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Easy Mexican Albondigas Soup with Mint – 30-Minute Meal

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A light and hearty Mexican meatball soup with fresh mint, ready in just 30 minutes. Perfect for busy weeknights, this comforting soup is packed with flavor and uses simple ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb ground turkey or lean ground beef (93% lean)
  • 1/4 cup uncooked white rice
  • 2 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 large egg
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth (low-sodium preferred)
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes (fire-roasted preferred)
  • Fresh mint sprigs for garnish
  • Lime wedges for serving
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

  1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften and onions are translucent.
  2. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Do not let garlic burn.
  3. Pour in diced tomatoes with their juices and 6 cups of broth. Stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.
  4. In a mixing bowl, combine ground turkey, uncooked rice, chopped mint, minced garlic, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Mix with your hands until just combined. Do not overmix.
  5. Form mixture into 1-inch meatballs (about 20-24). Place on a plate or cutting board.
  6. Gently drop meatballs into the simmering broth one by one. Stir gently. Bring back to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
  7. Check doneness: cut one meatball in half to ensure it’s cooked through and rice is tender. If rice is still firm, simmer for another 5 minutes.
  8. Taste broth and adjust salt and pepper if needed. Ladle soup into bowls, top with fresh mint leaves, and serve with lime wedges on the side.

Notes

Don’t overwork the meatball mixture to keep them tender. Simmer gently, not boil, to prevent meatballs from breaking apart. Let soup rest 5 minutes before serving for flavors to meld. Add fresh mint just before serving for best flavor. For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth and plant-based meatballs or lentil-based ones. For a lower-carb option, replace rice with cauliflower rice.

Nutrition

Keywords: albondigas soup, Mexican meatball soup, mint soup, 30-minute meal, easy soup, weeknight dinner, gluten-free, dairy-free

Find it online: https://vexifood.com/easy-mexican-albondigas-soup-with-mint-30-minute-meal/