This Mexican meatballs soup is my family's ultimate comfort food

In my favorite children's book, Cloudy with the chance of meatballsThe fabulous city of Chewandswallow deals with tomato tornadoes and meatballs. After reading the book, I remember an opaque amount of Sopa de Albondigas, the Mexican meatballs soup spilled from the sky. In Mexican Albondigas, the meatballs with rice, alliums and herbs are served with light, tomato -based broth and various fresh vegetables. This is a food I grew up and I still enjoy it – especially I love the contrast of textures between spicy meatballs and gentle vegetables.

My family maintains Sopa de Albondigas – often in Mexico as Albondigas – rainy days or anytime we need a nutritious and reassuring momentum, for example when we do not feel. While other popular Mexican soups such as mild and Rabbit Chiles and spices have bold flavors, with a delicious vegetal flavor of Sopa de albondigas, which balances hearty meatballs.

While the meatballs are a household clip, all over Mexico, its origin is actually the near -eastern. The Albondigas name comes from the al-Bunduq peanut Arabic word, which refers to the shape of the meatballs. They were then introduced to Spain under the Muslim rule, and in the 16th century the Spanish conkistadors introduced them to Mexico during colonization. While in Spain, Albondigas is often covered with pepper-heavy tomato sauce, the Mexican Albondigas always refers to the soup.

The preparation of the Mexican Albondigas is quite simple: the onions, garlic, broth and tomatoes are mixed to have the foundation of the broth. The meatballs are then boiled into the broth with a mixture of fresh vegetables such as corn, potatoes, carrots and zucchini. The result is a fine soup with gentle vegetables and delicious meatballs. It is easy to make, but the most important part of preparation is to ensure that the meatballs are tasteful with a welcome jumping texture – actually the gentle texture of the Albondigas does not actually go.

To prepare meatballs

It is important to note that the Mexican Albondigas has a noticeably different texture and taste profile than the American Italian American -style meatballs that are common in the United States. Italian American -style meatballs often use bread crumbs (or sometimes softened breads) to connect a mixture of meatballs. The bread crumbs, when they are thoroughly mixed with the meat, dissolve its texture, which results in very gentle meatballs. But Mexican Albondigas does not use bread to bind meatballs. Instead, they rely on the cooked rice to bind the meat mixture. The eyes of the rice soften and moisturize when the meatballs simmer them and prevent them from falling apart. As a result, it is a pleasantly rude (or what I like “Snappy”) textured meatballs.

The Mexican Albondigas usually uses ground pork or beef or a combination of the two. The type of meat used varies from one family. My family always used equal parts of beef and pork because we like a mixture of two taste together.

To complete the soup

Fresh vegetables are always added to Sopa de Albondigas to convert the soup into a nutritious, full meal. In Mexico there are no two albondigas recipes the same – some families add celery, diced tomatoes or green beans, but I chose a hearty combination of potatoes, corn, carrots and zucchini, which I add to the end of the soup to ensure it to cook everything properly at the same time. After the meatballs are added, the soup is cooked gently – never cooked – to prevent the meatballs from over -cooking.

Once you know about making Albondigas, you can adapt the way you think it is appropriate: experiment with your own meat, make your own kit, or replace the seasonal vegetables you want. The recipe is not as easy to stand under a meatballs with an empty bowl, but it is very close -and as delicious as the meatballs of my childhood dreams.

Cooking method
(Keep on the screen awake)