Every year, I get so excited for soup weather. Nothing like a hot bowl of soup on a cool, drizzly day. Soups are so much fun to make since you can just totally get crazy with it and make it your own.

A few years ago I went to this fabulous little Mexican restaurant here in San Diego. I ordered a bowl of albondigas soup. Albondigas soup is basically a meatball soup. It was very different from most albondigas soups that I have had. I was hooked. It had so much stuff in it. Recently, I went to a local restaurant and ordered a cup. It was a bland broth with one giant meatball in it. That was it. One lonely meatball. BORING!!!! Other places put a chunk of carrot and maybe a chunk of potato.  Other places load it up.

So, you albondigas experts out there may have your favorite way of making it and maybe mine isn’t a traditional albondigas, but it’s really, really good.  In the second picture, forgive the “steamy” pic.

Albondigas Soup

For the meatballs:
1 pound ground beef
2 Tblsp water
1/2 cup cooked and cooled rice (I also add some rice to my bowl of soup)
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder or 1 clove fresh garlic, minced
1/2 tsp taco seasoning
Mix together the ingredients listed above. Form into little 1 inch balls. In a skillet, brown them all around.

In the meantime, in a large pot, add the following:
6  cups of water
2 cups of chicken broth
1 chicken buollion cube
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup onion, minced
2 large red potatoes, cut in large chunks
1 – 2 carrots, cut in large chunks
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, minced plus a few sprigs for garnish
1 can green beans (or fresh beans)
1 cup corn (optional)
1 Tblsp taco seasoning (I use spicy)

Note: I have used a jar salsa instead of the taco seasoning, but I prefer the taco seasoning.
Note 2: You may need to add more water, to your liking. I like my soup thick with stuff. 🙂

Add the meatballs and simmer for at least 30 minutes. Test the potatoes to make sure they are done. Pour the soup over some rice in a bowl. Garnish with whatever the heck you want! This is a great soup to serve with some tortilla chips.

YUMMMMMM