Sopa de Albondigas (Meatball Soup)

Albondigas is traditionally served with rice or beans and warm corn tortillas. This is a delicious and comforting meal. It is a very versatile soup as you can add vegetables or other types of herbs to season it, if you desire.

Ingredients

Tomato Broth

1 pound tomatoes
1/4 medium white onion
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Salt to taste

Meatballs

1 pound ground beef
1 slice white bread
1/4 cup milk
1 large egg beaten
1 garlic clove, chopped
1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper
Salt to taste

Instructions

Place the tomatoes, onion and garlic on a hot comal to roast. Turn occasionally to evenly roast (about 5-7 minutes). Once roasted, place in blender and process until the sauce is smooth. If your tomatoes aren’t juicy and your blender is having a hard time blending, add 1/4 cup water.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Gently pour in the sauce and cook for about 5 minutes; add the chicken broth. When it begins boiling, reduce the heat to simmer.
Meanwhile, form the Meatballs. In a small bowl, soak the bread with the milk until it is softened, about 1 minute.
Place meat in a large bowl and make a well in the center.
Grind garlic clove and peppercorns in your molcajete (the flavors won’t be able to compare if you use the dried form, but they’ll still work fine). Once ground, add it to the meat, as well as the bread soaked in milk and the beaten egg. Season with salt.
Gently mix with your hands or a wooden spoon. Do not over-mix or your meatballs will be hard.
Next, form the small balls to the the size of a golf ball with your hands, without forcing or putting too much pressure on the meat, and carefully drop them into the simmering tomato broth. Repeat the process until all the meat mixture has been used. When all the meatballs are in the broth, cook for another 15 to 20 minutes.
Add the chopped cilantro and season with salt.

Attribution

Photo credit: konichiwakupcakes / CC BY