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–+ servings
Bowl of caldo de albondigas

Caldo de Albóndigas

by Gemma Aguayo-Murphy
Caldo de Albóndigas is a traditional Mexican meatball soup made with veggies, like carrots and potatoes, and delicious meatballs simmered in a flavorful broth. This ultimate comfort food is amazing served over red rice or by itself with a little lime juice and salsa. 
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Soup
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 8
Calories 381 kcal

Equipment

  • 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 (see recipe)
  • 4 cups water
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 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 in a blender or food processor. If you prefer more whole vegetables in your soup, don’t blend the celery. Instead dice it and sauté it with the tomato sauce in the following step.
  • 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 boiling broth and let them boil for 10 minutes.
  • 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.
  • Let everything simmer a little longer until the potatoes are cooked through (another 8-10 minutes).

Notes

  • 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, use a Whole30 compatible broth.
  • 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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 381kcalCarbohydrates: 11.2gProtein: 52gFat: 21.4gSaturated Fat: 6.6gCholesterol: 153mgSodium: 498mgPotassium: 309mgFiber: 2.5gSugar: 2.2gCalcium: 35mgIron: 7mg
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