Mexican Meatball Soup (Sopa de Albondigas) - Mexican Recipes (2024)

Published: Sep 18, 2015 · Updated: Apr 17, 2021 by Mely Martínez

There are several ways to make a Mexican meatball soup, and this is one of the simplest recipes that I’ve found that my family absolutely loves. These Mexican albondigas are cooked in a tomato broth flavored with cilantro, garlic, and onions. It's authentically delightful!

Making and sharing authentic Mexican soup recipes is a huge passion of mine and this sopa de albondigas is no different.

I know many people are used to seeing meatballs being served with spaghetti but, in Mexico, it is very common to make homemade meatballs and add them to delicious soups!

This authentic Mexican soup is very versatile, allowing you to add vegetables or other types of herbs to season it. It's also a popular way to use any leftover ground beef you may have from another recipe. I always buy too much when I plan on making picadillo!

Frequently Asked Questions About Mexican Meatball Soup

Before I share my soup recipe, here are a few questions I've been asked about this sopa de albondigas.

Can I use something else besides ground beef for the meatballs?

Yes! Sometimes, I will mix half ground pork meat and half ground beef when making the meatballs. You can also just simply use ground pork or ground turkey as well.

How do I keep the meatballs from falling apart?

In this recipe, I used a slice of bread and a beaten egg to help bind the meatballs. There are also some meatball soup recipes that add cooked eggs or rice to the meat mixture to help it stay together.

What other meatballs can I add to this soup recipe?

I recommend looking at these two other options here on the blog: Chipotle Meatballs and Jalisco Style Meatballs. Either one of these meatballs would work perfectly in this Mexican soup recipe.

Where can I find meatball soup in Mexico?

This soup can be found at many Mexican “fondas” which are small mom-and-pop restaurants that sell meals at noon for the office workers. Some other restaurants similar to dinners also offer them from time to time. Although, their more popular offering is the Chipotle Meatballs.

Homemade Mexican Meatball Soup

Here is a list of ingredients you will need to make this soup...

For The Tomato Broth:

• Tomato
• White onions
• Garlic cloves
• Vegetable oil
• Chicken broth
• Chopped cilantro
• Salt
• Spring of mint (optional)

For The Meatballs:

• Ground beef
• Sliceof bread
• Milk
• Eggs
• Garlic cloves (or garlic powder)
• Peppercorns (or ground pepper)
• Salt to taste

Please note:For exact measurements of the ingredients listed above, scroll down to the recipe card located at the bottom of this post!

JUMP TO FULL INSTRUCTIONS

Cooking Tips:

• Some cooks in Mexico use granulated chicken bouillon instead of chicken broth. This is a very common practice among many cooks. If you decide to use it, follow the package directions to make the 4 cups of broth as needed.
• You can add other diced vegetables like carrots, potatoes, zucchini, chayote, cabbage, and potatoes to the broth while it is simmering. If adding carrots, add them at the beginning with the tomato sauce. Other vegetables will take less time to cook and can be added when you add the meatballs.
• I prefer to buy ground meat with a little bit of fat, like the one sold at the market with an 85/15% of fat content. It has more flavor and you can easily remove the fat after it floats to the surface of the broth!
• If you want to make your Mexican Meatballs spicy, add serrano or jalapeño peppers to the tomato salsa while you are making it in the blender.

How To Make Meatball Soup: Step By Step Tutorial

To make things easier for you, I am going to break down the directions to this recipe into sections.

Make The Tomato Broth

• Add the tomatoes, onions, and garlic cloves onto a hot griddle to roast. Turn occasionally to make sure the veggies are evenly roasted (about 5-7 minutes). Roasting everything helps the flavor really come through!
• After they are done roasting, place everything into the blender and process until you have a smooth sauce. If your tomatoes aren’t juicy enough and the sauce is too chunky, add ¼ cup of water.
• Heat some oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat and gently pour in the tomato sauce.
• Cook for about 5 minutes, add in the chicken broth and bring to a boil.
• When it starts boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer as you work to make the meatballs.

Make The Beef Meatballs

• In a small bowl, soak the bread with the milk until it is soft (about 1 minute).
• Grind garlic clove and peppercorns in your molcajete or food processor.
• Add the ground beef to a bowl and make a well in the center. Add the ground garlic and peppercorns along with the bread soaked in milk and the beaten egg. Season with salt!
• Mix all of the ingredients together but make sure to not overmix.

Form The Meatballs

• Take the meat and shape them to about the size of a golf ball.
• After you have shaped all of the balls, gently drop them in the tomato broth.

Cook The Meatball Soup and Serve

• Cook for 15-20 minutes and add the chopped cilantro in the last 5 minutes. In this step, add any extra vegetables you want in your soup to cook along with the meatballs.
• Serve and enjoy!

What To Serve With Sopa De Albondigas

This Mexican meatball soup is traditionally served with rice and beans with a side of warm corn tortillas.

These albondigas are really delicious and a very comforting meal!

More Authentic Mexican Recipes To Enjoy

If you enjoyed this recipe for Mexican meatball soup, take a look at some of these other authentic Mexican recipes:

• Mexican Potato Soup
• Vegetable Beef and Rice Soup
• Mexican Lentil Soup
• Creamy Black Bean Soup
• Mexican Beef Soup With Short Ribs

I hope you make this recipe real simple Mexican soup with meatballs! If this recipe was of any help to you, come back to let me know your experience. Please leave us a comment done below and tell us all about it!

¡Buen provecho!
Mely

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