Albondigas Soup

Is anyone willing to share their abondigas soup recipe? Been reading a few online and I couldn’t figure out who to trust. This group is so much more reliable.

Thanks!

“Albondigas” may be my favorite word :slight_smile: LOL. With a huge amount of energy on “BON.” But I’ve never made it. So thanks for asking.

Wes Avila’s recipe, if this is the same one he serves at Guerrilla Tacos. You’re in for a treat

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Are you looking for a recipe just for the albondigas in general, or for a particular application? I have several, but the one I use for soup is different than the one I use for appetizer/entree dishes. Both, however, do have one thing in common and that is mint.

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I am game to try anything you love. I’ve never made it before and have only had a it a few times. It’s the husband’s request.

Ah, yes. The thing that runs amok in a corner of our backyard. :slight_smile:

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Okay, here goes…

Meat…you can use almost anything, ground beef, pork, turkey or chicken.You can even blitz some shrimp in a food processor and make shrimp meat balls! I generally use 50/50 ground beef and pork, or 50/50 ground beef and turkey, altho’ I find the ones made with grd. turkey tend to be dryer and denser. The ground beef should not be super lean, 85/15 or 80/20 is good. The ground pork should also be approximately the same. Remember, the fat is going to add flavor and tenderness.

Binder…you’ll need at least 1 egg per pound of meat, plus one of the following: rice - cooked or raw, fresh or dried breadcrumbs or panko. For albondigas for soup I tend to use rice, for an appetizer or entree I tend to use breadcrumbs or panko. If using raw rice, put it in a small bowl and cover it with boiling water. Allow it to sit for about 20 minutes to soften. For 1 # of meat you will need approximate 1 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon of raw rice. Yes, you can use a little more or a little less depending upon your tastes and how much you want to extend the meat, but don’t go hog wild with the rice or breadcrumbs. The objective is for it to help hold the meatball together, not for it to be a major ingredient. The rice will finish cooking while the meatballs are poaching in the soup.

Seasonings…mint - and more specifically spearmint as opposed to peppermint - is the key ingredient. Cumin is not typically a predominant seasoning in Mexican food, but albondigas usually have a small amount, something like 1/8-1/4 tsp depending upon your taste. If you want to use cumin seed, grind it first. And finally salt and pepper.

So albondigas for soup would look something like this…1 pound of ground meat of your choice, not too lean. 1 egg, 1 1/4 Tbls raw rice soaked in hot water for 20 minutes and then drained, 1 tsp minced fresh mint leaves (or 1/2 tsp dried), 1/4 tsp grd. cumin and salt (about a tsp) and pepper to taste. Mix well and form into 1 ounce meatballs.

To make the soup, peel 3 tomatoes and put in a blender jar along with half a small onion roughly chopped and a couple of peeled garlic cloves and puree. In a soup pot or large sauce pan heat some oil, when hot pour in the tomato puree and stir. Simmer for about 10 minutes to cooke the puree well then add about a quart of chicken or beef stock. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Cut 3 small, or 2 large, carrots into 1/2" dice. Cut 1 large (about 8 oz) zucchini into 1/2" dice. Add the vegetables to the soup followed by the meatballs. If you like mint, you can put a sprig of mint in now, if mint isn’t your think, add a couple sprigs of cilantro. Poach for 35-45 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through and tender. If you are brave you can take a Fresno chile, cut an “X” in the end of it and put it in the soup to poach with the meatballs. The first time I tried this the soup was so spicy we couldn’t eat it :skull_and_crossbones:. I think the option below works better.

Many soups in Mexico come with a plate of minced white onion, minced serrano chile, minced cilantro and lime wedges so that each person can doctor the soup to their individual tastes. Sopa de Albondigas is a pretty mild soup, I think the plate of condiments is helpful.

The recipe I use is based on one from Diana Kennedy’s The Art of Mexican Cooking. I use more meat, more seasonings more onion and more veg. Feel free to adjust to suit your tastes. Albondigas are super easy and fun to make and eat.

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Thanks so much for your detailed instructions, @DiningDiva ! I can’t wait to try your version. I’m making Chef Avila’s version now…it’s cooking on the stove.

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I’m sure his version is really good. I couldn’t open the link because I don’t subscribe to the NYT food page. Post a photo :slight_smile:

I grind meat off and on. I’m not particularly fond of the grinder attachment for my KA mixer so I don’t do it as often as I’d like. A little ground pork helps a lot of things :yum: I also like your idea of freezing it into 4 oz. patties. Easy just to pull out as many as you need.

Just laddled it into a bowl to show some friends…


I made beef stock using prime rib bones from Christmas yesterday…probably should have skimmed some more fat off of it after adding in the meatballs. The kids helped make and drop the meatballs into the pot.
It’s pretty delicious with a squeeze of lemon (from my Meyer tree) and some herbs. Going to pack some for family and friends in the neighborhood because I may have turned it into a double batch by adding more vegetables and meatballs.
@DiningDiva I signed up for the free trial just to get the recipe. But I can post it later for you…no eggs in these meatballs.

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A post was merged into an existing topic: Home Cooking 2020

Looks great! I remember having it at Guerrilla Tacos and it was so good! And then he stopped making it.:disappointed:

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That looks perfected. Bien hecho (well done)

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I’d eat that burger in a heartbeat. YUM!

I generally prefer pork, chicken and fish to beef so I’m not surprised you’ve had success with a pork burger.

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Looks sooo good @attran99!

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Apparently, I neglected to check the weather before making a giant pot of soup.

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