You know it’s fall in the Pacific NorthWest when I haul out my bright-orange dutch oven and start making soup. Albóndigas (Mexican meatball) soup has been in my regular rotation since discovering it in a Cooking Light cookbook years ago.  You could speed up the prep time significantly by tossing in a bag of Trader Joe’s turkey meatballs or even make a vegetarian version with their tofurky meatballs from the freezer section. Add a loaf of Beer-Cheese bread and you have a dinner to warm even the dampest PNW evening, plus your house will smell amazing.

Low-Fat Albóndigas Soup

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup cooked long-grain rice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 8 ounces ground turkey
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large egg white*
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion**
• 1 cup chopped seeded peeled tomato***
• 1 cup water
• 2 (15.75-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth or 1 32oz box
• 2 cups sliced celery**
• 2 cups sliced carrot**
• 1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed and drained****
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• Chopped avocado for garnish

* I use the whole egg.  I am far too lazy to separate it.

** I use the food processor and chop the onion, celery and carrots small enough that that kids can’t pick them out.

*** Does this really say to peel the tomato?  I have never done that and I am not about to start.  I do seed it though unless I use cherry tomatoes.

**** I use the roasted corn from Trader Joe’s and have never thawed/drained it.

Preparation

1. Combine the first 8 ingredients in a bowl, and shape the mixture into 24 (3/4-inch) meatballs.
   

   Yes, I am wearing gloves and don’t care if you mock me. I am not touching raw egg AND raw meat at the same time!

   

   Don’t make them too big. They need to cook all the way through.

   

   All ready for the soup pot.

2. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Stir in tomato, water, and broth; bring to a boil. Add celery, carrot, corn, and cumin, if desired.
   

   Mise en place.

3. Return to a boil; drop meatballs into pot. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender and meatballs are cooked. Stir in 3 tablespoons cilantro and garnish with avocado if desired.

Albondigas soup.