Albondigas Soup
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Rich, smoky Albondigas Soup starts with a tomato broth… one with a slow, warm heat that builds as you sip. Tender beef-and-rice meatballs that practically melt when your spoon breaks into them. Soft potatoes soaking up all that savory goodness, sweet carrots balancing the spice, and zucchini that stays just barely tender. Every bite tastes deep, comforting, and homemade. Smoky from the chipotle. Savory from the bouillon. Herby from the cilantro. This is the kind of soup that coats your mouth, warms your chest, and makes you pause between bites because it’s just that good.
Table of Contents
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS ALBONDIGAS SOUP RECIPE
- Classic, comforting, and deeply satisfying
- Tender meatballs that don’t fall apart
- Big flavor from simple ingredients
- Gets better as it sits
- Freezer-friendly and weeknight-friendly
Albondigas Soup
When I want something that feels like it took all day (even though it didn’t), I reach for this albondigas recipe for soup.
It’s hearty and comforting, but it’s not heavy or greasy, and every ingredient has a reason for being there.
But what makes this one really special is how everything cooks in stages and ends up exactly where it should be.
The meatballs stay tender, the broth gets deep and smoky, and the vegetables don’t all turn to mush because they go in when they’re supposed to. That matters more than people realize.
Albondigas isn’t a rush-it soup. You let it simmer gently, you let the flavors settle, and you let the pot do the work.
By the time it’s ready, it tastes like something that’s been passed down, not thrown together. And those are always the soups people remember.
INGREDIENT NOTES
- Ground Beef (85%): Enough fat to keep the meatballs tender without greasiness.
- Uncooked Rice: Cooks inside the meatballs and keeps them light. Long-grain is the best choice.
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo: For smoky heat, not fire. Adjust the amount to taste.
- Sazón Goya: Adds depth and color. Trust me, it’s doing more than you think!
- Chicken Bouillon: For a little extra flavor in the broth. The powder is easy to combine with the Sazón, but soup base works too.
- Potatoes & Carrots: First veggies into the pot so they have time to become soft.
- Zucchini: Goes in last so it stays tender, not mushy.
VARIATIONS
Chicken Albondiga Soup: Swap the beef in the meatballs for ground chicken.
Meat Combo: Combine even leaner ground beef with ground pork.
Extra Spicy: Add an extra chipotle pepper or a spoonful of adobo sauce.
No Zucchini: Swap in green beans or skip it and double the carrots.
Herb Swap: Use parsley or mint instead of cilantro if needed.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
- Finish with extra chopped cilantro and lime wedges at the table.
- Serve with warm corn tortillas or bread.
- Great with Mexican red rice or cilantro lime rice on the side.
- Pair this albondigas soup recipe with a simple cabbage slaw or cactus salad.
- Add something sweet for dessert, like apple empanadas!
ALBONDIGAS RECIPE SOUP FAQ
No. The rice goes in raw and cooks from the inside to help keep the meatballs tender.
Smoky and warm, but not aggressively hot. The heat does build the more you eat it. You can use fewer chipotle peppers if you’d like it less spicy.
Please don’t! A harder boil can cause the meatballs to break apart. Keep things at a gentle simmer, adjusting the heat as needed.
Beautifully. Allow albondigas soup to cool before portioning into containers, and leave some room at the top for the liquid to expand. Thaw in the fridge before reheating on the stove.
This albondiga soup recipe works because it’s built around controlled protein behavior and moisture management.
Ground beef meatballs rely on raw rice to regulate texture. As the soup simmers, the rice gelatinizes, absorbing liquid and swelling inside the meatball.
That internal expansion prevents excessive protein tightening, which keeps the meatballs tender instead of dense. No breadcrumbs needed.
Blending the tomatoes, chipotle, garlic, and bouillon creates a stable liquid suspension rather than a thin broth.
That puree slightly thickens as it heats, helping evenly distribute fat-soluble flavors and preventing ingredients from separating.
While there’s no Maillard reaction here (this is a wet environment, after all), flavor development comes from slow extraction and integration, not browning.
Gentle simmering matters because boiling causes mechanical agitation, which disrupts protein networks before they’ve fully set.
Adding vegetables in stages accounts for cell wall breakdown rates and water release, preserving texture and balance.
It’s not guesswork. It’s applied food science, quietly doing its job.
DONNA’S PRO TIPS
- Mix the meatballs gently, and stop as soon as everything’s combined.
- Roll meatballs evenly for even cooking.
- Keep the soup at a gentle simmer. A hard boil will cause meatballs to break apart.
- Add vegetables in stages. First the carrots and potatoes, then the zucchini.
- Let albondigas soup rest before serving. Mellowing allows the flavors to deepen.
- Taste and adjust salt at the end.
TOOLS NEEDED
- Large Soup Pot: Deep enough to hold everything and wide enough to do so gently.
- Blender: Makes a smooth, cohesive broth base.
- Large Mixing Bowl: Plenty of room for making the meatballs.
- Spoon or Hands: Gentle mixing only to keep things tender and moist.
- Ladle: Makes serving Mexican albondigas soup easier and cleaner.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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TL;DR (Too Long, Didn’t Read) THE QUICK VERSION
- Raw rice keeps meatballs tender
- Gentle simmer prevents breakage
- Blended tomato base adds body
- Potatoes and carrots need more time
- Zucchini goes in last
- Even better the next day
- Cozy, classic, freezer-friendly soup
Albondigas Soup
Ingredients
FOR THE MEATBALLS
- 1 pound lean ground beef, I like 85% lean
- 1/3 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon dried minced onion
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
FOR THE SOUP
- 4 Roma tomatoes
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chicken bouillon powder
- 1 packet Sazón Goya
- 7 cups water, divided
- 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 medium zucchini, diced (about 2 ½ cups)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- MAKE MEATBALL MIXTURE: In a large mixing bowl, add all the meatball ingredients. Use clean hands or a spoon to gently mix just until everything is combined. The mixture should feel moist and slightly sticky but not wet. Do not overmix.
- FORM MEATBALLS: Roll the mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs. Place them on a plate or baking sheet. They do not need to be perfect.
- BLEND BROTH BASE: Add the Roma tomatoes, garlic cloves, chipotle peppers, chicken bouillon powder, Sazón Goya, and 2 cups water to a blender. Blend until completely smooth. The mixture will be red and slightly thick.
- START SOUP: Pour the blended mixture into a large pot. Add the remaining 5 cups water. Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring it to a gentle simmer. You should see small bubbles forming around the edges and smell a smoky tomato aroma.
- ADD MEATBALLS: Carefully lower the meatballs into the simmering broth one at a time. Cover the pot, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 20 minutes. The soup should gently bubble, not boil. The meatballs will float slightly as they cook.
- ADD POTATOES AND CARROTS: Add the potatoes and carrots. Stir gently so the meatballs stay intact. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, until the potatoes begin to soften when pierced with a fork.
- FINISH WITH ZUCCHINI: Add the diced zucchini and remaining ¼ cup cilantro. Cook uncovered for 5 minutes. The zucchini should be tender but not mushy, and the soup should smell fresh and savory.
- SERVE: Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Ladle into bowls and enjoy hot.
Donna’s Notes
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published February 2026
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