If you have an Instant Pot, one of the best things to make is Mexican Meatball Soup – it’s a favorite in our family but now that Mom is the only one who eats beef, it’s rare for us to make it.
If you can get your hands on some good organic, pastured ground beef (85% – 90% lean), put your Instant Pot to work. It’s really easy to whip this together.
Even more… there isn’t a right or wrong with Albondigas ~it’s something that differs from family to family. In our family, everyone makes it entirely different. Usually when we take out my father in law for his birthday, he’s always quick to comment (at a Mexican restaurant) that the food is not made the “right” way…. same goes for the Mexican food he ate when we spent time in Nogales a few years ago.
The same goes for food that I bring over… 😉
The only “right” way is his way 🙂 Which leads my husband to say “different areas of Mexico make their food a little different. Not necessarily right or wrong, it’s just their way.” With that in mind, this might not be exactly like the Albondigas you make, or your family makes, but it’s the way we make it in our Instant Pot.
- Meatballs
- 1 lb Lean Ground Beef (85-90%)
- 2 cloves Garlic, chopped
- 1/2 Onion, chopped
- 1/2 Green Bell Pepper, chopped
- 1 Egg
- 1 Tbsp Oregano, dry
- 1 tsp Chili Powder
- 1/2 tsp Cumin
- For the Albondigas Soup
- 4 Carrots, chopped
- 3 cloves Garlic, chopped
- 1/2 Onion, chopped
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 can, 14.5 oz. Roasted Diced Tomatoes
- 2 - 32 oz Organic Chicken Broth
- 1 tsp Salt (or, more to taste)
- Pepper (to taste)
- 2/3 C. White Rice, uncooked
- Cilantro, fresh (for garnish)
- In a bowl, add all of your meatball ingredients and mix well until everything is blended thoroughly. Form meatballs about 1 1/2 inch in diameter -- you should get at least 16-18 depending on what size you make them. Put in the fridge for 5 minutes while you prepare the soup ingredients.
- In your Instant Pot, turn on the Saute function and add the 2 Tbsp Olive Oil. Throw in the Onions and Garlic and saute until translucent. Add the carrots and tomatoes. Turn OFF the saute function.
- Pour in the broth and rice, then gently place the meatballs in the Instant Pot, one at a time.
- Put the top on the Instant Pot and lock in place. Push Manual (high) for 10 minutes. Once the timer beeps, let it release manually for 6-8 minutes - then turn the pot to OFF.
- Open the lid carefully and add the salt & pepper to taste.
- Ladle into bowls and serve with lime, and garnish with cilantro if desired.
Checkout 10 Reasons why we invested in an Instant Pot, and find the BEST Instant Pot Accessories to have for Instant Pot Owners!
can you do this without the rice or will it change the flavor?
You definitely can, but then it’s not the traditional Albondigas Soup. Kind of like making Chicken Noodle without the chicken, it wouldn’t be considered the same thing.