Beef, Black Bean & Rice Albóndiga Soup

Do you know how you start off making one recipe and it turns into something more delicious than you expected? That's exactly what happened when I made this soup last week. I had some ground beef that had been defrosted, but I knew I did not want to make burgers again. And since it had been extremely cold, I just wanted to eat soup every day! Albóndiga soup is one of my absolute favorites and I thought....hhmmm, what if I throw in some black beans?? It would have to be good. As I went along and started adding the spices, I realized it had a lot of the same ingredients as when I make me beef chili. It turned out to be the best chili soup with meatballs I could have imagined!

Yields up to 6 hearty servings or 8 as a starter

Ingredients:

For Albóndigas
1 pound 80/20 ground beef
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon dried onions or shallots
1/2 cup Jasmine rice
1/2 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
1 egg

In the picture above, you will notice 3 chile de arbol peppers, too. I kind of got into the habit of throwing in one to two peppers when making soups and stews, while it simmers — something my mom used to do.

For Soup Base:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium white onion, diced
1 serrano pepper, minced
1 green bell pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
2 bay leaves
6 cups low-sodium beef broth
2 cups crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon chile ancho powder
1/2 tablespoon tomato bouillon granules (Knorr brand)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Salt to taste
Juice of 1 lime
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed

For Garnishes
Fried tortilla strips
Guacamole or avocado slices
Lime wedges

Directions:

1. Start by combining all of the ingredients for the albóndigas, in the order listed. Using your hands form 18 meatballs and transfer to a plate. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until ready to use.

2. Preheat 2 tablespoons of olive oil to medium heat in a large heavy pot for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the onions, serrano and green bell pepper. Season lightly with a pinch of salt and pepper. cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic, cilantro, and Roma tomatoes. Cook for another minute.

3. Add the remaining ingredients for the soup base, minus the black beans. Stir well to combine, taste for salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat just slightly. Carefully add the albóndigas to the soup, stir gently. Cover and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes. During the last 10 minutes of cooking time, add in the remaining black beans. Cook for just another few minutes. Serve right away, garnish with fried tortilla strips, guacamole, and lime wedges. Yields up to 6 hearty servings or 8 as a starter.

Other recipes by Sonia:

Mini Gorditas Stuffed with Chorizo and Cheese
Tilapia In a Green Chile Sauce With Coconut Lime Rice
Chile Relleno with Serrano Shrimp
Tequila Lime Shrimp
Steak Ranchero and Potato Tacos
Pumpkin Empanadas
Annatto-Citrus Marinated Chicken
Kickin' Sloppy Joe & Cheddar Pie
Chile Garlic Shrimp Kabobs
Avocado Fries
Chicken Enchilada Soup with Chayotes
Chocoflan / Pastel Imposible

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