Mexican Meatball Soup
What I Love About My Mexican Meatball Soup
Meatballs and broth are a natural pairing in so many cuisines, from Italian wedding soup to chicken meatball and orzo soup, and I built my own spin on that idea using bold Mexican flavors and pantry staple chili peppers in adobo. I started making this soup on cold Florida nights when I wanted something warming without turning on the oven for hours, and it’s stayed in my rotation ever since.
- I can make it milder just by pulling out the chipotle chili pepper or using half of it, and if I want more heat, I reach for a pinch of chili powder or cayenne instead of adding more chili peppers in adobo.
- I sear the meatballs first so they hold their shape in the broth instead of falling apart.
- I keep the whole thing to one pot, so cleanup never gets in the way of a weeknight dinner.
- I always taste and adjust the salt and cumin at the end, since simmering concentrates the broth as it cooks down.
Table of Contents
Key Ingredient Notes
- Chipotle chili peppers in adobo sauce: These are smoked, dried jalapeños packed in a tangy tomato sauce, and they’re the backbone of the smoky flavor here. Look for the small can in the international aisle near other Mexican ingredients. Since the chili pepper goes into the broth as a whole piece, you can easily fish it out or use just half if you want the soup milder. To add heat, skip adding more chili peppers in adobo, since too much of that sauce can turn the broth bitter; a pinch of chipotle chili powder or cayenne works better.
- Ground beef: I use standard ground beef here rather than a lean blend, since a little fat keeps the meatballs from drying out as they simmer.
- Cumin: A little goes a long way. I use it in both the meatballs and the broth so the flavor builds in layers instead of sitting only on the surface.
How to Make Chipotle Mexican Meatball Soup
- I mix the meatball ingredients by hand just until they come together. Overworking the meat makes the meatballs dense, so I stop as soon as everything is evenly distributed.
- Once I roll the meatballs, I sear them in the pot first instead of adding them raw to the broth. This step matters more than it looks: searing sets the outside of the meatball so it holds together through the rest of the simmer, and it leaves behind a browned layer on the bottom of the pot that adds flavor to the broth once the vegetables go in.
- From there, I add the diced vegetables, tomato paste, and the chipotle chili pepper for the broth, and let everything cook down together before adding the stock. Cooking the chipotle with the vegetables instead of dropping it in at the end helps the smokiness spread through the whole broth instead of staying concentrated in one bite.
- I bring the soup to a boil, then drop it to a gentle simmer so the meatballs cook through evenly without breaking apart. As a food safety certified cook, I always check that a meatball or two hits 165°F internally before I call the soup done. I stir in the fresh cilantro at the very end, off the heat, so it stays bright instead of wilting into the broth.
Can You Freeze Mexican Meatball Soup?
Yes, but only if you leave the rice out. If you’re making the rice version, cook the rice separately and stir it into each bowl instead of into the pot, then freeze the meatball and broth base on its own. Rice turns mushy and breaks down after freezing and reheating, so keeping it separate protects the texture.
- Freeze the soup in an airtight container for up to 3 months, and thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before reheating on the stove.
- How long does it last in the fridge? Stored in an airtight container, this soup keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Mexican Meatball Soup Recipe FAQs
The base recipe is not to spicy. Since most of the spice comes for chipotle chilis in adobo sauce, it’s not overly spicy. There are two in the meatballs and one in the broth. For more heat, I don’t recommend adding extra chili peppers in adobo sauce, since too much of that sauce can turn the broth bitter. Instead, stir in extra chipotle chili powder or a pinch of cayenne, or dice up a spicy fresh pepper like serrano along with the other vegetables.
They come in a small can, usually in the international or Mexican foods aisle of most grocery stores. If you can’t find them, ask an employee, since they’re sometimes shelved with canned tomatoes or salsas instead.
Yes, and it’s actually the traditional approach. Classic Mexican albondigas, meaning meatballs, use a small amount of uncooked rice mixed into the meat instead of breadcrumbs. The rice cooks as the meatballs simmer in the broth, and it gives them a slightly different, more tender texture than the breadcrumb version here. If you want to try it, swap the breadcrumbs for about 2 tablespoons of raw white rice.
I like warm corn tortillas or a side of Spanish rice to round out the meal. A side of guacamole and salsa with tortilla chips is also great for scooping up alongside the soup. You can top the soup off with a dollop of sour cream to make it creamy and tone down the spice.
More Recipes From Me
- Chicken Meatball Soup
- Roasted Garlic Rosemary Meatballs
- Chicken Meatball and Orzo Soup
- Spicy Meatball & Gnocchi Soup
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE? PLEASE leave a 🌟 star rating! Let me know how you liked it by leaving the 📝 comment below or share and tag me on social media @willcookforsmiles. DON’T FORGET to subscribe to my newsletter!
Mexican Meatball Soup Recipe
Ingredients
Mexican Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/4 cup plain bread crumbs or use gluten free if needed
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 small red onion minced
- 2 garlic cloves pressed
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce diced
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2-1 tsp kosher coarse salt to taste
Soup:
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
- Meatballs from above
- 2 tomatoes on a vine diced
- 1/2 red onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and diced
- 1 orange bell pepper seeded and diced
- 1 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce diced
- 3 garlic cloves pressed
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 3 cups low sodium beef stock
- 2 Tbsp minced cilantro
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp chipotle chili powder
- 1 tsp kosher coarse salt more or less to taste
- 1 cup uncooked rice optional
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients for meatballs in a medium mixing bowl and mix until all evenly incorporated. Roll about 1-inch meatballs.
