Every Mexican has his or her own idea of how to make albondigas Mexicanas, or Mexican meatballs. And they are all valid.
In fact, when you think about the world’s most delicious meatballs chances are that Mexican meatballs don’t come to mind. But you’d be wrong. They are almost bursting with flavor and have such a home-cooked feel that it’s sure to leave you feeling warm. It’s like you’re treating yourself in the best possible way.
Mexican meatballs are pretty unique. If you get the opportunity to try them at a restaurant in Mexico, you’re sure to be pleasantly surprised with just how filling and tasty they are. It´s not just in terms of the full flavoring that sets them apart, but also their savory, soupy texture that is sure to bring a smile to any kids that try them!
In Mexican cuisine, the soup is key and has influenced a lot of dishes that are enjoyed on a daily basis throughout the country. Think along the terms of pozole or pancita, just two name two of the most popular dishes. So, it comes with no surprise that many people in Mexico prefer to eat their albondigas in soup.
Here’s a recipe for classic albondigas soup that you should definitely try if you’re into juicy takes on meat.
Step by Step Instructions For Authentic Mexican Albondigas Soup
Ingredients
- A whole large onion
- Half pound of green beans
- A large clove of garlic
- Two large carrots
- 1 1/2 cup of peas (preferably fresh)
- 1/3 cup of raw white rice
- A pound of ground beef
- Two quarts of chicken stock
- Two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- Half cup of tomato sauce
- Quarter cup each of parsley and spearmint leaves
- An egg
- Salt and pepper
- Half cup of fresh cilantro
- Water
Equipment
- Large 5-quart heavy-bottomed pot
- Chopping knife
- Laddle
Step 1: Cut the vegetables
Chop up the whole onion and mince the garlic. Peel the carrots and slice them into small pieces.
Step 2: Fry the vegetables
Add the olive oil to the pan and set it to a medium heat. Once it’s hot add in the onion and let it cook until it becomes tender, which should be in about 5 minutes.
Step 3: Cook rest of vegetables
At this point, you can add the garlic. Let them cook together for a minute, then add the stock, tomato sauce, and water. Let it come to a boil and then reduce the heat so that it can simmer. At this point, you can drop in the string beans and carrots.
Preparing the albondigas, or meatballs
Step 4: Mix meat with ingredients
Take the ground meat and add salt, pepper, rice, parsley, and spearmint leaves. Then you add in the raw egg. Mix it all together.
Step 5: Shape meatballs
Now you’re ready to form relatively small-sized meatballs, about the size of a golf ball.
Step 6: Cook the meatballs
Carefully drop in the meatballs into the simmering soup. Make sure to do this one at a time so that they don`t get squished together. Place the cover over the pot and let it all simmer together for half an hour.
Step 7: Add peas and species
A few minutes before the half-an-hour mark add in the peas, along with a sprinkling of chopped oregano and some more salt and pepper.
Step 8: Serve
Then you should be ready to serve. Just top it all off with some freshly chopped cilantro and serve with the paddle.
Read more about Pickled Habanero Pepper Recipe For Connoisseurs
Cooking Time and Servings
Preparation: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Tips and Tricks For Caldo De Albondigas
To stay on the lighter side, you can substitute ground beef with ground turkey. This is actually done quite commonly in restaurants, especially when many customers avoid red meat. The preparation is similar and turkey meatballs are as tasty as red meatballs.
For a little something extra, you can add some freshly chopped mint to the soup. Also, connoisseurs add hierbabuena. And as with all kinds of Mexican dishes, you can add chili peppers and hot sauce as well. People prefer Chile chipotle which they add once the meatballs are fully cooked. Chipotle adds a kind of spicy but sweet flavor that enhances the rich taste of the meatballs.
A great way to know if you’ve achieved a special taste with this recipe is to think of whether it classifies as comfort food.
You can serve these meatballs with fried white rice or with boiled sweet potatoes. You shouldn’t forget your warm corn tortillas which enrich the rich texture of the meatballs.
Conclusion
In many places, soup is considered an old-timey kind of a meal. The reality is that there are special gems that just haven’t reached as far as they should. Caldo de Albondigas is a prime example of this kind of dish.
Albondigas soup is perfect for cold days and is truly filling. However, some people prefer to enjoy out with just tomato sauce. This is a great alternative if you are not too enticed by the idea of eating your meat submerged in caldo.
Preparing Mexican meatballs can be transformed into a family project. In fact, women in Mexico take this opportunity to share stories and remember old times as they work on giving shape to the meatballs.
As they are very filling, people prefer to have Mexican meatballs for lunch instead of dinner. They make a big meal as, quite often, you can lose track of how many meatballs you have eaten. However, as these meatballs include so many vegetables, they are very nutritious and are rich in potassium, fiber, vitamin C, and calcium among other nutrients.
One of the advantages of albondigas en caldo is that they are far lighter than their fried version. This is something that ladies and gentlemen worried about their weight, or those with cholesterol issues will certainly appreciate.
So, now you need to turn creative and put your own spin to this recipe that will please your loved ones who will ask you for more!
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Authentic Mexican Albondigas Soup
Equipment
- Large 5-quart heavy-bottomed pot
- Chopping knife
- Laddle
Ingredients
- 1 whole large onion
- ½ pound of green beans
- 1 A large clove of garlic
- 2 Two large carrots
- 1 1/2 cup of peas preferably fresh
- 1/3 cup of raw white rice
- 1 pound of ground beef
- 2/4 of chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup of tomato sauce
- ¼ cup each of parsley and spearmint leaves
- 1 egg
- Salt and pepper
- ½ cup of fresh cilantro
- Water
Instructions
- Chop up the whole onion and mince the garlic. Peel the carrots and slice them into small pieces.
- Add the olive oil to the pan and set it to a medium heat. Once it’s hot add in the onion and let it cook until it becomes tender, which should be in about 5 minutes.
- At this point, you can add the garlic. Let them cook together for a minute, then add the stock, tomato sauce, and water. Let it come to a boil and then reduce the heat so that it can simmer. At this point, you can drop in the string beans and carrots.
Preparing the albondigas, or meatballs
- Take the ground meat and add salt, pepper, rice, parsley, and spearmint leaves. Then you add in the raw egg. Mix it all together.
- Now you’re ready to form relatively small-sized meatballs, about the size of a golf ball.
- Carefully drop in the meatballs into the simmering soup. Make sure to do this one at a time so that they don`t get squished together. Place the cover over the pot and let it all simmer together for half an hour.
- A few minutes before the half-an-hour mark add in the peas, along with a sprinkling of chopped oregano and some more salt and pepper.
- Then you should be ready to serve. Just top it all off with some freshly chopped cilantro and serve with the paddle.
