Albondigas Soup

Growing up, meatball soup wasn’t exactly a novelty for me. My mom had her own version on repeat, so when I first tried Albondigas Soup, I thought, “Oh great, another meatball swimming in broth.” But the Mexican twist had me hooked. The fresh herbs, the little kick of spice, and those soft, tender vegetables turned it into something completely different. It was like meeting the fun cousin of the soups I already knew.

Now it’s one of my go-to comfort meals, because it’s hearty without being heavy and somehow tastes even better the next day. Plus, you get the best of both worlds: perfectly seasoned meatballs and a broth that begs for a big chunk of bread to soak it all up. And let me tell you, nothing feels more satisfying than dunking crusty bread into a bowl of this soup while the meatballs stare at you like, “Don’t forget about us.”

• 1 pound ground beef (extra lean)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• ½ onion (chopped)
• ½ cup rice (long grain, uncooked (I used Basmati))
• 1 egg (beaten)
• ¼ cup mint (fresh, chopped)
• ¼ cup parsley (fresh, chopped)
• ¼ cup oregano (fresh, chopped or about 1 tbsp dry oregano)
• 1 teaspoon cumin (ground)
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• ½ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ large onion (chopped)
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 large carrot (chopped to your liking)
• 2 medium potatoes (peeled and chopped into 1 inch cubes)
• 14.5 ounce diced tomatoes (1 can)
• 3 cups beef broth (low sodium)
• 3 cups water
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons cilantro (fresh, chopped)
• 2 tablespoons parsley (fresh, chopped)