Sopa de Albondigas con Conchas (Meatball Soup with Shell Pasta)
Sopa de Albondigas con Conchas (Meatball Soup with Shell Pasta)
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 2 pounds ground beef, lean
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
- 1/4 cup onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 cup long grain rice, uncooked
- 2 eggs, large
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
For the Soup Base
- 1 jalapeños, seeded and roughly chopped, or to taste
- 1 chipotle peppers in adobo, from can, or to taste
- 4 Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1/2 onion, quartered
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon tomato bouillon powder, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin, ground
- 2 cups water
For the Soup
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 pound small shell pasta, conchitas
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 4 cups water, additional, as needed for desired consistency
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 Mexican squash, diced (or zucchini)
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
For Serving
- 1/4 cup queso fresco, crumbled
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
- 1 teaspoon chili oil, for drizzling, or to taste
- 8 corn tortillas, warmed
Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, diced onion, minced garlic, smoked paprika, chili powder, uncooked long grain rice, eggs, and dried oregano. Mix thoroughly by hand until all ingredients are well combined.
⏱️ 10 min
- 2
Using an ice cream scoop for consistent sizing, form the meat mixture into meatballs. Place them on a tray and refrigerate while you prepare the rest of the soup.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the small shell pasta and fry, stirring frequently, until it turns a nice golden brown, about 3-5 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
While the pasta fries, combine the jalapeños, chipotle peppers, Roma tomatoes, quartered onion, peeled garlic cloves, 1/2 teaspoon salt, black peppercorns, bay leaves, chicken bouillon powder, tomato bouillon powder, dried oregano, ground cumin, and 2 cups of water in a blender. Blend until completely smooth.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Once the pasta is golden brown, add the tomato paste to the pot with the pasta. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, to lightly toast the tomato paste.
⏱️ 2 min
- 6
Pour the blended sauce mixture over the pasta and tomato paste in the pot. Stir well to combine. Add the additional 4 cups of water, or more as needed, to reach your desired soup consistency.
⏱️ 3 min
- 7
Adjust the seasoning with more salt and chicken bouillon to taste. Bring the soup to a simmer over medium-high heat.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
Carefully drop the prepared meatballs into the simmering broth, along with the diced carrots. Bring the soup back to a simmer, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium-low. Let it cook for about 10 minutes.
⏱️ 10 min
- 9
After 10 minutes, add the diced Mexican squash and the roughly chopped fresh cilantro to the pot. Cover again and cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender and the meatballs are cooked through.
⏱️ 7 min
- 10
Ladle the hot Sopa de Albondigas con Conchas into bowls. Garnish each serving with crumbled queso fresco, additional chopped fresh cilantro, and a drizzle of chili oil for an extra kick. Serve immediately, typically with warm corn tortillas on the side.
⏱️ 3 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Sopa de Albondigas con Conchas (Meatball Soup with Shell Pasta)
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 2 pounds ground beef, lean
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
- 1/4 cup onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 cup long grain rice, uncooked
- 2 eggs, large
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
For the Soup Base
- 1 jalapeños, seeded and roughly chopped, or to taste
- 1 chipotle peppers in adobo, from can, or to taste
- 4 Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1/2 onion, quartered
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon tomato bouillon powder, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin, ground
- 2 cups water
For the Soup
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 pound small shell pasta, conchitas
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 4 cups water, additional, as needed for desired consistency
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 Mexican squash, diced (or zucchini)
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
For Serving
- 1/4 cup queso fresco, crumbled
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
- 1 teaspoon chili oil, for drizzling, or to taste
- 8 corn tortillas, warmed
Instructions
- 1
In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, diced onion, minced garlic, smoked paprika, chili powder, uncooked long grain rice, eggs, and dried oregano. Mix thoroughly by hand until all ingredients are well combined.
⏱️ 10 min - 2
Using an ice cream scoop for consistent sizing, form the meat mixture into meatballs. Place them on a tray and refrigerate while you prepare the rest of the soup.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the small shell pasta and fry, stirring frequently, until it turns a nice golden brown, about 3-5 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
While the pasta fries, combine the jalapeños, chipotle peppers, Roma tomatoes, quartered onion, peeled garlic cloves, 1/2 teaspoon salt, black peppercorns, bay leaves, chicken bouillon powder, tomato bouillon powder, dried oregano, ground cumin, and 2 cups of water in a blender. Blend until completely smooth.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Once the pasta is golden brown, add the tomato paste to the pot with the pasta. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, to lightly toast the tomato paste.
⏱️ 2 min - 6
Pour the blended sauce mixture over the pasta and tomato paste in the pot. Stir well to combine. Add the additional 4 cups of water, or more as needed, to reach your desired soup consistency.
⏱️ 3 min - 7
Adjust the seasoning with more salt and chicken bouillon to taste. Bring the soup to a simmer over medium-high heat.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Carefully drop the prepared meatballs into the simmering broth, along with the diced carrots. Bring the soup back to a simmer, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium-low. Let it cook for about 10 minutes.
⏱️ 10 min - 9
After 10 minutes, add the diced Mexican squash and the roughly chopped fresh cilantro to the pot. Cover again and cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender and the meatballs are cooked through.
⏱️ 7 min - 10
Ladle the hot Sopa de Albondigas con Conchas into bowls. Garnish each serving with crumbled queso fresco, additional chopped fresh cilantro, and a drizzle of chili oil for an extra kick. Serve immediately, typically with warm corn tortillas on the side.
⏱️ 3 min