Albondiga Soup! It was a staple in my childhood home. I’ve been working on this recipe for a while now, I was trying to achieve the right texture and flavor. I think this is pretty close to the real deal. You can add any combination of veggies you like to this recipe, I used what I had in my fridge.
Ingredients
For the Albondigas
- 1 block of firm tofu
- 1/2 cup cooked white rice
- 1 cup vital wheat gluten
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp old bay seasoning
For the Soup
- 3 ripe roma tomatoes
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1/3 cup diced onion
- 1 cup water
- 3 large carrots
- 4 potatoes
- 2 celery stalks
- 2 jalapeno peppers
- salt
- 8 cups water or vegetable broth
- cilantro, onion, and limes to serve
Preparation
Step 1 – add 4 cups of vegetable broth to a large skillet and bring to a simmer; meanwhile place the tofu in a large mixing bowl, using a potato masher break the tofu up until it is completely mashed up; add the rice, cilantro, spices and mix well; taste for seasoning and adjust if needed.
Step 2 – add the vital wheat gluten and mix very well to combine; use your hands to knead the mixture; knead for about 4 minutes; take about 3 tbsp of the mixture and roll into a tight dense ball, place onto parchment paper and let them rest for 10 min; once the broth is simmering add the albondigas and cover, simmer for a total of 50 minutes, turning every 10 minutes; do not bring to a boil as this will change the texture of the final result; let the albondigas sit in the broth when they are done cooking.
Step 3 – make the soup; place the tomatoes, garlic, onion and 1 cup of water in a blender and process until smooth; heat 2 tbsp oil in a soup pot and pour in the tomato mixture, bring to a boil and cook until no foam remains, about 10 minutes; add 8 cups of water or vegetable broth, along with the jalapenos and return to a boil; add the carrots, celery, potatoes and cook for 15 minutes or until veggies are tender; gently add the albondigas one at a time, discard their cooking liquid; simmer for 15 minutes, adjust seasoning if needed.
Step 4 – the longer the albondigas sit in the tomato broth, the more flavorful they will be. One hour is good, 2 hours or overnight is best. Ladle hot soup into bowls and serve with chopped cilantro, onion, lime wedges, salsa and warm tortillas. Enjoy!
-Mia
LemonVinaigrette 