Quick Summary: Albondigas (ahl-BOHN-dee-gahs) is a hearty Mexican meatball soup with a smoky, spiced broth and plenty of vegetables. This low carb version uses premade pork meatballs with parmesan as the binder instead of rice. Comfort food that’s ready in about an hour. Prep: 25 min | Cook: 1 hr | Serves: 4 | Slow carb compliant
Jump to: RECIPE | What is Albondigas? | Slow Carb Substitutions | How to Make the Soup | FAQ
This slow Carb Mexican Meatball Soup uses pre-made pork meatballs with a parmesan filling rather than refined carbs as a binding agent. .
Traditional Mexican albondigas use uncooked rice as a binder in the meatballs, which adds carbs. This version skips that by using premade low carb meatballs from the grocery store. The brand I use (Carando) binds with parmesan cheese instead of rice.
Add a hearty and spicy broth with a generous amount of vegetables and you have a quick and easy version of Sopa de Albóndigas, or Mexican Meatball Soup
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What are Albondigas?
Albondigas (ahl-BOHN-dee-gahs) is the Spanish word for meatballs, often translated as “small meatballs”. In Spain, Albondigas are often served as tapas and made with a mix of veal and pork.
In Mexican cuisine however, the meatballs are typically pork or a combination of beef and pork, mixed with eggs and served in a smoky chipotle sauce.
The type of meatballs traditionally found in Mexican albondigas soup often use uncooked rice as a binding agent. This more traditional recipe for Mexican stuffed meatballs is a good example of how rice is used as the binder.
Slow Carb Substitutions
Because the recipe below is for a “slow carb” Mexican meatball soup, using rice as a meatball binder is out. I opted for pre-made low carb pork meatballs (our local grocery store carries the brand Carando), which uses parmesan cheese as the binder.
Here is what the low carb meatballs in our grocery store look like (they are pork with parmesan cheese as a binder).
If you prefer to make your own meatballs however, and want to keep with slow carb versions, these Greek meatballs or these Vietnamese meatballs are both slow carb recipes with meatballs made from scratch.
Just change the spice profile of one of the made-from-scratch recipes and you will have Mexican slow carb meatballs.
Is Albondigas Soup Spicy?
This particular recipe is designed to be “medium” in terms of spice level. You can easily change the heat level by selecting the chile spice you use.
Adjusting the heat:
- For milder soup, reduce or omit the chipotle
- For more heat, add a second teaspoon of chipotle or some cayenne
- For smokier flavor without more heat, increase the smoked paprika
Just make sure you get the freshest spices you can find, as many spices lose their punch with age.
How to Make Slow Carb Albondigas Soup
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Place meatballs on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until browned.
- While meatballs bake, heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until caramelized, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add carrots and sauté another 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds until fragrant. Add chicken broth, water, diced tomatoes, and all seasonings (smoked paprika, chipotle, Mexican oregano, cumin, salt, pepper).
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer 20 minutes. Add baked meatballs to the pot and cook 10 minutes.
- Add zucchini and cook another 10 minutes until tender. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Serve garnished with fresh cilantro and sliced avocado.
There is plenty of flexibility on which vegetables you can use.
Most classic Mexican meatball soups will have onions, tomatoes, carrots and zucchini in the broth, but any vegetables that you have dying a slow death in the refrigerator can be added or substituted.
Slow Cooker Method
Mexican Meatball soup is also a great candidate for the slow cooker:
- Brown the meatballs in a skillet or bake as directed above (this step adds flavor but can be skipped).
- Add all ingredients except zucchini to the slow cooker.
- Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours.
- Add zucchini in the last 30 minutes so it doesn’t get mushy.
- Garnish and serve.
FAQ
This version is, using premade meatballs with parmesan as the binder instead of rice. Check your meatball label to confirm carb count. Skip potatoes and serve without rice or tortillas.
Yes. Use ground pork or a beef-pork combination. Bind with parmesan cheese, almond flour, or crushed pork rinds instead of rice or bread. Season with cumin, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper.
This recipe is medium heat. Reduce or omit the chipotle for milder soup, or add more for extra heat.
Yes. Cool completely, transfer to freezer containers, and freeze up to 3 months. The vegetables may soften slightly upon reheating but the flavor holds well.
For low carb: a side salad, sliced avocado, or low carb tortillas. Traditional: warm corn tortillas or Mexican rice (not low carb).
Interested in the Slow Carb Diet? Check out this comprehensive E-Guide on Fat Loss through a Slow Carb Diet.
Low Carb Mexican Meatball Soup – Albondigas
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb Italian Style Meatballs (Carando is one brand) read label to make sure it is low carb
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 med. onion chopped
- 2-3 whole carrots coarsely chopped or sliced
- 2-3 cloves garlic smashed or minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp chipotle spice
- 1 tsp mexican oregano
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 med zucchini sliced into 1″ rounds
- ½ cup cilantro for garnish
- 1 whole avocado optional garnish
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Place meatballs on aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Bake 10 min. Gently turn over meatballs and bake an additional 5-10 min. Remove from oven and turn oven off.1 lb Italian Style Meatballs (Carando is one brand)
- While meatballs are cooking, heat olive oil on stovetop in a large pot or dutch oven, and then saute onions in the oil until caramelized (about 5-7 min.) Add carrots and saute another 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute 30 seconds.2 Tbsp olive oil, 1 med. onion, 2-3 whole carrots, 2-3 cloves garlic
- Add chicken broth, water, tomatoes and seasonings to the pot of vegetables. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and cover the pot and simmer on low for 20 min.4 cups chicken broth, 1 cup water, 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp chipotle spice, 1 tsp mexican oregano, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- Add meatballs to the pot and cook about 10 min. Add zucchini to pot and cook another 10 minutes1 med zucchini
- Taste and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with cilantro and avocados1 whole avocado, 1/2 cup cilantro
Perfect! I’ve never made it in a crockpot but you’ve inspired me to give it a try!
this is such an easy recipe. although I put all ingredients together in crockpot and cook on high for 4 hrs. Perfect!
Can’t wait to try this. Easy in the crockpot, and I love those Carrando meatballs.
Thank you so much for commenting Beth. I love those meatballs also. I always feel a bit odd blogging about pre-made ingredients, but WTH…they’re good, they’re low carb and they’re easy!