Mexican Meatball Soup

This albondigas soup recipe, or Mexican meatball soup, is one of the best recipes. Loaded with protein and packed full of bold flavors, this beef meatball soup is one unforgettable recipe.

Mexican Meatball Soup Recipe

If you've never had Mexican meatball soup, you are missing.out. my friend! This authentic Mexican soup is technically named albondigas soup. But albondigas is just the Spanish word for small meatballs!

Essentially, this is like the Mexican version of Italian wedding soup. There is tender and juicy meatballs in a rich and flavorful broth that is loaded with fresh vegetables. Every bite is an experience!

My favorite Mexican soups are taco soup and this meatball soup recipe right here. Both have so much flavor and are good to the very last drop. I'll never turn down a bowl of soup this good!

Filling this soup to the brim with homemade meatballs makes all the difference. Not to mention, it's a complete meal all on it's own from those hearty meatballs! The whole family is bound to love this dish, so let's get started!

Why You'll Love this Recipe

What's not to love about this traditional Mexican soup? It's a bold recipe loaded with incredible Mexican spices:

• This is a great meal prep dish since it's just as good the next day as it is fresh off the stove top. Plus, it's packed with protein and is super filling so it's a great when you need something to keep you full.
• Traditional Mexican meatball soup is a family favorite — even the picky eaters love it. The flavors are just too good to resist, so they'll eat it up with a smile on their face!
• It is not difficult to make this entire soup from scratch. Though there are a lot of ingredients, it's a very simple recipe! So don't be intimidated.

Ingredients

While this is a long list of ingredients, each element is key to making this hearty Mexican soup a success. Make sure to look it over so that you can get everything you need on your next run to the grocery store:

Meatballs Ingredients

• lean ground beef
• jasmine rice
• garlic powder
• onion flakes
• large egg
• salt
• ground pepper
• ground cumin
• chili powder

Soup Ingredients

• Rotel original diced tomatoes with green chilies
• beef broth
• olive oil
• yellow onion
• minced garlic
• russet potatoes
• carrots
• celery sticks
• zucchini
• ground cumin
• salt
• pepper

Garnish

• jalapeños
• fresh cilantro
• lime wedges

Substitutions and Variations

You can use chicken broth instead of beef broth. Homemade broth would be stellar in this recipe and would make things extra flavorful! Feel free to use bone broth to add extra protein and make the broth more rich.

Any long-grain rice will work in the meatballs. The uncooked rice kind of replaces bread crumbs as a binder, so don't leave it out.

While I personally prefer the flavor of yellow onion in this soup, you can use white onion or red onion if you want a more bold flavor.

Feel free to kick up the spice in the meatballs or the soup with some red pepper or cayenne pepper. You can also use spicy Rotel or garnish the soup with jalapeños.

How to Make Mexican Meatball Soup

This simple Mexican meatball soup recipe may have a lot of ingredients, but it's not too difficult to make. Just follow these step by step instructions and you'll have the best soup in no time:

Combine the all of the meatball ingredients in a large bowl. You can use your hands or a silicone spatula, whatever will combine the ingredients thoroughly.

Then, use your hands and scoop out the meat mixture and roll it into 2-inch thick balls. Place them on a tray and set to the side for later.

In a large soup pot, add olive oil and and heat over medium-high heat. Add the diced yellow onion and minced garlic to the hot oil and then sauté for 2 minutes.

Then add the beef broth, Rotel, potatoes, carrots, celery, cumin, salt and pepper to the sautéed onions. Bring the large pot of soup to a boil.

Reduce to medium-low heat and slowly add in the meatballs, one at a time. Cover the pot of soup and cook for 20 minutes. Then add the zucchini and cook for another 5 minutes.

Once all the veggies are tender and the meatballs have cooked through, portion out the soup into individual bowls.

Garnish with cilantro, lime juice and jalapeños and enjoy!

How to Store Leftover Mexican Meatball Soup

Transfer leftover albondigas soup to an airtight container and allow it to cool completely. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days! You can freeze the leftovers for up to 3 months as well. Allow to thaw completely before reheating. I do find that the potatoes soak up some of the liquid as it sits, so you may need to fresh the broth a tad.

For best results, reheat on the stove top over medium heat. You can reheat the leftovers in the microwave if you want, but the meatballs may get a bit tough.

Tips for Success

Check out these simple tips so that you can have the best Mexican meatball soup:

• You can use a small cookie scoop to easily make even sized meatballs. Keep the meatballs similar sizes so that they all finish cooking at the same time.
• For best results, use a heavy-bottomed soup pot or a dutch oven. This will evenly heat the soup and help control the temperature that it cooks at.
• Don't overcook the meatballs or they will become tough and rubbery. However, it's also important to make sure they're fully cooked through! Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature if you need to.

What to Serve with Mexican Meatball Soup

While this classic Mexican soup is a complete meal all on it's own, you can pair it with tons of yummy sides. Some traditional Mexican rice or Mexican cauliflower rice would be tasty with this soup! A crunchy Mexican tostada would be delicious too.

Or, serve an appetizer of chips and salsa or chips and guacamole. It's also perfectly delicious with a side of cheesy garlic bread. You could also dip in some homemade flour tortillas or corn tortillas.

FAQ

More Mexican Recipes

• Mexican Hot Chocolate
• Mexican Fruit Salad
• Mexican Breakfast Casserole
• Refried Black Beans
• White Enchilada Sauce