Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H. Albondigas are traditionally served in a couple different ways - as an appetizer, with the meatballs simmered in a tomato-based sauce that is much like a gravy - Albondigas en Caldillo - or served as a traditional Mexican meatball soup in a thinner tomato-based broth along with simmered vegetables. I’m focusing on the second version today, Albondigas Soup, or Caldo de Albóndigas, as it is known in Mexican cuisine. It’s pure Mexican comfort food and sure to satisfy. In Mexico, albondigas are considered more of a home-cooked dish, made with simple, economical ingredients and meant to feed a group. Home cooks love to stuff their meatballs with bits of hard-boiled egg or other ingredients, like olives, to offer a surprise and pop of flavor to their visitors. You can find this Mexican meatball soup in some Mexican restaurants, though there just isn’t anything better than homemade. Here is how I make mine, again more of a soup, though I do include notes below if you’d prefer to serve yours as an appetizer. For the Meatballs
White Bread - Bolillo bread is great for this, but use whatever white bread that’s available to you. Milk - For soaking the bread. Ground Beef - Or you can use a mix of lean ground beef and ground pork. Use ground turkey for a leaner version. Eggs Onion Cilantro - You can swap in other herbs. Spearmint leaves are an interesting substitution. Seasonings - Cumin, salt, black pepper, optional cayenne pepper for spicy. Dried oregano is good, too. Olive Oil - For cooking.
For the Soup Base
Tomatoes - I like fresh tomatoes, but canned diced tomatoes or tomato sauce work great for this recipe. White Onion Garlic - Use fresh garlic cloves. Canned Chipotle Chilies Chicken Stock - You can use other stock or broth, like beef broth or vegetable broth.
For the Veggies
Potatoes, Carrots, Zucchini, Green Beans - You can use others to your preference. For Serving - Cooked rice (white rice or brown), fresh chopped cilantro, red pepper flakes
Soak the bread and make a paste. Soak the bread and milk in a large bowl for 5 minutes until soft. Squeeze the bread in your hands to form a paste. This is an old trick I also learned from my grandmother. It helps to bind the meat and keep the meatballs from falling apart, as well as adding moisture. Mix the meatball mixture. Add the ground beef, eggs, onion, cilantro, cumin, salt and pepper to taste, and cayenne pepper. Hand mix until combined, but do not overmix, as they can become mealy in texture. Boil the veggies. Add the tomatoes, onion and garlic to a small pot. Cover with water then bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes until soft. Drain and add the vegetables to a food processor. Blend the chilies. Add the chipotle chilies and process until smooth. Set aside for now. Set the meatballs aside. Simmer the sauce base, stock and vegetables. Add the chipotle-tomato sauce base to the pot with the chicken broth, potatoes, carrots, zucchini and green beans. Add more chicken stock for a thinner soup base. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the potatoes and carrots have softened. Add the meatballs. Add the meatballs and simmer another 10 minutes, or until they are cooked through. Boom! Done! Your albondigas soup is ready to serve. Extra meatballs for me, please. I like to garnish with fresh cilantro and hot sauce. Make the meatballs and the sauce as written, then simmer the Mexican meatballs in the sauce-gravy until they are cooked through, about 10 minutes. The sauce is more like a gravy or a thin spaghetti sauce. It’s also freezer safe and can be frozen for 3 months or longer.
Mexico: The Cookbook (affiliate link, my friends!) Made in Mexico: The Cookbook, by Danny Mena (affiliate link, my friends!)
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 5/3/24 to include new information. It was originally published on 11/15/21.
