Name: Mexican Meatball Soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 1 lb. ground beef (80/20 preferred); ½ cup white rice (uncooked); 1 large egg; 2 Tbsp onion (finely minced); 2 garlic cloves (minced); ¼ cup fresh cilantro (chopped); 1 tsp salt; ½ tsp black pepper (freshly cracked); ½ tsp ground cumin; 1 Tbsp cooking oil; 1 medium onion (diced); 2 garlic cloves (minced); 2 Tbsp tomato paste; 6 cups beef broth; 1 cup tomato sauce; 2 medium carrots (peeled and sliced); 2 medium Yukon gold potatoes (peeled and diced); 1 tsp ground cumin; ½ tsp dried oregano; ½ tsp salt; ¼ tsp black pepper (freshly cracked); 2 medium zucchini (sliced into half moons); 1 Tbsp lime (from half a lime); ¼ cup fresh cilantro (chopped for serving)

Ingredients

Scale

1 lb. ground beef (80/20 preferred)
½ cup white rice (uncooked)
1 large egg
2 Tbsp onion (finely minced)
2 garlic cloves (minced)
¼ cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper (freshly cracked)
½ tsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp cooking oil
1 medium onion (diced)
2 garlic cloves (minced)
2 Tbsp tomato paste
6 cups beef broth
1 cup tomato sauce
2 medium carrots (peeled and sliced)
2 medium Yukon gold potatoes (peeled and diced)
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper (freshly cracked)
2 medium zucchini (sliced into half moons)
1 Tbsp lime (from half a lime)
¼ cup fresh cilantro (chopped for serving)

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Instructions

Gather and prep all ingredients.
In a large bowl, gently combine the ground beef, rice, egg, onion, garlic, cilantro, salt, pepper, and cumin. Mix just until combined.
Roll into 1½ inch meatballs and set aside. (About 20 balls)
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook 1-2 minutes until the paste darkens slightly.
Add the broth, tomato sauce, carrots, potatoes, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer.
Carefully add the meatballs to the simmering soup; don't stir for the first 5 minutes. Cover and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes.
Add zucchini and simmer for an additional 5 minutes until meatballs are fully cooked and rice is tender.
Stir in lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning. Ladle soup into bowls, sprinkle with chopped cilantro, and top with extra lime and queso fresco if desired.

Notes

For a spicier soup, consider adding chopped jalapeños or crushed red pepper flakes.
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days or frozen for longer storage.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1.5 cups)
Calories: 392
Sugar: 4g
Sodium: 680mg
Fat: 18g
Saturated Fat: 6g
Unsaturated Fat: 10g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 38g
Fiber: 5g
Protein: 23g
Cholesterol: 70mg

Nutritional information is an estimate. The nutritional values for your final dish may vary based on measuring differences and products used.