Albondigas Soup
This Albondigas Soup is a hearty and flavorful dish that is perfect for a cold winter day. The meatballs are made with a combination of ground beef and pork sausage, and they are simmered in a savory broth made with beef broth, salsa, tomatoes, and spices. The soup is also packed with vegetables, including onions, carrots, celery, and corn.
This Albondigas Soup is a hearty and flavorful dish that is perfect for a cold winter day. The meatballs are made with a combination of ground beef and pork sausage, and they are simmered in a savory broth made with beef broth, salsa, tomatoes, and spices. The soup is also packed with vegetables, including onions, carrots, celery, and corn.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 1/4 pound pork sausage
- 6 (14 ounce) cans beef broth
- 1 (8 ounce) jar salsa
- 2 (14.5 ounce) cans peeled and diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup white rice
- Carbohydrate 29.7313595277667 g
- Cholesterol 71.075208388134 mg
- Fat 10.810145952505 g
- Fiber 1.50451668880018 g
- Protein 16.5046238982418 g
- Saturated Fat 3.95153047001462 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (120g)
- Sodium 143.423187412438 mg
- Sugar 28.2268428389665 g
- Trans Fat 1.24399701497515 g
- Calories 285 calories
Step-by-step
- Mix together beef broth, salsa, 1 onion, tomatoes, dried basil, oregano, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. (If you use condensed beef broth (e.g., Campbell's), eliminate the salt in the meatballs and use 5 cans (10.5 ounces each) broth plus one quart water.) Bring to a boil and simmer 20 minutes.
- Combine ground chuck, sausage, 1 onion, egg, salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, garlic powder, milk, fresh basil, and cornmeal, and mix well. Form into tiny, bite-size meatballs.
- Add meatballs and rice to broth. Simmer, covered, very slowly for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Making savory meatball soups under a tight timeframe requires careful attention to how binders interact with protein. Cornmeal and eggs added to the ground beef and pork sausage mixture absorb moisture while contracting during the simmer, which prevents the meatballs from disintegrating in the liquid. Thoroughly incorporating these binders ensures structural integrity without requiring a pre-cooking phase for the meat.
Forming tiny, bite-size spheres allows the rice and the protein elements to cook concurrently over a prolonged simmer of one to one and a half hours. Keeping the heat low and the pot covered maintains a gentle convection that cooks the interior of the meat evenly while softening the white rice grains throughout the broth without scorching the bottom of the vessel.
Adjusting the sodium content depends entirely on the base liquid chosen. Utilizing condensed beef broth requires eliminating added salt from the meat mixture entirely and substituting five cans plus one quart of water to balance the salinity. Standard canned broth requires no dilution, meaning the designated half teaspoon of salt can remain in the meat formulation.
Storing leftover soup safely requires chilling the pot rapidly within two hours of completion before transferring it to sealed containers. The rice will continue to absorb liquid during refrigeration, so adding a splash of water or extra broth when reheating on the stovetop restores the proper consistency.
