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Albondigas soup is a classic Mexican meatball soup made with tender beef and chorizo meatballs simmered in a flavorful broth. It’s loaded 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 comfort. Growing up, if I was feeling under the weather, my mom would make caldo de pollo, caldo de res, or this albondigas soup recipe.
What Is Albondigas Soup?
It’s a popular and traditional Mexican dish made with 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 veggies keep it hearty and balanced.
I love this recipe because it’s simple, satisfying, and easy to adjust. You can swap the veggies based on what you have – like zucchini, spinach, or even corn – or switch up the meat with ground turkey or pork. Plus, the meatballs stay tender and don’t fall apart.
Ingredient Notes
This is an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe, please scroll down to the bottom of the post.
- Ground beef and chorizo: The meatballs are made with a mixture of ground beef and chorizo for an extra juicy and flavorful combination. Chorizo is highly spiced 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 the meat you can use.
- Egg, uncooked white rice, and breadcrumbs: These ingredients bind the meatballs together and keep the juices and seasonings locked in. The white rice cooks with the soup, so there’s no need to cook the rice beforehand, which saves a ton of time.
- Mint: An unexpected ingredient, but mint adds some freshness and herbal flavor to compliment the richness of the chorizo and ground beef.
- Seasonings: This soup uses simple and 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 sauteed celery, onions, and carrots for some sweetness and savory flavor.
- Tomato paste: A few tablespoons of tomato paste add 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 in a pinch.
- Vegetables: A great way to eat vegetables is to chop them up and throw them in a soup! This recipe uses potatoes, green beans, and zucchini. Scroll down to the Variations section for other veggies that would go great in this soup.
- Cilantro: Each bowl is topped with fresh cilantro, but this step is totally optional if you’re not a fan.
How to Make Albondigas Soup
Make the meatballs. Add all the ingredients to a large bowl and mix together with your hands until just combined.
Roll the mixture into 24 meatballs and set aside. I used a small cookie scoop to gather about 1 heaping tablespoon of the meat mixture and then rolled them in between my palms to form a ball.
Build the broth by first sauteing celery, carrots, onions, and salt in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat for 8 minutes, until the onions have softened. Add the tomato paste, dried oregano, and ground cumin. Mix together until the tomato paste has fully coated all of the vegetables, then add the broth and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.
Add the meatballs into the pot one by one. Bring the soup back to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook for 15 minutes.
Add the vegetables like green beans, zucchini, and potatoes. Cover and cook for 15 more minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender. Mix in some cilantro before serving.
Recipe Tips
- Taste and adjust the salt content as you go. The salt content of Mexican chorizo and broth can vary widely from brand to brand, so I recommend always starting with a small amount and adjusting as necessary.
- Cook at a low/gentle simmer. Make sure the soup does not come to a harsh simmer or boil to help the meatballs keep their shape. If the heat is too high, the meatballs can come apart and lose their shape from the harsh boil.
- The key to making the meatballs “fluffy” and not too dry is not to overwork the mixture. Try to mix everything together until you feel like all the ingredients have been evenly dispersed throughout the meat, and then stop. Resist the urge to keep mixing!
Variations
- Meat: If you can’t find Mexican chorizo near you, I highly recommend making your own using my homemade chorizo recipe. It’s easy to make and uses ingredients that can easily be found in grocery stores. You can also use all ground beef instead and omit the chorizo. You could also use chicken or turkey, but the flavor won’t quite be the same and the cook time may differ.
- Mint: If you don’t have any fresh mint, you can use a mixture of fresh cilantro and fresh parsley instead.
- Veggies: Feel free to use any vegetables you have. Squash, zucchini, corn, and peas are all great options.
Serving Suggestions
I love this albondigas soup with some warm corn tortillas or flour tortillas on the side. I also know many people love mixing in some Mexican rice or even pinto beans into their bowl to make it heartier and more filling.
And, of course, soups like this are always good with some fresh bolillo bread or homemade tortilla chips to help soak up all the delicious broth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Making sure the soup is cooking at low heat on a gentle simmer is key to keeping your meatballs intact, along with binding them together with enough starch like rice and/or breadcrumbs.
Top your albondigas soup with queso fresco, cotija, chopped cilantro, red onion, lime juice, or salsa macha for extra flavor.
Absolutely! Keep in mind that chicken and turkey are generally less fatty than beef or pork, and will therefore need more seasoning and less cooking time.
