One of my Christmas gifts this year was a subscription to Bon Appetit Magazine. I saw this recipe for Mexican Meatball Soup in the first issue I received and fell in love.
While this dish is incredibly delicious, it is somewhat of a production to make. This Saturday was cold and snowy in Denver, so I couldn’t think of a better time to spend a couple of leisurely hours in the kitchen with this recipe.
Pungent, earthy, cleverly spiced, complex, and just full of unexpected little delights, this soup will not disappoint. Not falling short in presentation, the brick-red color of the broth is really breathtaking. The meatballs are genius in many ways and the addition of grated zucchini adds a delicate moistness to their texture. So with all that said, here’s the recipe for a great Mexican Meatball Soup.
The gathered ingredients in advance. I’m a huge fan of poblano chilis.
Mexican Meatball Soup, Poblano Albóndigas with Ancho Chile Soup
Ingredients
- The Meatballs
- 2 large poblano chiles
- 1 pound ground beef 15% fat
- 1/2 cup zucchini Coarsely grated
- 1/4 cup onion fine grated
- 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 large egg beaten to blend
- 2 garlic cloves pressed
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano preferably Mexican, crumbled
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- For The Soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 small onion coarsely grated
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tablespoons ancho chile powder do not use blended chile powder
- 9 cups beef broth
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano preferably Mexican
- 1 cup coarsely grated zucchini
- 1/4 cup long-grain white rice
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice or more
- Toppings
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or more
- 4 corn tortillas cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips
- Cilantro chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Line large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Char chiles over direct flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose in paper bag and steam 10 minutes. Stem, seed, and peel chiles, then chop finely (should yield about 3/4 cup).
- Place chiles in large bowl. Gently mix in beef and all remaining ingredients. Using moistened hands and scant tablespoonful for each, roll meat mixture into 1-inch meatballs. Arrange meatballs on sheet.
- For the Soup
- Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion with any juices and garlic. Sauté until onion is tender, about 3 minutes. Add chile powder and cumin; stir 1 minute. Add broth and oregano; bring to rolling boil. Reduce heat to very low, just below bare simmer, and cook 10 minutes.
- Stir zucchini and rice into broth. Increase heat to medium and drop in meatballs, 1 at a time. Return soup to simmer. Cover and cook gently until meatballs and rice are cooked through, stirring occasionally and adjusting heat to avoid boiling, about 20 minutes. Add 1/4 cup cilantro and 1 tablespoon lime juice. Season soup with salt and add more lime juice by teaspoonfuls, if desired.
- toppings
- Heat 3 tablespoons oil in heavy medium skillet over medium heat 1 minute. Add half of tortilla strips. Cook until crisp, gently separating strips with tongs, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer strips to paper towels to drain. Repeat with remaining tortilla strips, adding more oil if needed.
- Ladle soup and meatballs into bowls. Top with tortilla strips and cilantro.
Nutrition
Fabulous. Can’t wait for leftovers tonight and I’m sure as with most soups, it will be better the 2nd time around.
Mexican Meatball Soup…It’s What’s For Dinner
