This Vegan Mexican Meatball Soup, or Sopa De Albondigas, is a tasty, easy, and wholesome meal that will quickly become part of your regular meal rotation. Delicious vegan meatballs are cooked with tasty vegetables in a deep, rich, savoury tomato broth. Served over spaghetti or noodles, it's the perfect comfort food for any season of the year.
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Origins Of Mexican Meatball Soup
Albóndigas, Spanish for "meatballs," gives its name to Mexican meatball soup, also known as Spanish meatball soup. The primary ingredients of this soup are homemade meatballs and vegetables, cooked in a tomato-based broth. Contrary to what the name might suggest, the origins of meatball soup are traced back to the Middle Eastern region, not Mexico itself.
During medieval times, Middle Eastern conquerors ruled over parts of Europe, blending their cooking techniques and recipes with European cookery. It was the Spanish conquerors who, in the 16th century, introduced meatball soup to Mexico. This blending of different cookery during the Spanish colonisation introduced new flavours and ingredients, which resulted in traditional recipes evolving over the centuries.
Today, Albóndigas soup is part of Mexico's traditional home-cooking, with numerous regional and family variations across the country. Each version of the soup reflects local tastes and traditions, showcasing local ingredients from mint and rice in the meatballs to different local vegetables in the broth. It is regarded as a family favourite comfort food soup.
Vegan Mexican Meatball Soup
Our family recipe for vegan Mexican meatball soup may not be authentic, but it is inspired by the traditional Mexican dish. My family loved this savoury, rich, and delicious meatball soup, and it is now on our monthly menu rotation, especially now that the chilly autumn weather has arrived and is here to stay in the Scottish Highlands.
Update: We have enjoyed this meatball soup throughout the year, even during the summer, as the flavours are nice and fresh, and the soup is not too heavy. Also, as the seasons change, you can replace some of the vegetables with seasonal ones.
Ingredients
The ingredients I use for this soup include cherry tomatoes, courgettes/zucchini, carrots, potatoes, onions, garlic, tomato paste, tomato passata (plain pureed tomatoes), and a packet of vegan meatballs. Vegan stock, oregano, a little bit of chili powder, and a few tablespoons of fresh coriander/cilantro provide tasty flavours, along with a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
I choose to use ready-made vegan meatballs to keep the recipe quick and easy. However, I have provided a link in the recipe notes to a vegan meatball recipe for those interested in preparing their own. There are also some suggestions for meatball substitutions.
How To Prepare
We like to roast the tomatoes and courgette (zucchini) before adding them to the soup, as roasting brings out the sweetness and flavour of the vegetables.
Step 1: Add the courgette slices and cherry tomatoes onto a baking tray.
Step 2: Roast for 25 minutes. Set aside until required.
Step 3: Sauté the onions and garlic in olive oil or vegetable stock.
Step 4: Add the carrot slices and potato chunks. Stir and cook for a few minutes.
Step 5: Mix through the chilli powder and tomato paste.
Step 6: Add the vegan meatballs.
Step 7: Pour in the tomato passata and vegetable stock. Season with salt and black pepper.
Step 8: Sprinkle in the oregano and chopped coriander - we used chopped frozen coriander.
Step 9: Bring to a simmer and cook for 25-30 minutes until the potatoes and carrots are fork tender.
Step 10: Pop in the roasted tomatoes and courgette slices.
Step 11: Simmer for an extra five minutes, before adding a tablespoon of lime juice.
Step 12: About 15 minutes before the meatball soup is ready, prepare the spaghetti or your chosen noodles. Cook according to the packet instructions. Drain the spaghetti or noodles and add them to the serving bowls.
Serve: Serve the Mexican meatball soup ladled over the noodles. An extra sprinkle of oregano adds flavour. Provide lime or lemon wedges for a pop of zinginess. A dash of hot sauce is perfect for those who love heat, and a few tortilla chips on the side add the perfect crunch.
