Albondigas Soup (Mexican Meatball Soup)

Classic Mexican soup made with meatballs (albondigas), green beans, onions, and chicken stock. This delicious soup recipe is a family favorite.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
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Updated November 26, 2024
Elise Bauer

Albondigas soup is a traditional Mexican meatball soup (albondigas means "meatballs" in Spanish) that my mother has cooked for our family for more than 50 years.

It is our version of comfort food.

Albondigas Soup (Mexican Meatball Soup) in a blue bowl

Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

What Is Albondigas Soup?

A simple soup base is made with sautéed onions, garlic, broth, and tomatoes. Into the bubbling soup you drop meatballs made with ground beef or ground turkey and rice.

The meat creates its own additional broth. Carrots, green beans, and peas are also usually added to the soup.

The Secret Ingredient

What makes the flavor of albondigas soup distinctive is the chopped mint in the meatballs. I once remarked to a Mexican chef friend of mine about the lack of mint in his cookbook's albondigas soup recipe, and he looked at me with surprise and said, "my mother puts mint in her albondigas!"

You can, of course, skip the mint, substitute with a little fresh oregano or some cilantro, but to me, the soup's not the same without it. You can also vary the vegetables added, depending on what you have on hand and what's in season.

Albondigas Soup with six meatballs in a blue bowl

Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer

How Our Readers Make This Recipe Their Own

  • Emily: "I discovered this recipe almost 3 years ago and it is the absolute best. I used Pato sauce and instead of the peas I add potatoes and lots of zucchini."
  • Martha: "Used 2 fresh roma tomatoes and chopped w/fresh garlic in food processor and added a couple stocks of chopped celery. Used turkey for meatballs."
  • Elena: "If I don't have mint or parsley I've substituted cilantro and I've experimented by adding chayote, yellow squash, and even potatoes and it all turns out great."
  • Claude: "I used 1 qt. bone stock and 1 qt. vegetable stock, instead of beef I used 2 parts sweet Italian pork sausage mixed with 1 part pork chorizo to make the stock a bit more rich and give great flavor to the meatballs."
  • Deborah: "I topped each bowl with some chopped mint and a squeeze of lime juice to serve."
  • Cuqui: "I'd say folks should consider is adding raisins or chopped hard boiled egg into the center of each albondiga."
From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

Albondigas Soup (Mexican Meatball Soup)

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 45 mins
Total Time 60 mins
Servings 6 to 8 servings

Use spearmint or Mexican yerba buena for the mint in this soup (not peppermint). My mother often puts a couple extra tablespoons of chopped fresh mint directly into the soup. If fresh mint is not available, you can use a couple teaspoons of dried mint from herbal mint tea.

You can vary the vegetables depending on what you have on hand. Spring peas in their pods instead of shucked peas, for example. Or you could add some chopped fresh zucchini or corn.

Feel free to substitute ground turkey for the ground beef, we do it often.

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Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

  • 1 large onion, chopped

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

  • 2 quarts chicken stock or beef stock

  • 1 quart water

  • 1/2 cup tomato sauce

  • 1/2 pound green beans, strings and ends removed, cut into 1-inch pieces

  • 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced

  • 1/3 cup white rice

  • 1 pound ground beef

  • 1/4 cup (loosely packed) chopped fresh spearmint leaves

  • 1/4 cup (loosely packed) chopped fresh parsley

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

  • 1 large egg

  • 1 1/2 cups frozen or fresh peas

  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano

  • 1 dash cayenne, optional

  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Method

  1. Make the soup base:

    Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot (5-quart) over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook a minute more.

    Add the stock, water, and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the green beans and carrots.

  2. Prepare the meatballs:

    Mix the uncooked rice into the meat on a large bowl, along with the spearmint leaves and parsley, salt, and pepper. Mix in the raw egg.

    Form mixture into 1-inch meatballs.

    A meatball being formed in a pair of hands

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer
  3. Add the meatballs to the soup, let simmer, and add peas:

    Gently add the meatballs to the simmering soup, one at a time. Cover and let simmer for 1/2 hour.

    Add the peas towards the end of cooking. Add a few pinches of oregano and sprinkle with salt and pepper, and a dash of cayenne, to taste.

    Meatballs being dropped in a albondigas soup to cook

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer
  4. Serve:

    Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh cilantro.

    Did you love the recipe? Give us some stars and leave a comment below!)

    Overhead of an Albondigas Soup in a blue bowl with meatballs

    Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
297 Calories
16g Fat
17g Carbs
22g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 297
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16g 20%
Saturated Fat 5g 24%
Cholesterol 77mg 26%
Sodium 740mg 32%
Total Carbohydrate 17g 6%
Dietary Fiber 4g 13%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 22g
Vitamin C 11mg 57%
Calcium 67mg 5%
Iron 3mg 18%
Potassium 564mg 12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.