I’ve recently noticed several recipes online and on cooking shows for Mexican Meatballs. Years ago, I made them from a recipe in a New Mexico Cooperative Extension cook booklet that my brother gave me. He raised his family in New Mexico. That recipe included raisins and said the meatballs were frequently served at wedding feasts. The recipes I was finding now did not include raisins, but the next time I make them, I’m adding them. I think they give a deeper flavor.
My granddaughter loves chili, and she was staying with
me the weekend before Halloween. We always
have a chili feast on Halloween, so knowing that … I needed to make us a soup
that I was sure she would eat but was not too close to chili. So, I reworked one of her favorites, chicken
tortilla soup, and made it with beef stock and ground beef Mexican Meatballs.
This soup recipe is so simple and includes lots of canned ingredients. It is quick to put together. While it begins to simmer, you can make the meatballs and air fry them. When they are done, just toss them into the simmering soup and in less than an hour, you have a delicious bowl of goodness.
Mexican Meatball Soup
1 quart of beef stock
2 15-ounce cans of mixed chili beans
1 15-ounce can fire roasted corn with peppers
½ cup uncooked rice
1 15-ounce can of red enchilada sauce
1 15- ounce can of fire roasted tomatoes
2 Tablespoons of tomato paste
1 can of tomatoes with chilis
1 small can of chili peppers
In a drizzle of olive oil, sauté the chopped onion and
peppers until they are soft. I keep a
bag of frozen chopped onions and peppers and that makes this even easier to
make. Add everything else on the
ingredient list. Don’t drain the
vegetables. Stir it to combine, bring to
a boil then turn down to a simmer.
While the soup simmers, make the Mexican Meatballs. This, too, is a shortcut recipe.
Mexican Meatballs
1 pound ground beef1 package of taco seasoning mix
1 can of green chilis
1 Tablespoon dried minced onion
1 egg and ½ cup of dried breadcrumbs
¼ cup of chopped fresh cilantro
Mix all the
meatball ingredients together. Use a
small cookie scoop and portion out the meatballs. With wet hands, roll the meatballs until they
are firm. Cook the meatballs in your air
fryer. I cooked them at 370 degrees for
about 8 minutes. Watch them because
every air fryer seems to be different, and you don’t want to burn them.
When they are done, gently drop them into the soup pot and let it simmer for another 30 minutes. You are done! Delicious soup that is great topped with shredded cheese, corn chips or salt crackers. It is a wonderful meal served with warm cornbread.
