This post is also available in Spanish
My grandmother’s Meatball and Rice Soup is one of my favorite soups and I come to crave it every now and then. So this past Tuesday, I was very happy to have everything on hand to make it. Here’s mamita’s Sopa de Albóndigas con Arroz recipe. I hope you enjoy even half as much as I do.
Ingredients
(4 to 6 servings)
Meatballs:
1 pound ground beef
½ pound ground pork
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
2 beaten eggs
1/2 cupmasarepa
¼ cup warm water
Salt
Guiso:
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 scallion, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
¼ cup chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons oil
Soup:
8 cups water
1 beef bouillon tablet
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup green beans
½ cup peas
½ cup chopped carrots
½ cup rice
½ teaspoon color , achiote or sazon goya with azafran
Fresh cilantro for garnish
Avocado for serving
Directions
- Make the guiso: In a medium sauce pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for about 5 minutes, add the rest of the ingredients and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
- Place a pot over medium-high heat. Add the water, beef boullion, ground cumin, guiso and achiote. Stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
- While the broth is simmering, make the meatballs: In a medium bowl, combine all the meatball ingredients and using your hands, mix well until combined.
- Divide meat mixture equally into 12 portions and roll into balls with your hands. Place in a plate and set aside.
- Add the meatballs to the broth. Simmer for 20 minutes, add the rice and vegetables and cook for 20 minutes more. Stir in the fresh cilantro and top with avocado. Serve.
Tangled Noodle says
Soups and meatballs: two of my favorites, especially during the winter! It’s so sweet of you to share your grandmother’s recipe. This sopa de arroz con albondigas looks absolutely delicious!
Felisha says
Looks comforting with the cold weather coming up!
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
It’s rainy and cold here…this meatball soup would be exactly what I need now!
Sarah Naveen says
Oh wow!!! Such a delicious soup…
Gotta try it soon!!!!
Erica says
Thank you everyone for taking the time to leave a comment!
Laura Soza says
Hi Erica,
I have the PAN (yellow bag) 100% White corn . Can this be used instead of the orange bag ?
Erica Dinho says
Yes.
karen says
Similar to a Mexican albondigas, which I just love. I plan to make some thins winter!
Claudia Medeiros says
Grandma’s comfort food … what else can we ask for on a winter day ? It’s perfect, Erica 🙂 Thanks for sharing !
P.S.: Thanks for your lovely comments on my blog 😉
vinolia says
the soup looks delicious and filling and that makes a perfect one pot meal!!
Simply Life says
Wow this soup looks soooooo tasty! Another amazing meal here! Wow, I wish I had my meals at your place 🙂
Oysterculture says
This looks like the soup for fall, stick to your ribs warm – perfect for November – thanks for sharing!
Erica says
Thank you all for the nice comments! I love this soup 🙂
Sook says
I love the fact that you can make soup with meatballs. I love meatballs and anything soup! This will be a great fall-winter dinner.
Nancy says
Your pictures are so beautiful. You have such a sense of design in creating your pictures. The colors, placement of utensils, and layout is just perfect.
Nancy says
Sorry.. They ARE just perfect!
Juliana says
Oh! I had this soup before…absolutely delicious…and great for this weather…yummie!
Danielle says
I really should try making meatball soup one of these days. it just looks so comforting
Natasha - 5 Star Foodie says
Yum! Meatballs & rice soup sounds really wonderful!
Erica says
Thank you everyone 🙂
Monica says
OMG.. this has been my favorite soup for as long as I can remember. I now live in a different state than my mother but whenever i go visit she HAS to make this for me.. i am a new mother and just realized i need to learn how to cook these delicious Colombian dishes so i can raise my son on them as well.
This website is a godsend!! Thank you!!
Diana @ Spain in Iowa says
Now this I’m making!! This is beautiful Erica, and one that I know my family will enjoy on a Sunday afternoon!
Thank you for sharing a family recipe!!
raniya says
Delicioso! I am cooking this recipe as I am typing it in the computer, I am glad I found this site about Colombian recipes…can not wait to try more!
Fran says
Should I use cooked or uncooked rice in this recipte
Erica says
Fran- Uncooked rice.
Monica says
DEELISH…excellent
Amanda says
Disfruto todas sus recetas. Muchas gracias 🙂
Una pregunta – Y se le puede echar harina en vez de masarepa?
Erica Dinho says
Migas de pan.
Chris says
That sounds wonderful, comfort food for the soul.
Adriana Gutiérrez says
Perfect for this blustery, cold winter day. Soup is made, resting for lunch. Do not forget the fresh cilantro at the end, it makes all the difference in the world!
Is 10:45 too early for lunch? I can’t wait.
Jajaira says
Made this soup today and my sister from Cali Colombia said she was tranported back home. Thanks!
Will says
Being retired and living in Colombia. Everytime, I visit my wife’s family in Medellin. They will have a soup, meat and rice ready for lunch. I wanted to make a Colombian soup for my Mother-in-Law to return the favor.
I made some modifications by adding potatoes, fresh spinach and canned tomatoes. Hopefully my wife’s family will enjoy. Will let everybody know.
Helen Scarr says
Hello Erica I just lost a reply to you.
Thank you so much for sharing your grandma’s recipe. Wow I just love it!thank you thank you thank you.
Last week I met a young Colombian volunteer in an Aboriginal art centre in Central Australia who was making soup as she felt homesick. She inspired me to look up recipes for Columbia soup and I found yours. I
began making it and didn’t have all the ingredients so two days later we tried it. It is just sooooo good I can’t wait to try it again. I susbstituted pork and chicken mince in the metatballs and parsley instead of cilantro in the guiso. Also forgot the avacado garnish but that would be a soft sensory luxurious addition for next time. Oh, and I added more salt.
Erica thank you again for your generous sharing. I was so surprised by the comfort and gentleness of this dish. Thank you.
Monica Dougherty says
So delicious! I put cilantro in my meat balls and swapped the peas for corn! Wonderful recipe! My mom never really thought me Colombian recipes even though my parents were born there! So it’s nice to learn and have access to these wonderful authentic recipes 🙂