Name: Albondigas Soup Recipe (Mexican Meatball Soup)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 55 min
Ingredients: 2 slices white bread (chopped (bolillo bread is great for this)); 1/2 cup milk; 2.5 pounds ground beef (or use a mix of ground beef and ground pork); 2 large eggs; 1 small onion (chopped); 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (spearmint leaves are an interesting substitution); 1 teaspoon cumin; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon black pepper; 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for spicy); 1 tablespoon olive oil; 2 pounds tomatoes (chopped); 1 medium white onion (chopped); 4 cloves garlic (chopped); 3 canned chipotle chilies; 1 cup chicken stock (or more to preference); 2 medium potatoes (chopped); 2 medium carrots (peeled and chopped); 1 zucchini (chopped); 2 cups green beans (chopped); For Serving: White rice, fresh chopped cilantro, red pepper flakes

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Albondigas soup (Caldo de Albondigas) is a delicious dish of Mexican meatballs simmered in a spiced tomato broth with lots of vegetables. It's a comforting home-cooked crowd pleaser.

What is Albondigas Soup?

Albondigas is essentially Mexican meatballs. The name "albondigas" translates to "meatballs," and they are quite similar to the meatballs you may be used to, only made with more traditional Mexican seasonings.

Albondigas are traditionally served in a couple different ways - as an appetizer, with the meatballs simmered in a tomato-based sauce that is much like a gravy - Albondigas en Caldillo - or served as a traditional Mexican meatball soup in a thinner tomato-based broth along with simmered vegetables.

I'm focusing on the second version today, Albondigas Soup, or Caldo de Albóndigas, as it is known in Mexican cuisine. It's pure Mexican comfort food and sure to satisfy.

In Mexico, albondigas are considered more of a home-cooked dish, made with simple, economical ingredients and meant to feed a group.

Home cooks love to stuff their meatballs with bits of hard-boiled egg or other ingredients, like olives, to offer a surprise and pop of flavor to their visitors.

You can find this Mexican meatball soup in some Mexican restaurants, though there just isn't anything better than homemade.

Here is how I make mine, again more of a soup, though I do include notes below if you'd prefer to serve yours as an appetizer.

Albondigas Soup Ingredients

The full ingredients list with measurements is listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

For the Meatballs

White Bread - Bolillo bread is great for this, but use whatever white bread that's available to you.
Milk - For soaking the bread.
Ground Beef - Or you can use a mix of lean ground beef and ground pork. Use ground turkey for a leaner version.
Eggs
Onion
Cilantro - You can swap in other herbs. Spearmint leaves are an interesting substitution.
Seasonings - Cumin, salt, black pepper, optional cayenne pepper for spicy. Dried oregano is good, too.
Olive Oil - For cooking.

For the Soup Base

Tomatoes - I like fresh tomatoes, but canned diced tomatoes or tomato sauce work great for this recipe.
White Onion
Garlic - Use fresh garlic cloves.
Canned Chipotle Chilies
Chicken Stock - You can use other stock or broth, like beef broth or vegetable broth.

For the Veggies

Potatoes, Carrots, Zucchini, Green Beans - You can use others to your preference.
For Serving - Cooked rice (white rice or brown), fresh chopped cilantro, red pepper flakes

How to Make Albondigas Soup - the Recipe Method

This is a recipe overview. The full printable recipe is in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Soak the bread and make a paste. Soak the bread and milk in a large bowl for 5 minutes until soft. Squeeze the bread in your hands to form a paste.

This is an old trick I also learned from my grandmother. It helps to bind the meat and keep the meatballs from falling apart, as well as adding moisture.

Mix the meatball mixture. Add the ground beef, eggs, onion, cilantro, cumin, salt and pepper to taste, and cayenne pepper. Hand mix until combined, but do not overmix, as they can become mealy in texture.

Form the meatballs. Hand form the meat mixture into small sized meatballs about 1.5 inches across and set them aside.

Making Mexican meatballs to make Albondigas Soup

Boil the veggies. Add the tomatoes, onion and garlic to a small pot. Cover with water then bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes until soft. Drain and add the vegetables to a food processor.

Blend the chilies. Add the chipotle chilies and process until smooth. Set aside for now.

Cook the meatballs. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven to medium high heat. Add the meatballs in batches and cook on each side, about 10 minutes.

Set the meatballs aside.

Making sauce and browning meatballs to make Mexican Albondigas Soup

Simmer the sauce base, stock and vegetables. Add the chipotle-tomato sauce base to the pot with the chicken broth, potatoes, carrots, zucchini and green beans.

Add more chicken stock for a thinner soup base. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the potatoes and carrots have softened.

Add the meatballs. Add the meatballs and simmer another 10 minutes, or until they are cooked through.

Boom! Done! Your albondigas soup is ready to serve. Extra meatballs for me, please. I like to garnish with fresh cilantro and hot sauce.

