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Grandma Salazar's Albóndigas Soup

Source of Recipe

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Grandma Salazar's Albóndigas Soup

Cooking Light - May 2005 - Traci Des Jardins, - Mijita, San Francisco, California,
15 reviews rate this recipe 4.5 of 5 stars.
8 servings (serving size: about 1 cup soup and 1-1/2 teaspoons cilantro)
Prep 5 min. + standing 20 min. - Add Prep 10 min. - Chill 20 min. - Saute 10 min. - Cook 45 min.

Albóndigas soup is a traditional Mexican soup featuring spicy meatballs offset by the fresh flavors of vegetables and herbs.

Ingredients:
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup short-grain rice

Cooking spray
2 cups chopped onion, 'divided'
1 (1-ounce) slice white bread
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro, 'divided'
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 pound lean ground pork
1/2 pound ground sirloin
2 large egg whites
1 cup chopped carrot
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup chopped seeded peeled tomato (about 8 ounces)
4 cups (1 [32-ounce] carton) fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 cups chopped zucchini
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste

Preparation:
Pour water over rice, and let stand 20 minutes. Drain.

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 1/2 cup onion to pan; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.

Place bread in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs measure 1-1/4 cups. Combine rice, cooked onion, breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup cilantro, cumin, 1/4 teaspoon salt, oregano, pork, sirloin, and egg whites, stirring well. Shape mixture into 29 (1-inch) meatballs. Chill for 20 minutes.

Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add 10 meatballs, and cook 6 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove meatballs from pan; drain well on paper towels.

Wipe drippings from pan with a paper towel. Repeat procedure with cooking spray and remaining meatballs. Return pan to heat. Coat with cooking spray. Add remaining 1-1/2 cups onion, carrot, and garlic to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Add tomato to pan, stirring to combine. Stir in broth; bring mixture to a boil. Add meatballs and mint to pan. Reduce heat, and simmer 35 minutes. Add zucchini, remaining pepper to pan. Cook 10 minutes. Add salt to taste, if desired. Garnish with remaining 1/4 cup cilantro.


Note:
Chilling the meatballs for 20 minutes helps them hold their shape when cooked. Albóndigas (ahl-bon-dee-gas) is Spanish for "meatballs".

1/8 of recipe equals: Calories 181 (Calories from fat 21 %); Fat 4.4 g (Satfat 1.6 g); Protein 15.5 g; Carbohydrate 20.4 g; Fiber 2.9 g; Cholesterol 36 mg; Sodium 356 mg