Caldo de albóndigas is a Mexican soup made of soft meatballs cooked in a brothy tomato sauce along with vegetables. This dish is a staple at any Mexican home and is also served at many home restaurants.
Growing up, caldo de álbondigas was one of my favorite dishes. My grandma would make it a lot because is fulfilling, nutritious, delicious, and budget-friendly. I am sharing with you my family recipe, the same one I’ve been making for years and has never failed!
In case you’re wondering, Caldo means soup and albóndigas translates to meatballs. So Caldo de Albóndigas basically means meatball soup.
Along with chicken albondigas and chipotle albondigas, this recipe is perfect to make ahead and freeze for when you’re craving something cozy and hearty to feed your family.
Ingredients
- Ground meat: At my home, this albóndigas recipe has been always made with ground pork, but feel free to swap it with beef if you want.
- Tomatoes: Use fresh tomatoes or substitute with tomato sauce in a pinch.
- Onions: Onions together with tomatoes create the base for the broth, also called recaudo. Use white or yellow.
- Vegetables: I added only zucchini and carrots but other veggies can be added, such as peas, corn, turnips, celery, and potatoes.
- Rice: This is a crucial ingredient that sets these meatballs apart from others. Its addition lends a soft texture, elevating the dish to a whole new level! Long-grain rice is the one I recommend for making Mexican albondigas.
- Eggs: Helps to glue all the meatballs ingredients together.
- Oil: I used extra virgin olive oil, feel free to use any vegetable oil you prefer.
- Herbs: Mint and oregano are key ingredients and I strongly suggest using them. With those 2 ingredients, you’ll think you’re eating at any Mexican fondita! they bring out all the amazing flavors in the broth.
- Other seasonings: Garlic, salt and pepper.
How to Make Caldo de Albóndigas
Step 1. Make the meatballs
Place ground meat in a large bowl along with rice, eggs, and a handful of chopped mint leaves. Season with salt and pepper.
Mix all the ingredients until combined, cover the bowl, and let the mixture sit for 5 minutes.
Slightly wet your hands and make the meatballs the size of an apricot. Set aside.
Step 2. Make the broth base
Cut tomatoes and onions into chunks and place them in a blender along with garlic. Add a cup of water and blend until you have a smooth sauce.
Step 3. Cook the albondigas
Heat about 3 tablespoons of oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Carefully pour the tomato sauce and cook for 2-3 minutes stirring constantly.
Pour about 8 cups of water, season with salt and pepper, and bring the mixture to a boil.
Low heat to medium heat or just until the broth gently simmer. Use a spoon and slide the meatballs into the broth.
Do not mix immediately or you might break the meatballs. If the pot is too crowded, with a spoon move them gently until all albondigas are fully submerged in the broth.
Cover the pot loosely and cook for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, peel and cut the zucchini and carrots in the format you prefer such as cubes, chunks, or sticks. Add them to the broth and cook until the vegetables are completely tender (about 15-20 minutes).
Adjust salt to taste, turn off the heat, and mix in the oregano. Cover the pot and let caldo de álbondigas rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
- When you begin mixing the meat, it might seem too sticky, but don’t worry. Let it sit for 5 minutes, and it’ll become easier to work with when shaping the meatballs.
- My grandma Elvira would add sometimes chicken bouillon (Knorr Suiza), or if she had chicken broth from the day before she would add that as well.
- There are some important points you need to take in mind to prevent the albondigas from falling apart when you add them to the boiling broth. First, make sure the mixture is nicely packed and not too loosely. Secondly, slowly add them to the broth. And third, don’t mix immediately, let the hot broth seal the meatball.
- Is ok to add the rice raw, it will cook along with the meatballs, you don’t need to parboil it, that’s an unnecessary extra step.
Serving Suggestions
Caldo de álbondigas is usually served with a side of warm tortillas and rice. Mexican white rice is the most common choice, but even steamed rice makes a great accompaniment.
Since this dish is not spicy, I recommend placing a bowl with your favorite salsa on the side so everyone can add to the dish if they want. Salsa macha is a good option, but you can also chop or slice some jalapeño or serrano peppers for garnish.
