Caldo de Albóndigas (Mexican Meatball Soup)

Published: Sep 18, 2022 · Modified: Feb 23, 2026 by Gemma · This post may contain affiliate links.

Caldo de Albóndigas is a traditional Mexican meatball soup made with tender beef meatballs simmered in a rich tomato broth with carrots and potatoes. This comforting family recipe is easy to make and perfect served over Mexican red rice or with warm tortillas and fresh lime.

Caldo de Albondigas (Mexican Meatball Soup) in a bowl

This Mexican Meatball Soup is one of my favorite soups. I learned to make it from my mom, and she learned from hers.

In fact, this was one of the first dishes my mom learned to make as a newlywed. At first, she couldn't quite get it right until my grandmother stood beside her and walked her through it step by step. Like so many traditional Mexican recipes, the measurements were never written down, just "a little of this," "a dash of that," and "about this much."

Because my mom learned to cook this way, I'm especially grateful that she later helped me measure and document her recipes, from Sopa de Tortilla to Frijoles Charros and Calabacitas con Queso, so I could recreate them faithfully and share them with you. This caldo de albóndigas is one of those treasured recipes.

Jump to:

What is Mexican Meatball Soup?
Ingredients & Substitutions
Step-by-Step Instructions
Recommended for This Recipe
How to Serve
Storing and Reheating
Tips and Variations
FAQ
Recipe

For more traditional soup recipes, check out Sopa de Verduras and Sopa de Lentejas.

What is Mexican Meatball Soup?

In Mexico, this soup is referred to as caldo de albóndigas or albóndigas en caldillo. The dish consists of meatballs (typically made with beef or a mixture of beef and pork) simmered in a light broth with vegetables.

This Mexican meatball soup is a staple in many Mexican homes. While some versions include rice inside the meatballs, others serve the soup over arroz rojo for extra heartiness. This family recipe keeps the broth light but deeply flavorful.

The word albóndigas comes from the Arabic term "al-bunduq," meaning hazelnut, referring to something small and round. The dish was introduced to Mexico through Spain and eventually evolved into this comforting soup and other variations like Albóndigas en Chipotle.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Ingredients for caldo de albondigas: ground beef, potato, seasonings, chicken broth, celery, onion, garlic, Roma tomato, carrot, cilantro

This traditional meatball soup uses simple, wholesome ingredients that create a deeply flavorful broth.

Roma Tomatoes, Garlic, Onion, and Celery: Blended together to form the base of the tomato broth.
Oil: I prefer avocado oil to sauté the blended vegetables and deepen the flavor.
Water and Chicken Broth: Form the base of the soup. I use broth for a cleaner ingredient list, but traditionally many Mexican kitchens use chicken bouillon. If that's what you grew up with, you can absolutely use it here.
Ground Beef (80-85% lean): Provides the best flavor while staying tender.
Garlic Powder, Salt, and Black Pepper: Simple seasonings for the meatballs.
Carrots and Potatoes - Add heartiness and subtle sweetness to the broth.
Fresh Cilantro - Stirred in at the end for freshness and aroma.

See recipe card for a full list of the ingredients and quantities.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Top photo: ingredients for tomato base for the soup, bottom photo: blended ingredients

Blend Tomato Base: Blend the tomato, garlic, onion and celery until smooth.

Tomato base sauce cooking in a little oil

Cook the Sauce: Pour the blended mixture into a deep pot with a little oil and cook for about two minutes.

Add Broth: Pour in water and broth and bring to a boil.

Assemble the Meatballs: In a large mixing bowl, mix the ground beef with seasonings. Form meatballs about an inch to an inch and a half in diameter (be careful to not over-mix the meat).

Add the Meatballs: Carefully add the meatballs to the simmering broth.

Add Vegetables: Stir in the carrots and potatoes and simmer until tender.

Meatball soup with chopped cilantro simmering

Finish with Cilantro: Add chopped cilantro and season with salt and pepper.

Recommended for This Recipe

High-Powered Blender

A high-powered blender makes the broth especially smooth and flavorful. I use my Vitamix to blend the tomato, garlic, onion, and celery until completely smooth before adding it to the pot.

