Heather says:
I absolutely love albondigas soup, it’s a family favorite, but sometimes I just don’t have the energy to mess with rolling the meatballs. Sometimes I just can’t bring myself to care that much.
So on a whim one evening, when I had planned on making the original albondigas, I looked at it and said, “Fuhgeddaboudit, we’re doing a deconstructed or simplified version of the recipe.” Deconstructed is a fancy term for breaking a complicated dish down into its elements or ingredients and changing the presentation.
This has all of the same ingredients, but without the work of the meatballs. Score.
If you were intimidated by the original soup recipe, give this version a try. I wouldn’t dissuade you from trying it with a margarita, either.
Enjoy!
: Simplified Albondigas Recipe
: This is a weeknight version of the classic Albondigas or Mexican Meatball Soup
- 2lbs lean ground beef
- 2 small cans diced green chilies
- 2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes or use an equivalent amount of fresh, diced tomatoes about 2.5 cups
- 1 bunch green onions – chopped, include the bulb, but set aside and chop that separately
- 3 cloves garlic – minced or pressed -divided use half in the beef half in the broth
- 1 bunch cilantro – chopped
- 1/2 cup rice
- 2 qts beef broth or stock (low sodium if possible, if not, I recommend using Better Than Bouillon
- salt, pepper, and Tabasco or Cholula to taste
Directions:
- In a large, heavy pot brown the ground beef with the bulb portion of the green onions and about half of the garlic.
- Drain any fat.
- Add the 2 qts of stock or broth and increase the heat of the burner.
- Add the green chilies, diced tomatoes, the rest of the garlic, 1/2 cup of rice, and about half of cilantro and green onions.
- Bring to a simmer and cook until the rice is done. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning as desired.
- Add the last of the cilantro and green onions just before serving -this adds a bright, fresh taste.
- Serve with warm, flour tortillas
Preparation time: 10 minute(s)
Cooking time: 20 minute(s)
Number of servings (yield): 8
If you want to try other soup recipes – check out these 18 Delicious Soup Recipes!
Oooh! We might try this soon! Minus the cilantro, of course, since we’re *those* people.
~Connie & Eugene
So close to perfect and yet, so far.
Looks delicious! I want to try it with a margarita ^^ Thanks for sharing Heather.