It is our version of comfort food.
What Is Albondigas Soup?
A simple soup base is made with sautéed onions, garlic, broth, and tomatoes. Into the bubbling soup you drop meatballs made with ground beef or ground turkey and rice. The meat creates its own additional broth. Carrots, green beans, and peas are also usually added to the soup.
The Secret Ingredient
What makes the flavor of albondigas soup distinctive is the chopped mint in the meatballs. I once remarked to a Mexican chef friend of mine about the lack of mint in his cookbook’s albondigas soup recipe, and he looked at me with surprise and said, “my mother puts mint in her albondigas!” You can, of course, skip the mint, substitute with a little fresh oregano or some cilantro, but to me, the soup’s not the same without it. You can also vary the vegetables added, depending on what you have on hand and what’s in season. You can vary the vegetables depending on what you have on hand. Spring peas in their pods instead of shucked peas, for example. Or you could add some chopped fresh zucchini or corn. Feel free to substitute ground turkey for the ground beef, we do it often. Add the stock, water, and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the green beans and carrots. Form mixture into 1-inch meatballs. Add the peas towards the end of cooking. Add a few pinches of oregano and sprinkle with salt and pepper, and a dash of cayenne, to taste.
