Albondigas Soup Recipe (AKA Mexican Meatball Soup)
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This Mexican meatball soup is simple to make and absolutely delicious. I make it with small, rice-studded meatballs (albondigas), a few veggies, and a rich and tasty broth. You’ll love it!
If you’re looking for the best Mexican meatball soup, you’re in the right place. This is the recipe my family, friends, and readers rave about again and again. With rice- and herb-studded meatballs and tender vegetables simmered in a rich beef broth, it’s pure cozy comfort—and always a guaranteed hit at the dinner table.
One reader, Patti, commented, “A little nervous making this soup for my 92 father who is Mexican through and through! He is my food critic as he compares me to my grandmother who was from Mexican! He LOVED it!!! Thank you for the recipe! ❤️”
I love how this soup manages to feel both hearty and fresh at the same time. The meatballs stay tender thanks to the rice, the herbs add so much flavor, and the broth pulls everything together into something deeply satisfying. It’s the kind of soup that fills the house with the best smells, tastes even better the next day, and quickly becomes a regular request once you’ve made it.
Key ingredients
Lean ground beef: Lean is best so the soup doesn’t become greasy.
Raw white rice: It’s added to the meatballs raw as it cooks in the soup.
Mint and cilantro: Both of these herbs add a ton of flavor, and some moisture, to the meatballs.
Beef broth: As with all soups, the quality of the broth will have a big impact on the flavor. Homemade beef bone broth is your best option. I always keep some in my freezer so it’s on hand for soups throughout the season. If you don’t have any, look for beef bone broth at your grocery store.
Variations to try
Feel free to add different veggies to the soup. A few I like are:
- Zucchini
- Peppers
- Mushrooms
- Celery
What to serve with this traditional albondigas recipe
This soup is easily a meal all by itself. But like all soup, some buttered bread is delicious for dipping. Try my garlic bread recipe. It goes really well with this soup!
Or keep the Mexican theme going by starting with some easy guacamole and enjoying dinner with a fizzy lime margarita.
Store, freeze, and reheat
Store: This soup will keep well in your fridge for 3-4 days in a covered container.
Freeze: This recipe contains potatoes, which don’t freeze well. If you’d like to freeze this soup, omit the potatoes. Black beans make a great substitute!
Reheat: Albondigas soup reheats beautifully and becomes even tastier the next day. I like to reheat it in a pot over medium heat, but a microwave works just as well.
Mexican Meatball Soup Recipe (Albondigas Soup)
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- ½ cup raw white rice (long-grain or basmati work best)
- ¼ cup EACH: finely minced fresh mint and cilantro (packed)
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon EACH: pepper, cumin, and dried oregano
- 1 large egg
The soup
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 2 medium carrots (diced)
- 1 medium onion (minced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 can fire-roasted tomatoes
- 6 cups beef broth
- Optional: ½ teaspoon chili flakes
- 2 medium yellow potatoes (peeled and diced)
- 1 cup frozen corn
Instructions
- Mix all the meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Using a small cookie scoop (2 teaspoons), scoop the meat into 42 balls. Gently roll them into balls.1 lb lean ground beef, ½ cup raw white rice, ¼ cup EACH: finely minced fresh mint and cilantro, 2 teaspoons sea salt, 1 teaspoon EACH: pepper, cumin, and dried oregano, 1 large egg
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion, and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, stirring a few times. Add the beef broth, fire-roasted tomatoes, and (if using) the chili flakes, and bring the pot to a boil. Lower the heat so that the soup is simmering gently.1 tablespoon cooking oil, 2 medium carrots, 1 medium onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1 can fire-roasted tomatoes, 6 cups beef broth, Optional: ½ teaspoon chili flakes
- Add the meatballs to the soup and DO NOT stir. Let them cook for 10 minutes in the simmering broth without stirring them.
- Add the potatoes to the pot and gently stir. When they are almost cooked (in about 10 minutes), add the corn to the pot and let it heat through.2 medium yellow potatoes, 1 cup frozen corn
Video
Nutrition
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This is a Great recipe,keep up the great work!!!!
Thank you so much! I really appreciate that—it means a lot. I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
I love the recipe. The difficult part was all the ads.
Too much for one recipe.
I’m sorry you found the ads frustrating. I’m looking into offering a membership site that would be ad free for a small fee. Stay tuned!
A little nervous making this soup for my 92 father who is Mexican through and through! He is my food critic as he compares me to my grandmother who was from Mexican! He LOVED it!!! Thank you for the recipe! ❤️
Oh that is wonderful, Patti! Thank you for sharing and I’m so happy that your father loved it!
It smelled so good as it was simmering… I used bison burger and added a table spoon of some 505 green chile yum!
I made this per the recipe and it was absolutely delicious. I was skeptical about not browning the meatballs first like some reviewers did but it worked beautifully. This is a keeper!
Omg, it was delicious.
I made this with impossible meat no b rice. It is delicious.
We are a vegan family so I used Impossible meat and better than bullion vegetable base .. Amazing🥰
That’s so awesome to know that you were able to turn this vegan! Thank you for letting us know!
The only thing I did differently was browned the meatballs first! Other than that I followed the recipe exactly aaaaaaaaaand YUM!! It’s unlike any other soup I’ve ever tasted! Unique and delicious!!
I love this soup so much! It is in my regular rotation. I’m making it again today. Fresh herbs really make a difference. Thank you, Kristen, I have tried several of your recipes. Keep em coming!
I made this soup give it 4 1/2 stars just a tad too minty for me. The broth was a bit bland, but was good plus gluten free.
The rice is dry correct? I’m just trying to make sure:)
That’s right!
Really delicious and filling. I added diced zuchini.
Albondigas! Love to say it. loved the recipe. Gracias. I used turkey instead of beef, so added some thyme – but actually when I roasted my tomatoes – and I browned the meatballs in a cast iron skillet first too, thinking that way I wouldn’t have the problem later with them falling apart. Alll in all, such a satisfying meal. Thanks again.
Haha I love saying it, too! As long as you don’t stir the pot until they’ve had some time to cook, then they don’t fall apart. But browning meatballs is never a bad idea!
Can you use a different meat? What do you recommend if you don’t cook beef
While I haven’t tried the recipe with anything other than beef, I suspect that any ground meat (pork, chicken, turkey) would work well. 🙂
I hate mint and cilantro, what can I use instead?
You can simply omit them. 🙂