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How to Serve

Caldo de Albóndigas is delicious served on its own, but here are a few traditional ways to enjoy it:

Add a squeeze of fresh lime juice just before serving, it brightens the broth beautifully.
Serve with jalapeño salsa, serrano salsa, or chile de arbol salsa for extra heat.
Spoon the soup over arroz rojo (Mexican red rice) for a heartier meal.
Enjoy with warm corn tortillas on the side.

Storing and Reheating

Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

To reheat, warm gently in a saucepan over medium heat until heated through, or microwave in a microwave-safe bowl until steaming.

Tips and Variations

Add additional vegetables such as corn on the cob, zucchini, chayote, green beans, or peas.
Avoid overmixing the meat when forming the meatballs, as this can make them dense and tough.
This recipe is naturally gluten-free. For Whole30, use a compatible broth.

FAQ

Can I use a different type of broth?

Yes. While chicken broth gives the most traditional flavor, you can use beef or vegetable broth depending on your preference.

Should I add rice to the meatballs?

Some traditional versions include rice inside the meatballs, but this family recipe does not. Instead, we love serving the soup over arroz rojo for added texture and heartiness.

I hope you enjoy! If you try this recipe, please leave me a comment with a star rating below. Also, be sure to follow me on Instagram, Facebook or Pinterest to stay in touch, and don't forget to subscribe to my newsletter.

Caldo de Albondigas (Mexican Meatball Soup) in a pot

Recipe

Caldo de Albóndigas

by Gemma Aguayo-Murphy

Caldo de Albóndigas is a traditional Mexican meatball soup made with tender beef meatballs simmered in a rich tomato broth with carrots and potatoes. This comforting family recipe is easy to make and perfect served over Mexican red rice or with warm tortillas and fresh lime.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 30

Total Time 1

Course Soup

Cuisine Mexican

Servings

Calories 381 kcal

Equipment

Blender or food processor
Large pot
cutting board
Knife

Ingredients

Broth

2 medium Roma tomatoes (or 1 large)
2 medium cloves of garlic
¼ white onion
1 stalk celery
4 cups water
4 cups chicken broth For deeper flavor, you can use 8 cups chicken broth and no water.
1 tablespoon olive oil

Meatballs

1 lb ground beef
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Veggies

2-3 carrots, diced at a diagonal (see notes)
1 potato, cubed (see notes)
⅓ cup chopped cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Blend the tomato, garlic, onion, and celery until smooth. For a slightly chunkier broth, you can dice the celery and sauté it instead.
In a deep pot or dutch oven, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. (Sauté the diced celery here if using). Pour the tomato sauce mixture into the pot. Sauté the sauce for about two minutes.
Pour in 4 cups of water and 4 cups of chicken broth into the pot. Bring to a boil. For added flavor, use 8 cups of chicken broth and no water.
With your hands mix the ground beef, with the garlic powder, salt and pepper.
Being careful not to overmix the ground beef, form meatballs about an inch to an inch and a half in diameter. Drop them into the gently boiling broth and cook for 10 minutes.
Add the carrots and cook for 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and cilantro, then simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 8-10 more minutes.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

You can adjust the amount of carrots and potatoes to your preference.
If you are not on Whole30, this soup goes great over Mexican Red Rice and accompanied by warm corn tortillas. Either way, I recommend topping it off with a little lime juice and this Jalapeño Salsa.
For a Whole30 option, use a Whole30 compatible broth.

Nutrition

Serving: 375gCalories: 381kcalCarbohydrates: 11.2gProtein: 52gFat: 21.4gSaturated Fat: 6.6gCholesterol: 153mgSodium: 498mgPotassium: 309mgFiber: 2.5gSugar: 2.2gVitamin A: 425IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 7mg

Did you try this recipe?Leave me a comment and star rating below or mention @everydaylatina on Instagram!

Originally published September 22, 2018 and updated September 2022 and January 2024. New photos and updates February 2026.

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About Gemma

Gemma is the recipe developer, writer and food photographer behind Everyday Latina. Gemma was born in Mexico, but has spent the majority of her life in the United States. She has been sharing recipes since 2018 with an emphasis on her parents' traditional Mexican cuisine and a focus on clean, healthy ingredients. Her goal is to build a community of people who appreciate family, food and culture and, who like her, want to live a healthy, happy everyday life.