Storing and Reheating
- To store, transfer the soup to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- To freeze, transfer it to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
- To reheat, heat the soup in a large pot over medium-high heat until warm and bubbly, or microwave in short intervals, stirring occasionally, until warm.
More Mexican Soups
If you tried this Albondigas Soup Recipe or any other recipe on Isabel Eats, don’t forget to rate it and let me know how it went in the comments below! I love hearing about your experience.
Albondigas Soup
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- ½ pound lean ground beef
- ½ pound Mexican chorizo (homemade or store-bought)
- 1 large egg
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup uncooked white rice
- ¼ cup tightly packed mint leaves, chopped
- ⅓ cup plain bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 celery stalks, sliced to ½-inch slices
- 3 large carrots peeled and sliced into ½-inch rounds
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 8 cups beef broth (or chicken or vegetable broth)
- 8 ounces green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces (fresh or frozen)
- 1 large potato, diced into 1-inch chunks
- 1 zucchini, sliced into ½-inch moons
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients for the meatballs to a large bowl. Mix together with your hands until just combined.
- Roll the mixture into 24 meatballs and set aside. (I used a small cookie scoop to gather about 1 heaping tablespoon of the meat mixture, and then formed it using my hands.)
- 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.
- Add the tomato paste, dried oregano, and ground cumin. Mix together until the tomato paste has fully coated all of the vegetables.
- Add the broth and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.
- Carefully drop the meatballs into the pot one by one. Bring the soup back to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook for 15 minutes.
- Add the green beans, zucchini, and potatoes. Cover and cook for 15 more minutes. Or until potatoes are fork tender.
- Add the cilantro, mix together, 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’s easy to make and uses ingredients that can easily be found in grocery stores. You can also use all ground beef instead and omit the chorizo. You could also use chicken or turkey, but the flavor won’t quite be the same and the cook time may differ.
- Mint: If you don’t have any fresh mint, you can use a mixture of fresh cilantro and fresh parsley instead.
- Veggies: Feel free to use any vegetables you have. Squash, zucchini, corn, and peas are all great options.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was originally published in June 2018 and has been updated in February 2022 and January 2025 with new photos and more helpful recipe tips and instructions.
Photography by Ashley McLaughlin.
My whole family loves this 🙂
Hi Liza! That makes us so happy! Thank you for using our recipes.
Delicious. I used soy chizo and zucchini. Used mint and cilantro. Never would of thought of mint. Memories of soup my grandmother made.It was excellent. I always want this soup when I an feeling sick. I am going to make a batch sans zucchini and potatoe and freeze. Then thaw and add fresh vegetables. Thank you so much.
I just made some soup from the list
A much more interesting recipe than the one I used to use. Family enjoyed it immensely, and I have picky eaters. I did take out the onions and garlic because my one can’t have them at the moment, but I’m sure when I add them next time, it will be much better. Bookmarked your site and can’t wait to make the apple empanadas (though custard ones are my favorite)! Thank you for sharing!
Hi Peggy! Thank you so much for sharing your experience! Let us know how the apple empanadas turn out.
Looking for the original recipe! It was a big hit. Before chorizo and other veggies were added. Is it available somewhere? It’s was delicious
Great job Isabel! You cook just like me!
Do you cook the meatballs first? If not, how long do you simmer them to insure the meat is cooked? Can’t wait to try it!
The meatballs are cooked in the soup. Once you put them in the pot, let the liquid come back to a boil. Then reduce the heat to simmer and cook for 10 more minutes.
I love all your recipes you’re the best is it really Isabel that response or is it someone else- You are a beautiful woman thank you so much for all of your awesome recipes
Have you ever done this in a slow cooker?
Hi Sherrie! I’ve never tested this in a slow cooker, but that’s a great idea! I would think 6 hours on low or 4 hours on high would be enough time.
Hello Isabel I’m wondering about the Chipotle peppers I reconstructed 3 in the broth was a little intense and I’m wondering 1 chipotle pepper or two equals how many teaspoons of powder thank you for putting that recipe out there my stomach and I appreciate it I’ll be back for more
Hello Glen! So in general, one fresh pepper = 1/2 teaspoon of powder. Hope this helps!
I grew up eating my abuelita’s Albondigas made with ground pork & fresh mint instead of cilantro. She would also throw in some Chajote squash. Oh, & hot off the comal, homemade flour tortillas . I was a happy girl. Your receipe sounds great & will be made for dinner tonight
yes! when i make them i always add extra mint.