WRECIPE WEDNESDAY… First Recipe for Fall – Albondigas Soup

Fall is here, and with it brings thoughts of nice steamy bowls of soup and family time.  For this first Wednesday of fall, here is a favorite – ALBONDIGAS SOUP (meatball soup).  It cooks up in about an hour, but tastes like you’ve been laboring over a hot stove all day.

Serve it up with some simple cheese quesadillas with guacamole, or a platter of nachos.

And don’t forget, it’s family comfort-food, so unplug, pull out some board games or jigsaw puzzles, snuggle up in PJs and slippers and make your meal the ‘star’ of family night.

For dessert, heat up some Mexican hot chocolate and serve with some warm churros or colorful sugar pinwheel cookies!

Print Recipe

ALBONDIGAS SOUP

Course

Main Dish, Soup, Supper

Cuisine

Comfort Food, Mexican

Servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground chuck
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup jasmine or long grain white rice cooked
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsps garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 chipotle minced
• 3 tbsp EVOO
• 2 Roma tomatoes diced
• 1 small poblano pepper diced or Anaheim
• 1 large zucchini diced
• 1 small white onion diced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 Serrano pepper minced
• 1/3 cup cilantro chopped
• 1 lime juiced
• 1 tsp cumin seeds crushed
• 1 tsp coriander seeds crushed
• 1 tsp oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 14 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 limes for garnish
• 5 sprigs of cilantro for garnish

Course Main Dish, Soup, Supper Cuisine Comfort Food, Mexican Servings Ingredients 1 pound ground chuck 1 pound ground pork 1 egg 1/2 cup jasmine or long grain white rice cooked 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp smoked paprika 2 tsps garlic powder 1/2 tsp pepper 1 tsp salt 1 chipotle minced 3 tbsp EVOO 2 Roma tomatoes diced 1 small poblano pepper diced or Anaheim 1 large zucchini diced 1 small white onion diced 3 cloves garlic minced 1 Serrano pepper minced 1/3 cup cilantro chopped 1 lime juiced 1 tsp cumin seeds crushed 1 tsp coriander seeds crushed 1 tsp oregano Salt and pepper to taste 14 cups low-sodium chicken broth 2 limes for garnish 5 sprigs of cilantro for garnish

Instructions

1. Combine ingredients for the meatballs (ground meats, cooked rice, cumin (ground), paprika, garlic powder, pepper, salt, chipotle, and egg), stir well to combine, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
2. In a dutch oven pot, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil to medium heat.
3. Add onions, poblano, and serrano peppers, season lightly with salt and pepper, cook for 3 minutes.
4. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
5. Add tomatoes, cilantro, lime juice, and chicken broth. Bring up to a boil. [DO NOT INCLUDE THE CILANTRO AND LIMES RESERVED FOR GARNISH.]
6. While the soup comes to a boil, crush the oregano, cumin seeds and coriander seeds with a mortar and pestle, add to soup, stir well.
7. Remove the meatball mix from refrigerator and make 30 small meatball (per single batch) while the soup comes to a boil.
8. When soup is boiling, reduce heat just slightly and carefully drop in the meatballs.
9. Gently stir, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes.
10. Add the zucchini to soup and continue simmering for 10 to 15 more minutes.
11. Taste for salt, adding a SMALL amount, if needed, then cook for a few more minutes.

Recipe Notes

Garnish soup with lime wedges and fresh cilantro.