Sopa De Albondigas (Soup with Meat Balls)

Sopa de Albondigas is Mexican comfort in a bowl. Walnut-sized meatballs made from a mix of ground beef and pork bound with rice and egg get pan-fried golden, then simmered in a simple tomato beef broth until everything melds together.

The mashed rice mixed into the meat does two things: it stretches the meat further and keeps the meatballs tender and light. Without it, dense, heavy meatballs would sink to the bottom of the bowl. With the rice, they stay fluffy.

Frying the meatballs before they go into the broth builds a crust that keeps them from falling apart during the simmer. The flour coating seals the outside and adds body to the broth as it cooks.

Kitchen Tips

• Shape the meatballs small, about walnut-sized. They cook faster and you get more per spoonful.
• Fry them lightly, just enough to brown the outside. They finish cooking in the simmering broth.
• Brown the onion in the same pan after frying the meatballs. The fond from the meat adds flavor to the broth base.
• Simmer gently, not boil. A hard boil breaks the meatballs apart.

Variations

• Add diced zucchini, carrots, and potatoes to the broth for a more loaded soup.
• Stir in fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime before serving.
• Use mint leaves mixed into the meatball mixture for a more traditional Northern Mexican version.