Albondigas Soup (Mexican Meatball Soup)

Albondigas soup is a hearty and comforting Mexican meatball soup made with flavorful, juicy meatballs in a delicious tomato-based broth. It's also packed full of veggies, high in protein, and just 350 calories a bowl!

If you love cozy Mexican-inspired dinners, try my Mexican Picadillo and Mexican Ground Beef Skillet next.

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Albondigas soup is the kind of Mexican meatball soup that makes you wonder why you ever bothered with plain old meatballs.

Also known as sopa de albondigas or caldo de albondigas, it's juicy, herby meatballs with rice cooked right inside them, simmered with potatoes, zucchini and green beans in a rich tomato broth.

I've kept the old-school touches that make this soup taste like the real deal: fresh mint in the meatballs (trust me on this one) and uncooked rice that steams the meatballs tender from the inside.

And what's best is that you don't have to precook the meatballs - they all go in the same pot, and they cook in the soup.

What are albondigas?

Albóndigas is simply the Spanish word for meatballs, so if you've ever wondered what albóndigas are in English, they're just that.

The soup itself is a beloved Mexican home-cooking staple, the sort of thing that gets made in big pots for family dinners and somehow tastes even better the next day.

What makes Mexican albondigas different from, say, Italian meatball soup is the meatballs themselves.

They're made with raw rice mixed straight into the beef, plus fresh herbs (traditionally mint), and they poach gently in the broth rather than being browned first.

Why you'll love this albondigas soup

• Super nutritious and easy to make in one pot. Protein, veggies and rice, all in a bowl with no sides required (although warm tortillas never hurt anybody).
• Secretly light. At around 350 calories and 31g of protein per serving, it tastes like comfort food while still taking care of your macros.
• It freezes like a dream. Make a double batch of meatballs, and future-you will be very smug about it.

What goes into Mexican meatball soup

Ground beef - I used lean ground beef to make the albondigas, but you can use your favorite or a mix of ground beef and pork. Ground turkey is another great idea for an even healthier soup.

Rice - Long-grain rice is perfect for making albondigas. You don't have to cook the rice before adding it to the meatballs.

Garlic - Grated or minced garlic adds extra flavor to the meatballs.

Fresh herbs - A mix of fresh cilantro, mint and oregano infuses lots of flavor in the meatballs. You can use dried herbs if you don't have fresh -about half a teaspoon each.

Vegetables - This albondigas soup is made hearty and nutritious with zucchini, potatoes and green beans. You can also add other veggies if you like, such as bell peppers or mushrooms, for example.

Tomato sauce (passata) - Use the best quality tomato sauce you can because it makes a difference in this soup.

Beef broth - If you want to control the sodium content of the soup, use a low-sodium beef broth and adjust the seasoning at the end.

How to make albondigas soup

Start by making the meatballs. Place the ground beef in a large bowl, then add all the rest of the ingredients.

Mix well, then use a scoop to form the meatballs. Place them on a try as you make them, then keep them in the refrigerator while you make the soup.

Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven and saute the onion, carrot and celery for 8-10 minutes over medium heat until softened.

Add the garlic and continue to cook for another minute.

Next, add the potatoes, zucchini, green beans, tomato sauce, oregano and beef broth.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and add the meatballs to the soup.

Place a lid on the pot and cook for 20 minutes on medium heat.

Stir in the fresh cilantro (coriander), season to taste and serve hot.

Substitutions and variations

• Ground turkey or chicken both work great for an even lighter bowl; in fact, albondigas de pollo is a classic in its own right. If you're a lean-meatball person, my Turkey Meatball Soup and Chicken Meatball Soup deserve a spot in your rotation too.
• Add some heat. Add a diced jalapeño with the onions, or a spoonful of chipotle in adobo to the broth for a smoky kick.
• No fresh herbs? Dried mint and oregano at ½ teaspoon each will get you most of the way there.

