The New York Times recipe: Sopa de Albondigas (Mexican Meatball Soup)

Some soups are a family affair: this one was passed down from grandmother, to mother, to son, namely Wesley Avila, the chef of Guerrilla Tacos in Los Angeles. For his family’s take on the traditional Mexican meatball soup, he suggests paying special attention to the grains that are mixed into the meatballs. “My mum always told me that when the rice is done, the soup is ready,” Avila says. “She used it almost as a timer.”

Ingredients:

For the meatballs:

900g beef mince

450g pork mince pork

½ cup uncooked long-grain rice

⅓ cup chopped fresh mint

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp salt flakes

1 ½ tsp black pepper

For the soup:

2 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil

1 medium brown onion, peeled and diced (about 1½ cups)

4 medium carrots, peeled and cut on an angle into 1cm slices

3 medium celery stalks, peeled and cut on an angle into 1cm slices

1 large red potato, cut into 2.5cm cubes

Salt flakes and black pepper

3 tbsp tomato paste

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 bay leaves

2 tsp dried oregano, preferably Mexican

2 tsp ground cumin

8 cups chicken stock

240ml tomato passata or puree

For garnish (optional):

Crumbled queso fresco, panela or cotija

2 avocados, halved lengthwise, pitted and thinly sliced crosswise or diced

Mini sweet capsicums, thinly sliced into rounds

Serrano and habanero chillies, very thinly sliced

Small fresh coriander sprigs or chopped fresh coriander

Lime wedges, for squeezing

Preparation:

Step 1 Prepare the meatballs: in a large bowl, combine the beef, pork, rice, mint, garlic, salt and pepper. Using your hands, gently mix until well combined. Pinch off 55g portions and gently roll between your palms to form golf ball-size rounds, transferring rounds to a baking tray. (You should have about 28 meatballs.)

Step 2 In large pot, combine the olive oil, onion, carrots, celery and potato; season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste, garlic, bay leaves, oregano and cumin, and cook over medium, stirring frequently, until fragrant and tomato paste starts to caramelise, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and tomato passata or puree and bring to a simmer over high.

Step 3 Once the stock begins to bubble, reduce the heat to medium-low. Carefully add the meatballs, one by one, distributing them evenly in the pot until they’re all submerged. If necessary, reduce the heat to reach a low simmer (this will keep the meatballs tender), and cook until the meatballs and rice are cooked through, about 40 minutes. (Resist the urge to stir for the first 20 minutes, otherwise you risk breaking the meatballs apart before they’ve firmed up.) Skim any impurities from the surface as the soup simmers.

Step 4 Season to taste with salt. Divide the soup among bowls, about 4 or 5 meatballs per portion, and set out bowls of whatever garnishes you like.

Serves 6-8

Total time: 1 ½ hours

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

© 2023 The New York Times Company