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Albondigas Soup

This albondigas soup is hearty and flavorful made with beef and rice meatballs, vegetables and potatoes in a tomato based broth full of delicious seasonings and spices!

Albondigas soup in a white bowl.
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Mexican Meatball Soup

This recipe is similar to my classic meatball soup, but with a Mexican twist. We love any and all Mexican food, so it’s no surprise that my whole family loved this dish. It’s loaded with flavor and is so comforting and delicious.

This recipe does take a little more work, but I promise it is worth it. The meatballs are SO flavorful and definitely make the soup. They remind me of porcupine meatballs with an extra kick. Serve with a warm piece of Mexican cornbread for the ultimate comfort food.

What is Albondigas Soup?

Albondigas soup (aka Mexican meatball soup) is a classic Mexican soup recipe full of flavor. It’s filled with a flavorful tomato broth, albondigas (the Spanish word for meatballs), and lots of fresh chopped veggies.

Albondigas Soup Ingredients

This albondigas soup is full of rich, fresh, flavors that all come together making the best soup!

Celery and carrots on a cutting board.
  • Broth: The base of this dish is a flavorful tomato broth. It uses spices like cumin and chili powder to give it those classic Mexican flavors we all know and love.
  • Meatballs: The delicious homemade meatballs are the star of the show and give the soup that hearty and comforting taste. They’re made with a mixture of ground beef, white rice, and spices and are so tender and juicy!
  • Veggies: Chopped potatoes, celery, carrots, and onions make up the majority of the soup. They add fiber and help bulk up the consistency even more. Feel free to add other veggies in too!

Substitutions and Variations

Create the best soup for your family by using some of these variations.

  • Lighten it up. Swap the beef with ground turkey meatballs or chicken meatballs or a lean ground beef.
  • Add more veggies. You can mix up the vegetables in this soup depending on the season. Some other vegetables we like to add are green beans, corn, peas, cabbage, and/or zucchini.
  • Boost the spice. Add more chili powder or cumin for an extra kick of spice.

How to Make the Best Albondigas Soup

First make your homemade meatballs, saute your fresh vegetables, and combine it all together to enjoy the perfect albondigas soup. This soup is savory and hearty in every bite.

Showing how to make albondigas soup in a 4 step collage.
  • Meatball mixture. In a large bowl, mix together the beef, rice, egg, garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and cilantro, if using, with your hands until combined, being careful not to overmix.
  • Roll meatballs. Using a small cookie scoop or a Tablespoon, portion the mixture on the baking sheet and roll into meatballs, making about 30 mini meatballs. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges start to brown. You don’t need to cook them throughout, as they will finish cooking in the soup.
  • Saute vegetables. While the meatballs are cooking, add the olive oil to a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook 3 minutes. Stir in the carrots and celery and sauté 3 to 5 minutes, or until tender. Add the garlic the last minute of cooking.
  • Combine and simmer. Add the potatoes, broth, tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and bring to a light simmer, stirring occasionally. Simmer 5 minutes. Add the meatballs individually, being careful not to transfer grease. Simmer an additional 10 minutes.

Expert Tips for Perfect Meatballs

  • Avoid overworking the meat: Over-mixing will cause the meat to toughen up, resulting in dry meatballs. Mix it just until combined.
  • Extra moist and juicy meatballs: Use a mixture of half-ground beef and half-ground pork. The fat from the pork makes the meat super tender.
  • Evenly sized meatballs: Using a cookie scoop can help achieve perfectly sized homemade meatballs.

5 star review

ABSOLUTELY delicious! My entire family loves this meal. I make homemade cornbread as a side and we eat this for 2 days with leftovers :)

– Liz K
Albondigas soup in a white pot.

Recipe FAQs

Is albondigas soup Mexican or Spanish?

Albondigas soup is known to be a traditional Mexican meatball soup. It is a comforting and savory soup!

What does the word albondigas mean in Spanish?

It means meatballs in Spanish!

How do you make albondigas not fall apart?

The meatball is homemade and oftentimes does fall apart once they are cooked in the soup. Using eggs will help bind the meatballs together and hold them without them falling apart.

What to serve with albondigas soup?

Fresh homemade flour tortillas and lime wedges are known to be a side dish that complements the albondigas soup.

Storing and Freezing Leftovers

  • Storing: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days.
  • Freeze: This soup freezes great and is perfect to thaw and reheat on a busy night. Once it has cooled, transfer it into a freezer bag or container (leaving room for the soup to expand in the freezer). It will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months.
  • Reheating: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat on the stove or in the microwave when ready to enjoy.
Albondigas soup in a white pot with a wooden spoon.

More soup recipes to try include this vegetable beef soup, slow cooker cabbage soup, or this chicken vegetable soup for delicious recipes.

More Mexican Soup Recipes

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Albondigas soup in a white bowl.

Albondigas Soup Recipe

5 from 61 votes
↑ Click stars to rate now!
Author: Jamielyn Nye
This albondigas soup is hearty and flavorful made with beef and rice meatballs, vegetables and potatoes in a tomato based broth full of delicious seasonings and spices!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 6

Video

Ingredients 

Meatballs

  • 1 pound 80% ground beef
  • ¼ cup long grain white rice , uncooked
  • 1 large egg , whisked
  • ½ Tablespoon minced garlic
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ¾ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2-3 Tablespoons chopped cilantro , optional

Soup

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup sliced carrots
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • ½ Tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 small russet potatoes (about 1 1/2 cups)
  • 32 ounces chicken or beef broth
  • 1 (14-ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder , plus more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro , plus more to taste
  • Kosher salt , to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper , to taste

Optional toppings: Cilantro, Avocados, Tomatoes, Lime juice, Cheese, Sour cream

    Instructions

    Meatballs

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
    • In a large bowl, mix together the beef, rice, egg, garlic, cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and cilantro, if using, with your hands until combined, being careful not to overmix.
    • Using a small cookie scoop or a Tablespoon, portion the mixture on the baking sheet and roll into meatballs, making about 30 mini meatballs. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges start to brown. You don't need to cook them throughout, as they will finish cooking in the soup.

    Soup

    • While the meatballs are cooking, add the olive oil to a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and cook 3 minutes. Stir in the carrots and celery and sauté 3 to 5 minutes, or until tender. Add the garlic the last minute of cooking.
    • Add the potatoes, broth, tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and bring to a light simmer, stirring occasionally. Simmer 5 minutes. Add the meatballs individually, being careful not to transfer grease. Simmer an additional 10 minutes.
    • Season soup to taste. Ladle into bowls and serve with your favorite toppings.

    Notes

    Variations: 
    • Swap the beef with turkey meatballs or chicken meatballs.
    • You can mix up the vegetables in this soup depending on what is in season. Some other vegetables we like to add are green beans, corn, peas, cabbage and/or zucchini.
    • Add more chili powder or cumin for an extra kick of spice.
    Storage: Store soup in a covered container in the fridge for 3 days. 
    Freeze: Once it has cooled, transfer into a freezer bag or container (leaving room for the soup to expand in the freezer). It will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat on the stove or in the microwave when ready to enjoy.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 315kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 1057mg | Potassium: 672mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 4168IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 3mg

    Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.

    Course: Main Course, Soup
    Cuisine: Mexican

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