Recipe Notes
Storing
Leftover meatball soup can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, within a covered container. Or frozen in a freezer-safe container for 2-3 months.
Reheating
Leftover vegan meatball soup can be placed in a pan and brought to a simmer. Reheat for 3-5 minutes until piping hot throughout. Any leftover spaghetti or noodles can be stored along with the meatball soup and reheated in the same pan. Defrost leftovers completely before reheating.
FAQ'S
With a few changes, it is easy to prepare this soup as gluten-free. Choose gluten-free vegan meatballs, ensure that your stock is gluten-free, and use gluten-free spaghetti or noodles.
You can try this vegan meatball recipe available on the Good Food website. Alternatively, chopped chunks of vegan burgers or sausages would serve well as a meatball substitute. You could also substitute the vegan meatballs with large whole tomatoes or whole mushrooms, such as chestnut, button, or regular mushrooms. Another option is to add a can of pinto, borlotti, cannellini, or butter beans instead of the meatballs.
Yes, there are several substitutions you can make to tailor the soup to your taste or availability of ingredients:
* Replace the courgette/zucchini with green bell pepper.
* Substitute the cherry tomatoes for halved or quartered larger tomatoes, or use a red bell pepper instead.
* Use dried garlic and onion powder in place of fresh onion and garlic.
* Swap the tomato passata for two 400g/15oz cans of chopped tomatoes.
* Replace the white potato with sweet potato or butternut squash.
* If you've run out of carrots, sweetcorn makes a great substitute.
Passata is simply pureed and sieved uncooked tomatoes, and can be found in most UK supermarkets and small grocery stores.
In the US, some varieties of passata may be labeled as tomato sauce (intended for pasta, etc., and not a condiment like tomato ketchup).
Passata usually comes in tall glass bottles or jars, or in a cardboard package.
If you can't find passata, you can replace it with the same amount of chopped tomatoes. You might choose to blend the chopped tomatoes, although that's not necessary. Alternatively, you can blend fresh tomatoes.
More vegan Mexican recipes
Even though we are a Scottish family, some of our favourite meals are Mexican-inspired, so we often enjoy tasty Mexican dishes. Our kids' absolute favorite is this Refried Beans recipe - they could literally eat it by the bowlful!
For another fun Mexican soup, this Mexican Noodle Soup is very quick to prepare, and for easy mid-week meals, we like the Mexican Rice and Bean Casserole, which features a crunchy, cheesy nacho topping.
For snacks, lunch, or as part of a larger Mexican meal, these Loaded Black Bean Potato Wedges are always a hit.
***please note: for US measurements click the 'US customary button' within the recipe and the measurements will switch to tablespoons, cups, and ounces.***
📖 Recipe
Vegan Mexican Meatball Soup
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Stock pot/soup pot/ Dutch oven pan
- Saucepan
- mixing spoon
Ingredients
To sauté onion and garlic:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil [optional, can replace with 125ml/ ½ cup vegetable stock]
- 130 grams onion [1 small-medium diced, or 2 teaspoons of onion powder]
- 4 cloves garlic [thin sliced or minced, or 2 teaspoons garlic powder]
Rest of soup:
- 400 grams vegan meatballs [fresh or frozen, we used Co-op Gro frozen meatball]
- 170 grams carrot [thick sliced into ½-¾ cm circles]
- 230 grams potatoes [sliced into bitesize chunks]
- 150 grams cherry tomatoes [or larger tomatoes halved/quartered]
- 150 grams courgette [zucchini, thin sliced into circles]
- 1 teaspoon oregano [use Mexican oregano if available]
- ½ teaspoon chilli powder [use more to taste]
- 2 tablespoons coriander [cilantro, either fresh or frozen, chopped]
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 500 grams tomato passata [or 2 400g/14oz cans chopped tomatoes]
- 1.5 litres vegetable stock
To serve:
- 200 grams spaghetti pasta [uncooked] [or thick pasta noodles, rice, quinoa, or orzo, prepare more if feeding hungry people]
- 1 ½ limes [quarter one of the limes, and squeeze the juice out of the other half, or replace with lemon]
Optional garnish:
- 4 tablespoons coriander [cilantro, for garnish]
Instructions
Preheat oven to 180 Fan / 200 Celsius / 392 Fahrenheit / Gas 6.
