Albondigas Soup

A light, tomato based soup with meatballs and loaded with vegetables. Ground beef meatballs are stuffed with rice and mint. Be sure to use fresh mint in these meatballs and don't leave out the peas. To me this is what gives this soup alot of flavor. You could substitute ground turkey for the ground beef too.

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 3  tablespoons olive oil
• 1  large onion, chopped
• 1  large garlic clove, minced
• 48  ounces chicken broth
• 1 1⁄2 cups water
• 8  ounces tomato sauce
• 3  carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2  cups fresh green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 2  cups  fresh zucchini or 2  cups squash, sliced
• 1⁄3 cup  raw white rice
• 1  lb ground beef
• 1⁄4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
• 1⁄4 cup parsley, chopped
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1  egg
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (to taste)
• 1 1⁄2 cups  frozen peas or 14  ounces peas
• 1  teaspoon dried oregano or 1  tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
• 1⁄2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large heavy pot or dutch oven over medium heat.
2. Add onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and cook until soft, but donot burn it.
4. Add broth, water and tomato sauce.
5. Bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer.
6. Add carrots and green beans and zuchinni and simmer.
7. Prepare the meatballs by mixing the rice into the ground beef along with the mint, parsley, salt and pepper.
8. Mix in the raw egg.
9. Form into 1-inch round meatballs.
10. Add the meatballs to the simmering soup, one at a time
11. Cover and let simmer for approximately 45 minutes.
12. Add the peas, oregano and cilantro and a however much cayenne pepper.