Sometimes you get it right the first time. For this recipe, I scoured the internet for several albondigas recipes with excellent ratings. Then I adjusted them to align servings with one another and made some decisions on ingredient choices and amounts. Essentially, I developed a new recipe without ever trying any of these other recipes. I then prepared the new recipe just as I wrote it down and it was perfect. *mic drop*
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 2 lb. lean ground beef
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 0.5 cup rice, cooked
- 0.5 cup cilantro, chopped
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 0.25 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
Soup
- 32 oz. beef broth (low sodium)
- 16 oz. chicken broth (low sodium)
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 3 carrots, diced
- 2 medium potatoes, diced
- 0.5 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 can (16 oz) diced tomatoes
- 0.5 tsp cumin
- 1 zucchini, diced
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1 tsp black pepper (or to taste)
- 1 large avocado, sliced
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all meatball ingredients and knead until combined. Form into meatballs about the size of ping-pong balls, then roll them around in the palms of your hands to make sure they are firmly packed (so they won’t fall apart in the soup). Set aside.
- In a soup pot, combine all the soup ingredients except for the zucchini, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add meatballs to the soup; be sure to only add a few at a time and spread them out so they don’t fall on top of each other. DO NOT STIR. Then let the soup simmer for another 10 minutes.
- Add zucchini, salt and pepper, then let simmer for another 10 minutes.
- Check the soup to see if the meatballs have risen to the top; if so, they are fully cooked. If not, let simmer for a few more minutes until they rise to the top.
- Gently stir the soup, then take a sip of the broth; add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve albondigas garnished with avocado slices and cilantro.
