Meatball Soup xo Sopa de Albondigas

This meatball soup is a nice meal for dinner and tastes even better for lunch the next day. This soup is one of my children’s favorite. The soup is enriched with a homemade recaudo, a collection of herbs and flavors.

Ingredients

1 slice of bread without the edges
½ cup milk

½ white onion
3 garlic cloves
2 cups recaudo
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt to taste
4 cups chicken stock

1-1 ½ pounds ground beef
1 egg beaten
Garlic powder to taste
Onion powder to taste
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

2 carrots peeled and cubed
3 zucchinis cubed
3 golden potatoes peeled and cubed

Garnish

Cilantro leaves
Lime

Optional

Cooked Mexican red rice to add to your bowl of soup.

Directions

• Soak the bread with enough milk to soften in a large bowl. Set aside.

• Meanwhile, heat a pan and roast the onion and garlic until golden or with slightly charred marks. Add the onion, garlic, recaudo to a blender and puree until smooth. Heat the olive oil in a 2-quart stockpot and pour your recaudo mixture. Season and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. Add chicken stock and keep the soup simmering.

• Grab the bowl with the bread that has been soaking and add the ground beef, egg, and seasonings. Mix with your hands or with a wooden spoon, being careful not to overmix. Roll the ground beef into golf size balls.

• Add your cubed vegetables and meatballs to the simmering broth. Bring to a boil then partially cover the stockpot and lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Adjust seasonings.

• You may serve it as is or add a couple of spoonfuls of rice to the bowl. Garnish with cilantro leaves and freshly squeeze the lime.

• Tip: The milk-soaked bread helps to keep the meatballs tender. You may substitute it with almond milk and gluten-free bread.