Mexican Meatball Soup, or caldo de albondigas, is a delicious clear broth soup filled with potatoes, carrots, and garlicky meatballs (with a Whole30 option).
Mexican Meatball Soup
This Mexican Meatball Soup, or caldo de albondigas, is one of my favorite soups. I learned to make this soup from my mom and she learned to make it from her mom.
This is one of the first things she learned to make as a newlywed. At first, she couldn’t get it quite right until my grandmother helped her make it step by step. That’s because, like I’m sure is true for some of your mothers or grandmothers, the measurements consisted of “a little of this,” “a dash of that,” and “about this much.”
Since my mom learned to cook this way, I am so grateful to her for helping me measure the ingredients of her recipes. This has allowed me to better replicate recipes like this one and now also share them with you.
My Grandmother’s Mexican Meatball Soup
To begin, blend a tomato, a small clove of garlic, and about 1/4 of an onion in a blender or food processor.
In a deep pot, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Then, sauté 1/2 stalk of diced celery. Afterward, pour the tomato/garlic/onion sauce 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 only chicken broth without the water.
In the meantime, use your hands to mix a pound of ground beef, with a 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, salt and pepper, and a 1/2 teaspoon of chicken bouillon. (The chicken bouillon is for extra flavor but it is optional since many people don’t like it because it contains MSG.)
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 boiling broth and let them boil for 10 minutes.
While the meatballs are boiling, dice 2 carrots and one potato. You can choose to do more carrots and potatoes, just note that the ratio of carrots to potatoes should be the same.
After the 10 minutes, add the carrots and simmer for another 5 minutes. Then, add the potatoes and 1/3 cup of chopped cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Finally, let everything simmer until the potatoes are cooked through (another 8-10 minutes).
The soup is ready to serve! For a Whole30 option, definitely omit the chicken bullion and use a Whole30 compliant broth, like the one pictured below. If not on Whole30, this soup goes great served over Spanish rice and accompanied by warm corn tortillas. Either way, top it off with a little lime juice and salsa.
{For a Jalapeño Salsa that’s great with this Mexican Meatball Soup, click here.}
Click on the images below for Whole30 compliant chicken broth.
Hope you enjoy!
Are there any of your grandmother’s recipes you love? Let me know in the comments below.
Mexican Meatball Soup, or caldo de albondigas, is a delicious clear broth soup filled with potatoes, carrots, and garlicky meatballs (with a Whole30 option).
- 1 tomato
- 1 small clove of garlic
- 1/4 white onion
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon (optional)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 stalk celery, diced
- 2 carrots, diced (see notes)
- 1 potato, diced (see notes)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 8 cups water or chicken broth
- 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
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Blend the tomato, the clove of garlic, and 1/4 of an onion in a blender or food processor.
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In a deep pot or dutch oven, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the diced celery. Then, pour the tomato/garlic/onion sauce into the pot. Sauté the sauce for about two minutes.
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Pour in 4 cups of water and 4 cups of chicken broth into the pot. Bring to a boil. For added flavor, use only chicken broth without the water.
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With your hands mix the ground beef, with the garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste, and the chicken bouillon. (The chicken bouillon is for extra flavor but it is optional since many people don’t like it because it contains MSG.)
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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 boiling broth and let them boil for 10 minutes.
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After the 10 minutes, add the carrots and simmer for another 5 minutes. Then, add the potatoes and the chopped cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Let everything simmer a little longer until the potatoes are cooked through (another 8-10 minutes).
You can choose to do more carrots and potatoes, just note that the ratio of carrots to potatoes should be the same.
For a Whole30 option, definitely omit the chicken bullion and use a Whole30 compliant broth, like Imagine Free Range Chicken Broth.
If you are not on Whole30, this soup goes great served over Spanish rice and accompanied by warm corn tortillas. Either way, I recommend topping it off with a little lime juice and this Jalapeño Salsa.
One of my all time favorites!!
Me too!!
I love meatballs but I never thought of making a soup of it. The recipe looks delicious. I will give it a try.
It’s one of my favorites. Hope you like it!
Sounds great. Looking forward to trying it. I’ll pin it for later.
Oh good, hope you like it!
This looks great!!! I love making soups in the fall and winter. They are so cozy and warm. We will be making this sometime soon!!
I agree, I always crave soups when it’s cold outside. I hope you like it!
This looks delicious and easy to make! I love different Mexican food ideas besides tacos and enchiladas. Love that this is low carb!
And it is now perfect for the cold weather.
This looks delicious! Definitely giving this a try!
That’s great! Thanks!
I made this soup tonight and it was delicious…very light, but filling. We also made your salsa recipe to add some extra spice to the soup. It was the perfect dish for this cold CO night. Added bonus, my almost two year old ate every drop of his serving!
Oh, I am so glad!! Yes the salsa goes great with the soup. I especially like to put the salsa on corn tortillas, roll them up and dip them in the warm soup (when we are not on Whole30 that is). I am so happy everyone in the family loved it! Love that you made it!
I used plant based beef to make the meatballs & used green onions instead & the soup was delish
That sounds great! I am so glad the substitution worked well. Thank you!
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