The following article was written by Jessika Lauren and originally appeared on PETALatino.com.
In search of a perfect cold weather meal? Try this traditional Mexican soup featuring homemade meatballs, bountiful vegetables, and rice—you will be more than satisfied.
I fondly remember being overjoyed as my mother rolled out each little meatball and prepared my favorite meal. Her classic recipe gets a healthy upgrade with my tasty vegan version. Grab a bowl! It’s time for a hefty serving of albóndigas soup with some fresh corn tortillas and salsa casera—aye que bueno!
Vegan Albóndigas (Meatball) Soup
View RecipeIngredients
- 1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup diced white onions
- 1 1/2 tsp. celery flakes
- 2 cups water
- Dash sea salt, plus more for seasoning
- Dash pepper, plus more for seasoning
- 1 14-oz. pkg. of vegan ground beef (try Beyond Beef)
- 1 14-oz. pkg. of vegan chorizo (try El Burrito® Soyrizo)
- 1/4 cup uncooked white rice
- 1/4 cup dried bread crumbs
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 4 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
- 3 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 3 potatoes, cubed
- 1 large zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch rounds
- 1/2 lb. fresh green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
- Fresh chopped cilantro, for garnish
- Diced avocado, for garnish
Instructions
- Mix the tomato sauce, vegetable broth, white onions, celery flakes, and water together in a large pot and bring to a boil. Season with sea salt and pepper.
- In a medium-sized bowl, add the vegan ground beef, vegan chorizo, white rice, dried bread crumbs, onion powder, oregano, a dash of sea salt, and a dash of pepper and mix together with your hands until well combined. Using a 1/8-cup measuring cup, shape the mixture into balls.
- Spray a large skillet with nonstick spray and brown the “meatballs” carefully over medium-high heat, then remove and set aside. (The “meatballs” do not need to be fully cooked, as they will finish cooking in the soup.)
- Add the carrots, celery, yellow onion, and potatoes to the boiling broth. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are nearly tender, about 15 minutes. Add the “meatballs” and remaining vegetables and continue simmering for 15 to 20 minutes. Season with sea salt and pepper.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and diced avocado. Serve with warm corn tortillas and fresh salsa—enjoy!