Albondigas is the Spanish word for meatballs… so you know when those juicy, hearty, flavorful spheres of delight are mentioned in the title of Albondigas Stew, you’re going to be left feeling nice and satisfied. The great news is, it doesn’t stop there! The yummy balls of meat seasoned with all your Mexican favorites swim together with fresh veggies and potatoes in a salty, savory broth bath. Talk about a bowl rolling with flavor! That’s Albondigas Stew for you, and you’re sure to have a ball every time you enjoy it!
Ingredients
For the albondigas:
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup white onion, finely diced
- 1/4 cup long-grain white rice
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
For the stew:
- 48 ounces low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, undrained
- 3 large carrots, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 3-4 large russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 2 zucchini squash, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- water, optional, to taste
- cilantro, optional, freshly chopped, to taste, for serving
- lime wedges, optional, to taste, for serving
Directions
Step 1 –Add the ground beef, the egg, the onion, the rice, the garlic, the salt, the cumin, the garlic powder, the pepper, and the oregano to a large bowl and stir together.
Step 2 –Form 2-inch balls from the mixture and set the balls on a plate.
Step 3 –Add the chicken broth and the crushed tomatoes to a large soup pot or Dutch oven and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat.
Step 4 –Gently add the meatballs to the broth and let them cook for 10 minutes.
Step 5 –Add the carrots, the potatoes, and the zucchini to the pot and let them boil for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium-low.
Step 6 –Add some water to the stew, if needed, then let it simmer until the veggies are fork tender and the meatballs have reached an internal temperature of 160 degrees F, about 10-15 minutes.
Step 7 –Transfer the pan from the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes.
Step 8 –Serve the stew with the cilantro and the lime wedges.