Use wild turkey in this albondigas soup for light, lean meatballs. (Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley photo)
February 21, 2018
By Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley
Print Recipe
Meatball soup is one of my cold-weather favorites, and this recipe was inspired by two sources: my husband, Rick's, side of the family and a friend. Rick's mother was Mexican, and she used to make this soup with potatoes and lots of cilantro. I fell in love with albondigas soup when Rick made it for me years ago.
Then recently my friend Juan Borrayo, whom I visited near San Francisco, also showed me his version of this soup. Juan is Guatemalan and his albondigas soup included lots of vegetables – whatever he had on hand, including zucchini, green beans, bok choy and corn – and wonderful fresh mint. The mint really makes a big difference, and the broth was savory, sweet and light. I ate bowls and bowls of it.
Though typically made with beef and/or pork, I think this soup tastes great with any ground meat; the turkey made for light, lean meatballs. You can also use whatever vegetables you like or have on hand – potatoes and zucchinis were what I had in the pantry at the time. I hope this recipe will become a family favorite in your home, too.
Serves: 6 Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 1 hour
Advertisement
Advertisement
Ingredients:
1 pound ground wild turkey 2 ½ tablespoons Knorr tomato bouillon with chicken flavor, separated ½ cup long-grain rice 1 bunch fresh mint Freshly cracked pepper, to taste 1 tablespoon oil 1 large onion, chopped 1 quart unsalted chicken stock 8 cups water 4-5 Yukon Gold potatoes 2 zucchinis Lime wedges Freshly chopped cilantro for garnish Hot sauce, optional Directions:
To make meatballs, combine ground turkey, 2 ½ a tablespoon of Knorr tomato bouillon, rice, about 2 tablespoons of freshly chopped mint leaves, and freshly cracked pepper to taste. Set aside. If you'd like, substitute 20 percent of the ground turkey with ground pork shoulder for added fat and flavor. (Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley photo) In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sweat for about 10 minutes – do not brown – stirring frequently. Next, add chicken stock and water to the pot and bring to a boil. Cut potatoes into large cubes. Lower heat to a lively simmer, then add potatoes and about 2 tablespoons of Knorr tomato bouillon. Form meatballs out of the ground meat mixture, and carefully drop them into the simmering stock. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through, and potatoes and rice are tender. Skim off any foam that forms. Using Knorr tomato bouillon gives you that delicious tomato taste without any hassle. (Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley photo) Cut zucchini into cubes and add to the pot. Cook for about 5-10 minutes more until zucchini becomes tender. Add about 2-3 tablespoons of freshly chopped mint. Then add chopped cilantro to taste. If needed, season soup with salt, pepper and/or more tomato bouillon. Ladle soup into bowls and serve with a squeeze of lime on top. Offer hot sauce on the side. Serve with any hot sauce you prefer for that added kick. (Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley photo)
