Albondigas Soup Recipe (Mexican Meatball Soup)
This Albondigas Soup recipe is a hearty, delicious broth-based Mexican Meatball Soup, made in an Instant Pot pressure cooker, and is super flavorful with seasoned meatballs, lots of vegetables, and a flavorful broth.
Servings 6
Calories 248kcal
Equipment
- Instant Pot Pressure Cooking
Ingredients
Albondigas (Meatballs)
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 cup cooked white rice
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup chopped mint (or chopped cilantro)
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
Albondigas Soup
- 4 cups (32-ounces) reduced sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup chopped onions
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 (14.5-ounce can) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons adobo sauce (optional - from can of chipotle chilies in adobo sauce.)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 zucchini sliced
- 1 cup sliced carrots
- 4 SMALL BABY yukon gold potatoes (quartered)
Instructions
Albondigas (Meatballs)
- Mix together by hand 1 pound ground beef, 1/2 cup cooked rice, 1 egg, 1/4 cup chopped onion, 1/2 cup chopped mint or cilantro, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Divide the meat mixture evenly into the number of meatballs that you want. Roll the meat mixture in your hands to form the meatballs.
- Add a little (2 teaspoons) oil in the inner liner pot of the Instant Pot.
- Press the Sauté button on the front of the Instant Pot. After the Instant Pot display on the front says “Hot,” then carefully place the prepared meatballs in one layer onto the bottom of the Instant Pot. Be sure to leave enough room between each meatball to give you enough space to turn the meatballs. NOTE: You may have to brown the meatballs in batches.
- Cook the meatballs for about 3 minutes on each side. Remove the browned meatballs and place into a bowl. Set aside until ready to add into the soup.
Albondigas Soup
- Deglaze the bottom of the Instant Pot by pouring in a little chicken broth and then scraping the bottom of the Instant Pot with a spatula. Press the sauté button again if it stopped.
- Add 1/2 cup chopped onions and cook for about 3 minutes. Then add 1 Tablespoon minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Press cancel to stop the sauté function.
- Pour in the rest of the chicken broth (4 cups total), canned fire-roasted tomatoes, and 2 teaspoons adobe sauce from a can of chipotle peppers, (if you want it spicy, add in a diced chipotle pepper.)
- Add in the seasonings: 1 teaspoon each of cumin and chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Add in 1 zucchini (chopped), 1 cup sliced carrots, 4 small baby Yukon gold potatoes, quartered.
- Carefully add the meatballs back in the soup. Close the lid and move the seal into the sealing position. Press the “Pressure Cook” button and set the time to 12 minutes.
- NOTE: It will take about 8 minutes to come up to pressure before, it starts the 12-minute pressure cook. Let it release naturally for 10 minutes then do a quick release. Open the lid and stir. It is ready to serve.
Video
Notes
- Pressurization (under time) means that the Instant Pot requires about 8 minutes to come up to pressure and after the soup is finished pressure cooking, it naturally releases pressure for about 10 minutes for a total of 18 minutes.
- If you don't have mint, then I recommend using chopped cilantro or chopped parsley.
- If you don't have baby Yukon gold potatoes, then you may have to cut the potatoes into small 1-inch pieces.
- The 2 teaspoons of adobo sauce is completely optional, but does add a nice smoky flavor to the broth.
- See the FAQs above for more substitutions and answers to frequently asked questions.
Nutrition
Calories: 248kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 430mg | Potassium: 811mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 3865IU | Vitamin C: 14.6mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 4.9mg