Delicious Albondigas Soup (“little meatball”) is an easy, inexpensive, Southwestern flavored dish, and can be served as a first course or an entree!
I made Albondigas Soup for dinner a couple of days ago… did you know that “Albondigas” simply means “little meatballs”? That’s right!
This is a yummy, Southwestern flavored “little meatball soup”. It’s very simple to make… and it sure tastes good!
How I Got This Recipe
I was given this recipe at my bridal shower (almost 40 years ago) by the Mom of one of my bridesmaids. This recipe for albondigas soup has been made so many times over the years, and we still enjoy it, to this day.
Simple and economical to make, the soup has a mild Southwestern flavor, due in small part to chili powder and other spices! The tiny meatballs made with ground beef, rice, and spices, really fill you up, too!
Albondigas soup is cooked all in one pan. Even the meatballs are added uncooked to the hot broth, and they cook in the pan.
No pre-browning of the meatballs is necessary, so it really doesn’t take much work at all to serve up a hot, steaming pot of albondigas soup! Here’s how to make it:
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How To Make Albondigas Soup
Sauté chopped onions in a large soup pot in hot oil until the onions are translucent in color and tender, but not yet browned.
Add the rest of soup ingredients to the pan. These ingredients are chili powder, garlic powder, bisque of tomato soup, condensed beef consommé, water, sliced celery and carrots.
Simmer, uncovered, on medium-low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. While the albondigas soup is simmering, make the meatballs.
Prepare The Meatballs
Make the meatballs while the soup is simmering. Place the ground beef, cooked rice, cornstarch, garlic powder, oregano, egg, salt, pepper, and dried parsley in a large bowl.
Stir (or use your hands) until the ingredients are fully mixed together. Form the meat mixture into small meatballs about the size of a walnut shell (about 1½” wide).
I was able to make 31 little meatballs with this mixture. Place the meatballs on parchment paper as they are formed.
Add The Meatballs To The Soup
Carefully place the uncooked meatballs into the simmering broth. They will sink to the bottom of the pot. I took this first photo below, so you could see the meatballs go into the pot “uncooked”.
The meatballs will begin to cook immediately after putting them in. You can see this in the 2nd photo below, taken 30 seconds after adding the meatballs to the hot broth.
Cook the Soup
Simmer the albondigas soup on low heat for 30 minutes after adding the meatballs. Do not put a lid on the saucepan.
When done, the meatballs will float to the top of the soup, as shown below. They should be fully cooked through, as well.
The Albondigas Soup Is Ready To Eat!
All that’s left to do is to ladle the hot soup into individual serving bowls. Serve albondigas soup hot with a slice of warm bread and a mixed green salad on the side. Enjoy!
I hope you enjoy this simple to prepare, yet tasty albondigas soup! It is a family favorite, and I really think you will enjoy it!
Thanks for stopping by, and I invite you to come back again soon, for more family-friendly recipes. Take care, and have a GREAT day!
Looking For More SOUP Recipes?
You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have lots of delicious soup recipes to choose from, including:
- Mom’s Old-Fashioned Chili
- Grandma’s Southern-Style Chicken n’ Dumplings (my most pinned recipe!)
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon
- Creamy Pumpkin Coconut Soup
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Recipe Source: Mrs. Phyllis Dean
- 1/2 cup onion , chopped
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- dash garlic powder
- 1 can Campbells Bisque of Tomato Soup
- 3 cans Campbells Condensed Beef Consomme soup
- 3 cans water
- 1½ cups carrots , sliced
- 1½ cups celery , diced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 cup COOKED rice
- 1 Tablespoons cornstarch
- dash garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup parsley flakes
- Heat oil in large soup pot. Saute onion until limp, but not browned. Add remainder of soup ingredients (chili powder, garlic powder, salt, tomato soup, beef consomme, water, sliced carrots and celery). Simmer uncovered on medium-low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. While soup simmers, make the meatballs.
- Combine all ingredients for meatballs in medium bowl (ground beef, cooked rice, cornstarch, garlic powder, oregano, salt, pepper, egg and parsley). Stir well, to fully combine. Form little meatballs with your hands (meatballs should be only about 1½ inches wide). Set formed meatballs on wax paper or parchment paper while you continue to make meatballs.
- When soup is done simmering (after 20 minutes), carefully add the uncooked meatballs to the hot broth. They will sink to bottom of pan, but will begin to cook immediately. Cook, uncovered, on a low simmer for 30 minutes. When done, the meatballs will be cooked through and will float to the surface of the soup. Ladle up the hot soup into individual bowls... serve and enjoy!
Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!
I love Albondigas soup I can’t wait for dinner to night. I was Planning on making meatball something so it’s going to be Albondigas soup thanx. Oh just signed up for news letters. Wish me luck.
Michael Benson
Hi, Michael… thanks for writing! Hope you enjoyed the albondigas soup last night! That is on my “make for dinner” list for next week also, cause we love it, too! Have a fantastic day!
I would like your recipe for Grandma’s Chicken and Dumplings.
Good morning, Debra! There is a search bar on my website where you can type in what you are looking for… OR you can search in the Recipe Index under “Soup”. Click on the link and it will take you right to the recipe, OR you can go to: https://www.thegratefulgirlcooks.com/grandmas-southern-style-chicken-n-dumplings/ Have a great day!