Albondigas (Mexican Meatball Soup - Real Food, Grain Free, Paleo, Whole30)

Sopa de albondigas literally means meatball soup.  And I know.....meatballs?  In soup?  Yes, please!

In Mexican homes, this bowl of comfort is actually just called albondigas, and it gets a boost of flavor with addition of mint (traditionally yerba buena).  And again, yes, mint!  This soup does not include the usual chile pepper added to many Mexican dishes, so it is not spicy.  But a spicy salsa is usually expected to be served along with the soup so that diners can add some kick to individual bowl.

One of my favorite things about this recipe is that the meatball are cooked right in the stock pot, along with the liquid and vegetables, so the dirty dish level is kept to a minimum.

Feel free to vary the vegetables here - I always use diced carrots, celery, and some sort of squash but a bit of diced potato is quite nice here.  Mexican cooks usually leave the veggies in large chunks - I prefer a smaller, neater dice.  If you prefer your soup with larger vegetable pieces, make sure the harder vegetables are kept around the same size, so that they cook evenly.  Cooking time may also be increased for larger vegetables.

Since this is a very simple soup, the quality of the broth is key here!  Homemade is always recommended, but a good store-bought broth is just fine.


Albondigas

For the albondigas (meatballs):

• 1 pound organic ground beef
• 1 small onion, peeled and diced, divided
• 1 organic egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons almond flour
• 2 tablespoons hemp seeds (I get these at Costco)
• 1 tablespoon fresh mint, finely chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried mint, crushed)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cumin

• 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce, divided

For the broth:

• 1 tablespoon organic olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
• 6 cups beef or chicken stock (or water)
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 diced celery
• 1/2 diced carrot
• 1 medium squash, diced
• 1 medium potato, peeled and diced (optional)
• Cilantro and lime wedges, for serving

In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, 1/2 of the diced onion, beaten egg, almond flour, hemp seeds, mint, salt, cumin, and 1/4 cup of the tomato sauce until well combined.  Brush hands lightly with water and form the meat mixture into small meatballs (the water will help prevent the meat from sticking to your hands).  Set the meatballs aside.

In a soup pot, warm the oil over medium heat.  Add the remaining diced onion and garlic, and saute until the onion is soft.  Raise the heat to high, add the stock and salt, and bring the stock to a hard boil - meaning, the bubbling liquid cannot be stirred away.

Begin to add the meatballs to the boiling stock, a few at a time, making sure the boiling does not stop. Add the diced vegetables, and cover the soup pot.  Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for about 25 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.  Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed.

Ladle the albondigas into bowls, and top each serving with a few sprigs of fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

Refrigerate any leftovers.