Leftovers and storage

• You can store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
• Reheat the soup gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until piping hot.
• To freeze this soup, allow it to cool completely, then store it in freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the soup in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Recipe notes and tips

• Don't worry about the albondigas falling apart. The rice and egg bind everything together, so the meatballs will remain whole even when using lean ground beef. Just don't stir them for a couple of minutes after adding them to the pot.
• You can make the soup thicker by adding half a cup of rice to the broth together with the meatballs.
• This soup is great with a bit of freshly squeezed lime juice, sour cream, and fresh cilantro on top. You can also serve it with sliced avocado, hot sauce and tortillas or tortilla chips.

If you liked this albondigas soup recipe, you might also like some of my other easy soup recipes:

• Kielbasa Potato Soup
• Instant Pot Stuffed Pepper Soup
• Creamy Italian Sausage Gnocchi Soup
• Creamy White Lasagna Soup
• Easy Italian Meatball Soup
• Green Chili Chicken Soup
• Mexican Chicken Soup
• Easy Italian Meatball Soup
• Giouvarlakia (Greek Meatball Soup)

Looking for more delicious inspiration? Follow Skinny Spatula on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest!

Albondigas Soup (Mexican Meatball Soup)

Albondigas soup is a cozy Mexican meatball soup with delicious rice-studded meatballs and veggies in a rich tomato broth. High protein and just 350 calories in a bowl.

4.58 from 185 votes

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Course: Soups

Cuisine: Mexican

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 6

Calories: 350kcal

Author: Alice | Skinny Spatula

Ingredients 

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For the meatballs

• ▢ 1 lb (450 g) lean ground beef
• ▢ ¼ cup (50 g) long-grain rice
• ▢ 1 medium egg
• ▢ 2 garlic cloves, grated or minced
• ▢ 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, coriander
• ▢ 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
• ▢ 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

For the soup

• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 1 medium onion, diced
• ▢ 1 medium carrot, diced or sliced
• ▢ 2-3 celery stalks, diced
• ▢ 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• ▢ 1 ½ cup (250 g) potatoes, cut into ½-inch cubes
• ▢ 1 medium zucchini, cut into ½-inch cubes
• ▢ 1 cup (150 g) green beans, sliced
• ▢ 1 ½ cup (350 g) tomato sauce (passata)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, finely chopped
• ▢ 6 cups (1.5 l) beef stock
• ▢ A handful fresh cilantro, coriander, roughly chopped
• ▢ Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

• Start by making the meatballs. Place the ground beef in a large bowl, then add all the rest of the ingredients. Mix well, then use a scoop to form the meatballs. Place them on a try as you make them, then keep them in the refrigerator while you make the soup.
  1 lb lean ground beef

  ¼ cup long-grain rice

  1 medium egg

  2 garlic cloves

  3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

  2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves

  1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

  ½ teaspoon salt

  ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven and saute the onion, carrot and celery for 8-10 minutes over medium heat until softened.
  2 tablespoons olive oil

  1 medium onion

  1 medium carrot

  2-3 celery stalks
• Add the garlic and continue to cook for another minute.
  2 garlic cloves
• Next, add the potatoes, zucchini, green beans, tomato sauce, oregano and beef broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and add the meatballs to the soup.
  1 ½ cup potatoes, cut into ½-inch cubes

  1 medium zucchini

  1 cup green beans, sliced

  1 ½ cup tomato sauce (passata)

  2 tablespoons fresh oregano

  6 cups beef stock
• Place a lid on the pot and cook for 20 minutes on medium heat.
• Stir in the fresh cilantro (coriander), season to taste and serve hot.
  A handful fresh cilantro

  Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Video

Notes

• Don't be worried about the meatballs falling apart; they won't! The rice and egg bind them well. Simply keep the simmer gentle, don't stir early and they'll hold just fine.
• Make sure all meatballs are the same size so they cook at the same time.
• You can make a big batch of meatballs and freeze them for another soup batch. Roll them and freeze raw on a tray, then bag them up. They can go into the simmering broth straight from frozen (add 5-10 minutes).

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 350kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 599mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g

Nutrition is per serving and is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.

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