Lamb Meatball Soup (Sopa de Albndigas)
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 6
Nutritional Information Per Serving (1 of 6): Calories 320, Total Fat 22 g, Saturated Fat 9 g, Carbohydrates 12 g, Dietary Fiber 2 g, Sugar 3 g, Protein 20 g, Cholesterol 82 mg, Sodium 905 mg
Total Time: 55 min | Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 40 min
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus additional for seasoning
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup finely chopped white onion
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 celery stalks, finely diced
- 1 ear of corn, kernels removed
- 1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 whole serrano chile
- In a spacious bowl, combine the ground lamb, chopped mint, salt, black pepper, and egg. Mix well by hand until evenly blended. Form the mixture into meatballs about 1 tablespoon each and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet (about 1618 meatballs).
- Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and tomato paste and cook, stirring, until the onion softens and the paste is incorporated, about 3 minutes. Add the celery, corn, and carrot and cook until slightly tender, about 2 minutes.
- Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Gently add the lamb meatballs and the bay leaf. Slice the serrano chile down the middle without cutting all the way through, add it to the pot, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 35 minutes.
- Skim any fat from the surface with a large spoon and discard. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed before serving.