- Heat up a large pot over medium to medium-low heat and add vegetable oil. Place meatballs in the heated pot, cover and cook for about 3-5 minutes. Flip all meatballs, cover and cook for a couple more minutes.
- Add diced veggies, tomato paste and chipotle chili. Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes. Stir, cover and cook for a few more minutes.
- Add beef stock, pressed garlic, salt and cumin. Bring to gentle boil then lower a little. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes.
- Stir in fresh cilantro right before taking off heat.
- If using rice: you can cook the rice separately and add it to each bowl, or cook it right in the soup. Adding it separately keeps the rice from soaking up all the broth. Cooking it in the soup makes the soup more flavorful but you'll need to add an extra cup and a half of beef broth to compensate.
Notes
- Want it milder or spicier? The broth stays fairly mild with one whole chipotle chile, and you can pull it out or use half if you want it milder still. For more heat, skip adding extra chiles in adobo sauce, since too much of that sauce can turn the broth bitter. A pinch of chipotle chili powder or cayenne, or a diced serrano added with the vegetables, works better.
- Want to add rice? You can cook rice separately and spoon it into each bowl, or cook it right in the soup for a heartier, more filling meal. If you cook it in the soup, add an extra cup and a half of beef broth so the rice doesn’t soak up all the liquid.
- Storing: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To freeze, leave the rice out and freeze the meatballs and broth on their own for up to 3 months, since rice turns mushy after thawing.
Nutrition
Would you like to save this recipe?
We'll email this post recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe.
Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.
Only 2 cups of beef broth and serves 7 people? Seems like that would not be enough broth.
It doesn’t end up super brothy, it’s more of a thick, hearty soup. But you can definitely add more broth if you prefer it thinner!
I have made this soup a couple of times and we absolutely love it! Was thinking of doubling it but not sure if all would be eaten. Does this soup freeze well? Thank you.
I am so happy you like it! Freeze without the rice for best consistency. Freeze in a zip-top bag or sealed container for up to 3 months, then thaw in the refrigerator before reheating. It may help to store the soup in individual portions so you can thaw just what you need.
Delicious! My husband had two bowls. I did take a few liberties…..We like spicy too so two chipotle peppers were great for us. We are in Texas so I have only had what’s traditional for our region which is chicken meatballs, don’t judge me but I hate to make meatballs from scratch so I used a beef/pork blend home style precooked frozen, don’t judge me! Also our local family restaurants usually have carrots and Mexican squash so I added those too. Again don’t judge me, I threw in 2 bags of plain precooked microwave rice at the end. We topped each bowl with a sprinkle of grated cheese and a spoon of sour cream. This is a great adaptable recipe, thank you so much!
Hi Janet,
No judgment here, I am just glad you were able to adjust the recipe to work for you! Thanks for taking the time to rate my recipe and leave a comment! I am so glad you liked it!
You are welcome. I loved your recipe because it had all the flavor without time consuming ingredients that require roasting peppers etc. I will in the future do the meatballs from scratch when not on a time crunch, they sound delicious. I often order this soup at restaraunts but this was my husbands first try and he did truly love it! Soup is on our menu year round, even in the hot Texas summers!
I need to know where to find adobe sauce as the recipe calls for two peppers in adobe sauce. I will make, but don’t have a recipe.
Thank you!
Hi there!
Chili peppers in adobe sauce is actually an ingredient that comes canned. Try checking the ethnic section of the grocery store, where you find other Mexican ingredients. It comes in little metal cans. Ask a clerk if they carry it if you can’t find it at your store, they may be able to help you find it!
Looks good. I don’t add egg or bread crumbs to my meat balls. I add the dry rice to the meat make the balls then cook. This is traditionally how it is made. Also jalapeno instead of chipotle.
Hi Maria!
You meatballs hold up together without the egg and bread crumbs? I will definitely have to try it.
I like chipotle for the smokiness but I definitely appreciate a jalapeno. Maybe both?
What brand and type of rice do you use?
Hi Cristal! I normally use Mahatma rice.
Looks most Delicious!
Thank yo so much, Arthur!
I believe the sauce should be 2 Tbls vegetable oil. In the directions it explains. The recipe sounds and looks (of course) great. The weather down here is just a bit chilly to say the least and this sounds fantastic. You didn’t request this weather, did you??? I’ll save the recipe for when we get back north. You don’t have any left over by any chance?? I could hop in the car and run on over — in just a few hours 🙂 Have a great day!!
Thank you for the info Marisa.
Thank you, Marisa!! You’re totally right, it’s vegetable oil.
It’s sch a cold weather soup, warms inside and out 🙂
MEXICAN MEATBALL SOUP in the directions don’t see anything about the 2 Tbsp of vegetable sauce. Plus what is vegetable sauce. I am little confused. Please send me a email about this.
Thank you
Hi Sophie! I’m so sorry it took me so long to see your comment. We just moved and it’s been a long month. I got backed up with comments.
I’m sorry for the typo, it is supposed to be vegetable oil, like Marisa said.
I hope you will try it and feel free to send me an email, I see those a lot faster than comments because they happen go to another folder.