Description
Make this authentic Mexican meatball soup featuring tender, herb-seasoned meatballs in a savory tomato and vegetable broth. This is a comforting, one-pot meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/4 cup uncooked white rice
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint (optional, but recommended for authenticity)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 small white onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt (for broth)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the ground beef, rice, cilantro, mint, oregano, salt, pepper, and egg. Mix gently with your hands until just combined; do not overmix.
- Roll the meat mixture into small, uniform meatballs, about 1 inch in diameter. You should have about 20 to 24 meatballs. Set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
- Pour in the chicken broth and diced tomatoes. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Add 1 teaspoon of salt.
- Carefully drop the meatballs into the simmering broth one at a time.
- Add the sliced carrots and diced potatoes to the pot.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
- Taste the broth and adjust salt if needed before serving.
Notes
- For extra flavor, you can lightly brown the meatballs in a separate pan before adding them to the broth, but this is not necessary for a one-pot method.
- If you prefer a thicker broth, you can blend a small portion of the broth with a tablespoon of masa harina (corn flour) and stir it back into the soup during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
- Use fresh mint if possible; it gives the meatballs a distinct, traditional flavor.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 35 min
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 7
- Unsaturated Fat: 11
- Trans Fat: 0.5
- Carbohydrates: 22
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 25
- Cholesterol: 75