- Place the sliced courgettes and whole cherry tomatoes onto a baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside until required.150 grams courgette, 150 grams cherry tomatoes
Meanwhile prepare the soup:
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat in the soup pan. Alternatively, if using vegetable stock, heat it up.1 tablespoon olive oil
- Cook the onion for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, then add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. If using vegetable stock, gently simmer the onion and garlic together for 6 minutes.130 grams onion, 4 cloves garlic
- Next, add the carrot and potato and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.170 grams carrot, 230 grams potatoes
- Mix through the tomato paste, chilli powder, coriander, and oregano. Stir and cook for 1 minute.1 teaspoon oregano, ½ teaspoon chilli powder, 2 tablespoons coriander, 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- Add the meatballs and cook and stir for 1 minute.400 grams vegan meatballs
- Pour in the passata and vegetable stock, and add a few pinches of salt and some black pepper.500 grams tomato passata, 1.5 litres vegetable stock
- Stir and then bring to a gentle boil and cook for 25-30 minutes.
Cook the spaghetti:
- While the soup is cooking, prepare the spaghetti according to the package instructions. Once cooked, drain and set it aside until the soup has finished cooking.200 grams spaghetti pasta [uncooked]
Finish the soup:
- Next, add the roasted tomatoes and courgette to the soup pan and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add salt and pepper to taste, and add about a tablespoon of fresh lime juice.1 ½ limes
- Divide the cooked spaghetti between four bowls and ladle over portions of the soup.
- Serve with a wedge of lime to squeeze into the soup for a fresh, zingy kick, and sprinkle over some coriander, if liked.1 ½ limes, 4 tablespoons coriander
Notes
- Nutritional information is provided for guidance only and is not a strict analysis as ingredients vary.
- Leftovers can be stored in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Or freeze for 2-3 months.
- Leftovers can be reheated by adding to a saucepan and bringing to a simmer. Reheat for 3-5 minutes until piping hot throughout. Any leftover spaghetti can be added to the soup and heated simultaneously.
- Defrost completely before reheating.
- Leftovers are very tasty for next days lunch.
- For a gluten-free meatball soup choose gluten-free vegan meatballs, gluten-free stock and gluten-free spaghetti, pasta or noodles. Or replace the pasta with rice.
- Replace the vegan meatballs with chopped up cooked vegan burgers or sausages, or chestnut/button/regular mushrooms, or medium sized tomatoes. Simply pop the mushrooms or tomatoes into the soup at the time the meatballs would be added, or roast along with the cherry tomatoes and courgettes. Pop the roasted mushrooms or tomatoes in the soup 5 minutes before serving.
- Or use a can of drained borlotti, cannellini, pinto or butterbeans instead of using meatballs.
- We recommended using dried Mexican oregano if available as this herb provides lemony citrus flavours whereas regular Italian oregano lends more minty notes. But any variety is perfectly fine.
- You can use more chilli powder than is stated on this recipe. The spiciness of chilli powder varies depending on what country you are purchasing it from so you can add chilli powder to taste.
- If you enjoy extra spice you can garnish the soup with fresh chilli or add fresh chilli to the soup. Or add a few drops of hot sauce to the finished soup.
- Guacamole, vegan sour cream, and salsa are nice accompaniments and can be added on to each portion as a garnish.
- A nice idea is to serve tortilla chips on the side as these provide a delicious crunch and can be dipped into the soup.
- Grated vegan cheese or nutritional yeast flakes are a nice garnish.
Nutrition
Comments
Prepared our Vegan Mexican Meatball Soup recipe? We would love to know how you got on with the recipe so do drop us a comment below and click the star ratings. All feedback is very much appreciated. Thanks so much! All the best, Jacq x
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