Cris Williams

The cooler temperatures are back and soups are in again so we thought of what we can cook besides the usual soups we prepare on cooler days such as today. We want something hearty, with lots of veggies and comforting at the same time. So we decided to try Albondigas, a soup made with beef and rice meatballs which are simmered in a seasoned tomato broth along with vegetables. The ingredients look extensive but you can always check what you have in your panty or cupboards.

Ingredients: 

1 pound grass-fed ground beef (you can also use ground turkey, chicken, or any meat depending on your preference)

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder 

1 egg

¾ tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro (in our case, we removed this because I do not like the spice)

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

½ cup instant rice

2 tablespoons olive oil

6 cups beef broth (or the broth of your preferred meat to use)

2 celery stalks cut into 1-inch pieces

1 yellow onion separated (½ finely diced, & ½ 1-inch dice)

2 potatoes cut into large chunks

2 carrots cut into large chunks

1 bell pepper, any color cut into large chunks

1 large zucchini

1 can fire-roasted tomatoes

½ cup of your favorite salsa

How to prepare and cook:

Combine ground beef, garlic & onion powder, egg, cilantro, salt, pepper, and rice in a large mixing bowl.  Mix until all ingredients are just combined.  Don’t over mix!  Sorry I forgot to take photos of this procedure🥴but I will add pictures of some ingredients. ☺️

Form one inch in diameter meatballs and set aside. 

In a large stockpot, heat olive oil on medium to high heat and add finely diced onion and cook until onions are translucent about 3 minutes.  Add garlic and cook until fragrant.  At this point, you will add the salsa, onion, and celery and cook for another minute. 

Now add beef broth, tomatoes and bring them up to a boil, once it is boiling add the meatballs one by one. 

Allow the meatballs to cook for about ten minutes then add the carrots and potatoes and cook until they are just fork-tender, add the pepper, zucchini and cook for about five minutes.  

Serve it with any garnishing you prefer, you can experiment.

Try and enjoy as much as we did! 👌😋