Store & Reheat
Caldo de álbondigas freezes wonderfully, this is why is one of my favorite prep meals! I usually make a double batch and store it in containers. In the freezer, this soup lasts up to 2-3 months.
Leftovers can be also stored in the fridge in an airtight container where they will last for up to 3-4 days.
To reheat, transfer the albóndigas along with the brothy caldo in a saucepan or small pot. Place the pot over medium heat and stir from time to time until heated through.
More Mexican Soup Recipes
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Video
Caldo de Albóndigas
Equipment
- soup pot
Ingredients
- 1.1 pound ground pork
- 1 pound fresh tomatoes (cut into quarters)
- 1 small white onion (cut into chunks)
- 2 medium zucchini (cut into chunks)
- 3 medium carrots (cut into chunks)
- ¼ cup long-grain rice
- 2 medium eggs
- 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic (peeled)
- 1 bunch fresh mint
- 1 Tablespoon oregano
- salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Place ground pork in a bowl, along with eggs, rice, and a handful of chopped mint leaves.
- Season with salt and pepper and mix all the ingredients until combined.
- Make about 20-22 meatballs and place them on a plate.
- Place tomatoes, onion, and garlic clove in a blender. Add 1 cup of water and blend until smooth.
- In a soup pot, heat the oil and pour in the tomato sauce. Cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
- Add about 6-7 cups of water and season with salt.
- When the tomato broth starts to boil, carefully add the meatballs. Mix them gently until all meatballs are fully submerged in the broth.
- Cover the pot and cook for 30 minutes over medium-low heat.
- Add the vegetables to the broth and boil until they become tender. About 15-20 minutes.
- Adjust salt to taste. Turn off the heat and mix in the oregano.
- Leave the albóndigas to rest for 10 minutes and then serve.
Notes
- When you begin mixing the meat, it might seem too sticky, but don’t worry. Let it sit for 5 minutes, and it’ll become easier to work with when shaping the meatballs.
- There are some important points you need to take in mind to prevent the albondigas from falling apart when you add them to the boiling broth. First, make sure the mixture is nicely packed and not too loosely. Secondly, slowly add them to the broth. And third, don’t mix immediately, let the hot broth seal the meatball.
Thank you very much! It was very easy to make and delicious❤️
I was surprised it didn’t have any cilantro or cumin. It was easy to make, especially with the pork. I’m going to make it again though.
Another fabulous recipe Mari,
Mint with Pork. I’d never have thought it! It is a match made in heaven!
I will admit that due to this meal being strictly adult, I did sneak in a tablespoon of Guajillo powder in the meatball mixture. I also used a stray ‘red chilli’ that was hanging about in the kitchen in the Tomato and onion blend.
Lots of veg too…crown prince squash, ghost pumpkin, green beans , red pepper, white turnip, courgette, carrot. Absolutely delicious with lots left for tomorrow.
This recipe is very close to the one I make…I add chopped onion and the rice is par boiled.. but I’m very impressed that the recipe is so close to mine..this is great first time I have commented on any recipe… so thank you for a great recipe.
Those albondigas were delicious! The juicy meatballs were packed with flavor, and the broth with veggies was like a cozy hug in a bowl. It’s totally worth making the recipe AND bookmarking it!
Yummy classic recipe, if you add more or take away from the ingredients in this recipe then it won’t taste like home. Thank you for sharing
The recipe couldn’t be more authentic! I made those often and this is the first time I find a recipe more or less like mine. I like to add the rice cooked because -silly me- didn’t know it could cook through alongside with the meatballs. Thanks!
LOVED the recipe! It actually taste like the albondigas my mom cooked us when we were kids. Thank you, tried the recipe and it was full of authentic flavors. Please make the recipe for albondigas in chipotle sauce, my husband loves those and always ask for the dish when we go to his mom’s house.
Hello,
The recipe calls for rice, is it cooked or uncooked?
Hi, uncooked :)
This is the first recipe that I come across that actually makes them
like my mother’s amazing albóndigas!! Love it!
Thank you Yadira, glad you liked it :)