Some people wait for the first chilly day of fall to make a big pot of soup. Me? If it’s 102 degrees outside, you’ll probably still find me standing over the stove making my favorite albondiga soup.
Call me crazy, but there’s just something magical about a bowl filled with tender meatballs, hearty vegetables, and that flavorful broth that somehow makes everything better. It doesn’t matter if I’m wrapped in a blanket during winter or blasting the air conditioner in the middle of summer—this soup always hits the spot.
Maybe it’s the nostalgia. Maybe it’s the comforting smell that fills the kitchen while it simmers. Or maybe it’s because every spoonful feels like a warm hug from someone who keeps insisting you take seconds before you’ve even finished your first bowl.
Whatever the reason, albondiga soup has officially earned its spot as my year-round comfort food. It’s filling without feeling heavy, packed with veggies, and somehow tastes even better the next day (if there’s any left).
So yes, while everyone else is firing up the grill, I’ll happily be over here with my steaming bowl of albondiga soup… sweating a little, smiling a lot, and wondering why we ever decided soup had to be a winter food.
Albondiga Soup
Ingredients
Broth:
- 5 tomatoes
- 1/2 onion
- 4 garlics
- 4 boxes of chicken broth
- 1 1/2 TB oregano
- 1 1/2 TB chicken bouillon
- 2 TB chopped chipotle chiles
Meatballs:
- 2-3lbs of ground beef
- 1-2lbs of ground pork
- 1/2 onion
- 5-6 stems parsley
- 1/2 cup jasmine rice
- 1TB oregano
- 1 1/2TB salt
- 1 1/2TB pepper
- 2TB minced garlic
- 3 eggs
Veggies of choice (as much as your heart desires):
- Carrots
- Potatoes
- zuchinni
- Chayote
- Cilantro
- Boil 1/2 cup of water with 1/2 cup jasmine rice until water is gone. Take off heat and let cool.
- Mix ground beef, ground pork, eggs, cooked rice, chopped parsley, oregano, salt, pepper, chopped onion, & minced garlic.
- Make meatballs.
- Make sauce: Boil tomatoes, half onion, & garlics. Blend together with boiled water, oregano, chicken bouillon, & chipotle chile.
- Simmer sauce for 10 min.
- Add chicken broth and bring to boil and add salt if needed.
- Add meatballs and cook for 30 min.
- Add carrots, potatoes, & chayote. Cook for 15 min.
- Add zucchini & cilantro. Cook for 5 min.
Serve and Enjoy!
Optional: Add sopa de fideo alongside or inside! Serve with lime and chili flakes. Pairs well with tortillas and avocado!