Mexican Meatball Soup

This Mexican Meatball Soup or Albondigas Soup is a delicious and hearty dish with flavorful meatballs and a rich broth. The meatballs are made with ground beef, rice, and spices, giving them a perfect flavor and texture. 

Best of all, this one-pot soup is loaded with vegetables, making it the best bowl of delicious comfort food your family will love!

Jump to:

• Ingredient Notes
• How To Make Mexican Meatball Soup
• Substitutions and Variations
• Make-Ahead, Storing and Freezing
• Recipe Tips
• Recipe FAQs
• Mexican Meatball Soup Recipe

This soup is also called Albondigas Soup. Albondigas means meatballs in Spanish, and it's a popular soup in Mexico.

The meatballs are the star of this Mexican meatball soup. They are super easy to make with ground beef, rice, and bold spices like cumin and chili powder.  They turn out so flavorful and tender, you won't believe it.

Pro tip: Bake a batch of those meatballs ahead of time and freeze them. When you're craving this soup, just drop them into the simmering broth straight from the freezer for a quick and easy dinner.

The soup itself is a hearty mix of carrots, potatoes, zucchini, and rice, in a delicious broth with fire-roasted tomatoes and green chilis. If you want to add a little spice, toss some jalapenos are poblano peppers in the mix, too! 

When it comes to serving, pick your favorite toppings. I like a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of fresh cilantro, and some avocado slices. And a squeeze of lime brightens everything up.

Ingredient Notes

See the printable recipe card below for all ingredients, specific measurements, and complete instructions.

• Ground Beef: Forms the base for the tasty meatballs. 
• White Rice: Adds texture and holds meatballs together.
• Egg: Keeps meatballs nice and tender.
• Yellow Onion: Boosts flavor in meatballs with a hint of sweetness.
• Garlic: Adds a strong, nice smell to both meatballs and soup.
• Herbs and spices like cilantro, parsley, oregano, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper ensure that your Mexican meatball soup is full of flavor.
• Olive Oil: Used for cooking the veggies.
• Vegetables like carrots, celery, zucchini, potatoes and fire-roasted diced tomatoes add color and nutrition to your meatball soup. 
• Beef Broth: Forms the flavorful base of the soup.

How To Make Mexican Meatball Soup

Making this Mexican Meatball Soup is easy. First step is making the meatballs.

To make the meatballs, mix the ground beef with rice, egg, onion, garlic, cilantro, parsley, oregano, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.

Then roll the mixture into meatballs, about 1.5 inches each.

Next, heat the Olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add in the onions, carrots, and celery, and stir until soft. Add garlic, chili powder, oregano, and paprika and stir for 30 seconds.

Next, add diced tomatoes, green chilis, potatoes, rice and beef broth. Mix it all together. Drop in the meatballs gently and let it simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

Now, zucchini goes in. Simmer again until everything's tender. Pro tip: Some fresh mint is delicious to throw in now, too!

When serving, top it with whatever you like—sour cream, cilantro, avocado, and a squeeze of lime are my favorites.

Substitutions and Variations

• Lighten up the meat. Swap out the ground beef for ground chicken or turkey in the meatball mixture. It brings a lighter flavor to the soup.
• Add a spicy kick. Amp up the heat by adding a diced jalapeno or poblano pepper to the sautéed vegetables. You can also sprinkle some red pepper flakes into the broth.
• Add cheese to the meatballs. Mix shredded cheese into the meatball mixture for an extra layer of richness. Think cheddar, Monterey Jack, or even pepper jack for a kick.

Make-Ahead, Storing and Freezing

Make Ahead: Prepare the meatball mixture, roll them into balls, and store them in the fridge for up to 24 hours. When you're ready to cook, just follow the steps for the soup. It's a real time-saver. You can also freeze the meatballs and just drop them into the simmering soup when you’re ready for them. 

Storing: If you end up with leftover soup, let it cool a bit before storing it. Put it in airtight containers and into the fridge. It should be good for about 3-4 days. The flavors often get even better the next day!

Freezing: Let the Mexican Meatball Soup cool completely, then transfer to airtight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. Label them with the date, and it should be good in the freezer for about 2-3 months. When you're ready to enjoy it, thaw it in the fridge overnight and warm it up on the stove. 

Recipe Tips

• When making the meatballs, don't overmix the ingredients. Mix until everything is just combined; overmixing can make them dense.
• When adding the meatballs to the simmering soup, do it gently to avoid breaking them apart.
• When simmering the meatballs, keep it gentle. You want them to cook through without falling apart. Low and slow is the key.
• Dice the potatoes into 1-inch bite size pieces so they will be done at the same time as the meatballs.
• This recipe is quite forgiving, so don't hesitate to throw in any extra veggies you have in the fridge. It's an excellent way to use up leftovers.

Recipe FAQs

Here are a few more delicious soup recipes to try!

• Chicken Enchilada Soup
• Minestrone Soup Recipe
• Chicken Mushroom Soup
• Cheese Soup
• Turkey Orzo Soup

This Mexican Meatball Soup is a must-try - easy to make, comforting, and full of delicious flavors. I can’t wait for you to try it!