Recipe Tips & Notes

Stuff the meatballs. Traditional Mexican Albondigas recipes often stuff the uncooked meatballs with extra ingredients, like hard-boiled eggs or olives. The stuffing adds to the flavor and texture.
The vegetables. You can use all sorts of different vegetables in albondigas soup. I am using potatoes, carrots, zucchini and green beans, but I've seen version with radishes, cherry tomatoes, peas, celery and others. Use whatever you'd like.
Other herbs and seasonings. You can use many other fresh herbs for this recipe as well. Spearmint or fresh mint is commonly added, as is Mexican oregano and parsley. Other seasonings to try include allspice or other chili powders, lime juice. Feel free to use your favorites.

Albondigas appetizer (Albondigas en Caldillo)

If you'd prefer to serve this as an appetizer instead of a soup, skip the chicken broth in the soup base and skip all of the vegetables.

Make the meatballs and the sauce as written, then simmer the Mexican meatballs in the sauce-gravy until they are cooked through, about 10 minutes.

The sauce is more like a gravy or a thin spaghetti sauce.

Mexican meatballs (Albondigas) simmering in soup gravy

Storage & Leftovers

Store any leftover albondigas soup in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the fridge. You can reheat it in a pot on the stove top over medium-low heat, or gently in a microwave.

It's also freezer safe and can be frozen for 3 months or longer.

Cookbook Recommendations

If you love traditional Mexican cooking, I love these cookbooks with recipes from all over Mexico. Definitely recommended.

Mexico: The Cookbook (affiliate link, my friends!)
Made in Mexico: The Cookbook, by Danny Mena (affiliate link, my friends!)

Try Some of My Other Popular Mexican Recipes

Try my pozole rojo recipe next, as I think you will love it, or try some of these recipes:

Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.

Albondigas Soup Recipe (Mexican Meatball Soup)

Albondigas soup (Caldo de Albondigas) is a traditional dish of Mexican meatballs simmered in spiced tomato broth with veggies, so much better homemade, and always a crowd pleaser.

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Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: carrot, chipotle, ground beef, potatoes, soup

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 55

Calories: 524kcal

Author: Mike Hultquist

Servings:

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4.91 from 11 votes

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Ingredients

FOR THE MEXICAN MEATBALLS (ALBONDIGAS)

2 slices white bread chopped (bolillo bread is great for this)
1/2 cup milk
2.5 pounds ground beef or use a mix of ground beef and ground pork
2 large eggs
1 small onion chopped
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro spearmint leaves are an interesting substitution
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional, for spicy
1 tablespoon olive oil

FOR THE SOUP BASE

2 pounds tomatoes chopped
1 medium white onion chopped
4 cloves garlic chopped
3 canned chipotle chilies
1 cup chicken stock or more to preference

FOR THE VEGETABLES

2 medium potatoes chopped
2 medium carrots peeled and chopped
1 zucchini chopped
2 cups green beans chopped
For Serving: White rice, fresh chopped cilantro, red pepper flakes

Instructions

FOR THE MEXICAN MEATBALLS (ALBONDIGAS)

Soak the bread and milk in a large bowl for 5 minutes until soft. Squeeze the bread in your hands to form a paste.
Add the ground beef, eggs, onion, cilantro, cumin, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Hand mix until combined, but do not overmix.
Hand form the meat mixture into meatballs about 1.5 inches across and set them aside.

FOR THE SOUP BASE

Add the tomatoes, onion and garlic to a small pot. Cover with water then bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes until soft. Drain and add the vegetables to a food processor.
Add the chipotle chilies and process until smooth.

FOR THE ALBONDIGAS SOUP

Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven to medium high heat. Add the meatballs in batches and cook on each side, about 10 minutes. Set the meatballs aside.
Add the tomato-chipotle soup base to the pot with the chicken broth, potatoes, carrots, zucchini and green beans. Add more chicken stock for a thinner soup base. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes and carrots have softened.
Add the meatballs and simmer another 10 minutes, or until they are cooked through.
Serve into bowls and garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and chili flakes.

Notes

Albondigas Appetizer (Albondigas en Caldillo). If you'd prefer to serve this as an appetizer instead of a soup, skip the chicken broth in the soup base and skip all of the vegetables. Make the meatballs and the sauce as written, then simmer the Mexican meatballs in the sauce-gravy until they are cooked through, about 10 minutes. The sauce is more like a gravy or a thin spaghetti sauce.

Albondigas and Albondigas Soup are often served with white rice.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 524kcal Carbohydrates: 26g Protein: 31g Fat: 33g Saturated Fat: 12g Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g Monounsaturated Fat: 15g Trans Fat: 2g Cholesterol: 144mg Sodium: 584mg Potassium: 1196mg Fiber: 5g Sugar: 9g Vitamin A: 4165IU Vitamin C: 31mg Calcium: 115mg Iron: 5mg

Did You Enjoy This Recipe?I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ChiliPepperMadness on social media.

NOTE: This recipe was updated on 5/3/24 to include new information. It was originally published on 11/15/21.