My first experience with albondigas, a Mexican meatball soup, was in the home of a friend. Her mother, recently widowed, had just come to live with her. Eugenia and her deceased husband had run a Mexican restaurant that people came to from three counties. The food was phenomenal.
With her husband gone and the restaurant sold, Eugenia was now cooking for her grown family. I qualified. She served me a bowl of albondigas because I kept hanging over the pot, inhaling deeply. The aroma could drive you crazy if you thought you would be gone before the soup was served.
What I provide here is my version of Eugenia’s albondigas. She wouldn’t mind the changes. She is all for flavor and adding whatever makes your heart sing.
Heat up a half gallon of beef broth. An optional addition is a half bottle of stale beer. The alcohol cooks out. What is left provides a fine richness to the flavor of the broth.
When broth is hot, add small meatballs. If the meatballs are going to cook in the soup, cook them thoroughly before going on to the next step. (I like to make 100 or more meatballs to put in the freezer for moments like this.)
Add onion and potatoes.
When the potatoes are almost done, add 3 tomatoes that have been skinned and diced. If you don’t have access to fresh tomatoes, add a can of tomatoes, juice and all.
Add zucchini.
Stir.
Place one bunch of cilantro in the top of the soup. Press it down just below the broth line. You will be pulling the cilantro out when the soup is ready to serve, so you want it handy for the pulling. In the meantime, this herb is adding a delectable touch to this soup. Don’t leave it out!
In about ten minutes start checking for the done-ness of the squash. Cook it according to your likes and then turn off the heat.
Ladle and serve.
There is no wrong way to make soup. Add as much as you like of what you like. I like meatballs and so I add quite a few. Suit yourself and your family.
One note on this soup: It gets better with age. The flavors blend and mellow like few other soups. The ideal would be to make it a day ahead. If you can do that and not have any albondigas on the first day, let me know. You’ll be the first.
Here is my recipe for 20 (1/8 cup each) turkey meatballs – it is Italian, so I am not sure how it will be in this soup, but wonderful in Italian wedding soup. 1 lb ground turkey 1 egg 1/2 minced sweet onion 3 to 5 cloves minced or pressed garlic 1/2 C bread crumbs 2 T dried parsley 1/2 C grated pecorino romano cheese Heat oven to 300. Mix turkey, egg, onion, garlic and blend together well. Add bread crumbs, parsley and grated cheese. Mix well. Form into meatballs. Coat broiling pan with oil spray. Bake until interior of… Read more »
If you have grain-free recipes please visit my Grain-Free Linky Carnival in support of my 28 day grain-free challenge! It will be open until November 2.
I made this yesterday for lunch with my first batch of beef bone broth. I’m in-love with bone broth now and this recipe. It was quite tasty. We love cilantro and I didn’t read the recipe close enough, so I had already diced the cilantro and we just kept it in the soup. super yummy!
This sounds really, really good! I’m going to be hosting a blog carnival specifically for soups, stocks and chowders, starting this Sunday. I would love it if you would come over and post this recipe. Here’s a link with more info.
Hi Jeanie,
Your video is great! I am so excited to have this lady’s very special recipe for Abondigas. We will just love this recipe! Thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday. Hope you are having a great week end and come back soon!
Miz Helen
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe with Sunday Night Soup Night. I’ll be hosting weekly through fall and winter, so I’d love to see you again with your next soup/stock/chowder recipe!
This soup looks delicious! We’ll be adding thick slices of California avocado on top! Yum!
Avocado would be awesome!
Do you have a good meatball recipe? I know of a couple but am curious to know the one that you use for this soup. Thanks!
We’ll work one up, Johanna.
Here is my recipe for 20 (1/8 cup each) turkey meatballs – it is Italian, so I am not sure how it will be in this soup, but wonderful in Italian wedding soup. 1 lb ground turkey 1 egg 1/2 minced sweet onion 3 to 5 cloves minced or pressed garlic 1/2 C bread crumbs 2 T dried parsley 1/2 C grated pecorino romano cheese Heat oven to 300. Mix turkey, egg, onion, garlic and blend together well. Add bread crumbs, parsley and grated cheese. Mix well. Form into meatballs. Coat broiling pan with oil spray. Bake until interior of… Read more »
This soup sounds wonderful! I may have to give this one a try, I love making soup! Thanks for sharing 🙂 April
I second that request for a good recipe for meat balls.
Ciao, Pavil
Thanks for linking your great post to FAT TUESDAY. This was very interesting! Hope to see you next week!
Be sure to visit RealFoodForager.com on Sunday for Sunday Snippets – your post from Fat Tuesday may be featured there!
http://realfoodforager.com/2011/10/fat-tuesday-october-18-2011/
If you have grain-free recipes please visit my Grain-Free Linky Carnival in support of my 28 day grain-free challenge! It will be open until November 2.
http://realfoodforager.com/2011/10/grain-free-real-food-linky-carnival/
I made this yesterday for lunch with my first batch of beef bone broth. I’m in-love with bone broth now and this recipe. It was quite tasty. We love cilantro and I didn’t read the recipe close enough, so I had already diced the cilantro and we just kept it in the soup. super yummy!
Thanks
This sounds really, really good! I’m going to be hosting a blog carnival specifically for soups, stocks and chowders, starting this Sunday. I would love it if you would come over and post this recipe. Here’s a link with more info.
http://easynaturalfood.com/2011/10/17/introducing-sunday-night-soup-night/
I hope to see you there!
Debbie
This sounds amazing. I have never even heard of it. But, this is probably as authentic as it comes. Thanks for sharing on Hunk of Meat Monday.
Hi Jeanie,
Your video is great! I am so excited to have this lady’s very special recipe for Abondigas. We will just love this recipe! Thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday. Hope you are having a great week end and come back soon!
Miz Helen
Hi,
Your great post was featured at my Sunday Snippets this week. Come and check it out!
http://realfoodforager.com/2011/10/sunday-snippets-october-23-2011/
Thanks for the detailed steps for the Albondigas. It is great that you made some changes to appeal to your tastes.
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe with Sunday Night Soup Night. I’ll be hosting weekly through fall and winter, so I’d love to see you again with your next soup/stock/chowder recipe!
For having tried some similar soups here in South America, I can say that they really warm up your soul. Your recipe looks awesome, I have to try it!
Add fresh jalepenos it’s cures any sickness quick … U can take them out if u don’t want to eat them