Albondigas Mexican Meatball Soup

Make the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, ground turkey, rice, egg, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, and cilantro and gently mix together until well combined. Use an ice cream scoop or your hands to shape the meatballs into 1½-inch balls, about the size of a golf ball. You should have about 25 meatballs.

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the canola oil and warm for about 1 minute. Working in batches, add the meatballs in a single layer and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to a baking sheet and repeat with the remaining meatballs.

Make the soup: Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the onion to the pot, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom with a wooden spoon. Cook until the onion is soft and translucent, 5–7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 2–3 minutes. Add the cumin, oregano, and ancho chile and continue cooking for another minute, until fragrant.

Add the carrots, celery, potatoes, salt, pepper, tomatoes and their juices, and stock and stir to combine. Cover the pot and let the soup simmer for 30–35 minutes, until the vegetables have softened.

Add the meatballs and cook, covered, until cooked through, 15–20 minutes.

Season the soup with salt, pepper, and lime juice to taste.

Immediately ladle the soup into bowls, discarding the ancho chile. Top with avocado, radishes, cilantro, queso fresco, serrano peppers, and a generous squeeze of lime juice. Serve with hot sauce on the side.

Enjoy!