of course, salt and pepper.
- Celery, carrot and onion: A great soup usually has a base of sautéed celery, onions and carrots, for a sweet and savory touch.
- Tomato paste: A few tablespoons of tomato paste adds some sweetness and acidity to the broth.
- Broth: I recommend using beef broth to complement the flavors of the meatballs, but feel free to use chicken or vegetable broth (or even water) if you’re having trouble.
- Vegetables: A great way to eat vegetables is to chop them up and throw them into a soup! This recipe uses potatoes, green beans and courgettes. Scroll down to the Variations section for other vegetables that would look great in this soup.
- Coriander: Each bowl is topped with fresh cilantro, but this step is entirely optional if you’re not a fan.
How to Prepare Albondigas Soup
Prepare the meatballs. Add all the ingredients to a large bowl and mix them with your hands until well combined.
Use the mixture to form 24 meatballs and set aside. I used a small cookie scoop Scoop about 1 heaping tablespoon of the meat mixture and then roll them between your palms to form a ball.
Prepare the broth first sauté the celery, carrots, onions, and salt in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat for 8 minutes, until the onions are softened. Add the tomato paste, dried oregano and ground cumin. Stir until the tomato paste has completely covered all the vegetables, then add the broth and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low.
Add the meatballs into the pot one by one. Return the soup to a simmer, then cover and cook for 15 minutes.
Add the vegetables such as green beans, courgettes and potatoes. Cover and cook for another 15 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Add some coriander before serving.
Recipe tips
- Taste and adjust the salt content as you go. The salt content of chorizo and Mexican broth can vary greatly from brand to brand, so I recommend always starting with a small amount and adjusting as necessary.
- Cook on low/gentle heat. Make sure the soup doesn’t come to a strong boil or boil to help the meatballs keep their shape. If the heat is too high, the meatballs may fall apart and lose their shape due to strong boiling.
- The key to making the meatballs “soft” and not too dry is not to overwork the mixture. Try mixing everything together until you feel that all the ingredients have been evenly distributed into the meat, then stop. Resist the temptation to keep stirring!
Variations
- Meat: If you can’t find Mexican chorizo near you, I highly recommend making your own using my homemade chorizo recipe. It is easy to prepare and uses ingredients easily found in grocery stores. You can also use all ground beef and omit the chorizo. You can also use chicken or turkey, but the flavor won’t be quite the same and the cooking time may vary.
- Mint: If you don’t have fresh mint, you can use a mixture of fresh cilantro and fresh parsley.
- Vegetables: Feel free to use whatever veggies you have. Squash, zucchini, corn and peas are all great options.
Serving Tips
I love this albondigas soup with some warm corn tortillas or flour tortillas on the side. I also know that many people love to mix some Mexican rice or even pinto beans into their bowl to make it more substantial and filling.
And of course, soups like this are always good with some fresh boiled bread or homemade tortilla chips to soak up all the delicious broth.
Frequently asked questions
How do I prevent the meatballs from falling apart during cooking?
Making sure the soup cooks low and slow is key to keeping the meatballs intact, as well as binding them together with enough starch like rice and/or breadcrumbs.
What side dishes or condiments go well with albondigas soup?
Top your albondigas soup with queso fresco, cotija, chopped cilantro, red onion, lime juice or salsa macha for extra flavor.
Can I replace the beef or pork in the meatballs with other proteins like turkey or chicken?
Absolutely! Keep in mind that chicken and turkey are generally lower in fat than beef or pork and will therefore need more seasonings and less cooking time.
Storage and heating
- To conserveTransfer soup to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- FreezeTransfer to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
- To heatheat the soup in a large pot over medium-high heat until hot and bubbly, or in the microwave in short bursts, stirring occasionally, until hot.
More Mexican soups
If you have tried this Albondigas Soup Recipe or any other recipe on Isabel Eats, don’t forget evaluate it and let me know how it went in the comments below! I love hearing about your experience.
Albondigas soup is an authentic Mexican meatball soup made with tender beef and chorizo meatballs in a flavorful broth packed with vegetables!
Instructions
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Add all the meatball ingredients to a large bowl. Mix with your hands until you obtain a homogeneous mixture.
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Form 24 meatballs with the mixture and set aside. (I used a small cookie scoop to scoop out about 1 heaping tablespoon of the meat mixture and then formed it using my hands.)
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Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Add the celery, carrots, onions and salt. Stir to combine and cook for 8 minutes, until the onions have softened.
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Add the tomato paste, dried oregano and ground cumin. Mix everything until the tomato paste has completely covered all the vegetables.
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Add the broth and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low.
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Carefully place the meatballs into the pot one by one. Return the soup to a simmer, then cover and cook for 15 minutes.
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Add the green beans, courgettes and potatoes. Cover and cook for another 15 minutes. Or until the potatoes are tender.
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Add the coriander, mix and taste. Season with more salt if necessary.
Notes
- Meat: If you can’t find Mexican chorizo near you, I highly recommend making your own using my homemade chorizo recipe. It is easy to prepare and uses ingredients easily found in grocery stores. You can also use all ground beef and omit the chorizo. You can also use chicken or turkey, but the flavor won’t be quite the same and the cooking time may vary.
- Mint: If you don’t have fresh mint, you can use a mixture of fresh cilantro and fresh parsley.
- Vegetables: Feel free to use whatever veggies you have. Squash, zucchini, corn and peas are all great options.
Nutritional information
Serve: 1serve, Calories: 340kcal (17%), Carbohydrates: 30G (10%), Protein: 23G (46%), Fat: 15G (23%), Saturated fat: 5G (25%), Polyunsaturated fats: 1G, Monounsaturated fats: 3G, Trans fats: 0.1G, Cholesterol: 63mg (21%), Sodium: 1764mg (74%), Potassium: 1471mg (42%), Fiber: 5G (20%), Sugar: 6G (7%), Vitamin A: 6878UI (138%), Vitamin C: 29mg (35%), Soccer: 71mg (7%), Iron: 3mg (17%)
This post was originally published in June 2018 and was updated in February 2022 and January 2025 with new photos and more helpful recipe tips and instructions.
Photography by Ashley McLaughlin.
