Despite having tried several different varieties of Albondigas soup, I’ve never encountered one just like this. My Mexican grandma from Michoacan taught me this. My 10-year-old son likes to cook the meatballs because they’re simple to make.
| Prep Time: | 20 mins |
| Cook Time: | 1 hr 30 mins |
| Total Time: | 1 hr 50 mins |
| Servings: | 8 |
| Yield: | 8 servings |
Ingredients
- 2 quarts water
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ cup uncooked white rice
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons garlic salt
- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Pour the water into a large pot over high heat and bring to a boil.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the ground beef, rice, egg, oregano, garlic salt, ground black pepper and cumin. Mix well and form into 1 inch meatballs.
- Roll the meatballs in the flour, coating well, and carefully drop them in the boiling water. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring frequently, and making sure soup does not get too thick.
- Add more water, if necessary, and add the potatoes to the soup. Simmer for 1 more hour, or until potatoes are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 234 kcal |
| Carbohydrate | 33 g |
| Cholesterol | 37 mg |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 g |
| Protein | 10 g |
| Saturated Fat | 3 g |
| Sodium | 498 mg |
| Sugars | 1 g |
| Fat | 7 g |
| Unsaturated Fat | 0 g |
Reviews
Was great after I added squash, carrots, clove of garlic. 2 bay leaves. It just didn’t have the favor that it needed when if followed your recipe. Overall will make it again with these adjustments.
I changed up this recipe a little. I did a half pound of ground beef and ground Italian sausage. And added New Mexico chili powder to the soup. It all turned out great.
I’ve been using this recipe for years. Few mods for my taste are. I use broth (any flavor), add a can of rotel and I dont roll in flour. Add any veggies you like.
Great start to the traditional families except we add celery, zucchini, potatoes, carrots corn on the cob, cilantro and sometimes cabbage.
Just like my mom made except whole cominos are so much better than ground cumin.
I was looking for a recipe like my mother in laws and liked that this one had rice in the meatballs, as real albondigas should. However, some changes were needed. Water alone is too bland. I tripled the recipe and made a large pot I added half chicken stock half water with some additional knorr chicken seasoning and one small can of tomato sauce. I used half ground pork and half ground beef for the meatballs because I think the flavor and texture are better that way. I also added carrots, onion, 4 tomatoes cut into large chunks, zucchini squash, additional potatoes and chopped cilantro. I flavored it with minced garlic, a small amount of red pepper for flavor not spice, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Turned out great!
This was a great recipe. Like many other reviewers the only one I found that had the rice in with the meatballs which is the authentic way. I did add some carrots and celery and added a little more rice in the soup. This is the first time my hubby and boys tried it and they all loved it!! I served it with cornbread. An excellent meal on a cold and rainy day! -Stathia S
my meatballs were hard and the broth was thick. i have never had albondigas like this. if you make it, don’t do the flour that may be the culprit for this weird outcome 🙁
I’ve always wanted to learn to make alb indigos and I never learned from my grandmother when she would stay with my family. Now that I don’t get to see her very often and she’s getting older and not doing much cooking, I’ve missed my chance to learn from the best. I’ve been hesitant to look on here for a recipe because I figured it would be an Americanized version of albondigas, but I was wrong, this recipe was PERFECT!! It tasted exactly like I hoped it would and with added fresher squeezed lime and some corn tortillas to go along with it, it was like tasting my childhood memories 😀
I did not care for this recipe.
LOVED IT ! ! ! ESPECIALLY THE CHICKEN MEATBALLS ! !
This was so yummy! My kids loved it and enjoyed it accompanied by tortillas de maiz.
Delicious! Nice and simple flavors and it’s hearty enough for a meal by itself. Love the rice in it. I used ground turkey in the hopes of being healthier (ha!) and still tasted good. Also threw in some zucchini and put some diced jalapenos in the meatballs. Thanks!
It was a good start but i too added beef bouillon for a better taste along with srirachi. Yummo!!
Great recipe close to grandmas I added zucchini carrots celery yellow onion a can of stewed tomatoes and put cilantro in the meatball mixture. It was awesome my family loved it!! Will definitely make it again. This was the only one I found with rice in the meatballs like my grandmother did. Yummy
It’s a good base, but it lacks the Yerba Buena (mint), that’s what makes it in my opinion, otherwise it tastes like caldo de res (ox stew)
I’ve made it a few times before rating because I live in Houston. This is the land of Tex-Mex which means we love our border food Very jalapeño spicy. I’ve modified it a few ways, chopping and adding parts of a whole chopped fresh jalapeño to each serving and adding a Mexican cheese shredded blend as a topping for each bowl. Also lose the fat and try ground Turkey. Any way It’s super delicious!
If you tweak this recipe it is absolutely delicious!!! So easy and you can add other things more flavor. I added chopped “Italian Squash”, and 2 tbsp of Beef Broth base. I used “Ground Turkey” for the meatballs, and it tasted it terrific!! I will have to add “chopped” onions next time to the meatballs.
I will NEVER EVER make this recipe again. My family really disliked it. It had no flavor at all, there was too much flour used and I like how in your picture you can see the carrots in YOUR meal but its not in the recipe.
This is the one my mother in law made with these variations, she cooked the meatballs in tomatoes and then added greenbeans at the end. We enjoy them with warm tortillas and cheese spinkled on top!
Rice! You’re recipe has rice & that’s how I have always had homemade Albongias soup. Your recipe is the only one I found that had rice in the meatballs. I did make a few minor adjustments and added carrots, onions & chipotle peppers to the broth. Great recipe, thank you.