Filipino Almondigas (Meatball Soup with Black Pepper Broth)

About This Recipe

Almondigas is the Filipino take on meatball soup, its name borrowed from the Spanish albondigas but its flavors distinctly Filipino -- a clear broth built on garlic, fish sauce, and a generous hit of black pepper, studded with tender pork meatballs and misua (thin wheat noodles) or vegetables. It's classic Filipino sick-day and rainy-day food, light but deeply savory. The technique centers on the meatballs staying tender: the pork mixture is bound gently with egg and a little breadcrumb or cornstarch rather than overworked, and the meatballs are simmered directly in the broth rather than fried first, which keeps them soft and lets their flavor season the soup as they cook. Black pepper is added generously, not as background seasoning but as a defining flavor note that gives the broth its warmth. Served with a squeeze of calamansi and steamed rice on the side, almondigas is the kind of dish every Filipino household makes slightly differently, but always centers on that peppery, garlicky broth and soft meatballs.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 400 gground pork
• 1egg
• 3 tbspbreadcrumbs
• 4 clovesgarlic(3 minced for meatballs, 1 for broth)
• 1onion(diced)
• 2 tbspfish sauce
• 1.5 tspblack pepper(freshly cracked, divided)
• 1.5 Lchicken or pork stock
• 1carrot(sliced)
• 1 cupnapa cabbage(sliced)
• 50 gmisua or thin egg noodles
• 2calamansi or lime(for serving)
• 2 tbspoil

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the meatballs

   Mix ground pork, egg, breadcrumbs, minced garlic, 1 teaspoon fish sauce, and half the black pepper until just combined. Shape into 1-inch balls.

2. 2

   Saute the aromatics

   Heat oil in a pot, saute remaining garlic and onion until fragrant and translucent, about 3 minutes.

3. 3

   Build the broth

   Add stock, remaining fish sauce, and remaining black pepper. Bring to a gentle boil.

4. 4

   Poach the meatballs

   Carefully drop meatballs into the simmering broth. Cook 10-12 minutes until they float and are cooked through, skimming any foam.

5. 5

   Add vegetables and noodles

   Add carrot, simmer 3 minutes, then add cabbage and misua noodles, cook 2-3 more minutes until noodles are tender.

6. 6

   Serve

   Ladle into bowls and serve hot with calamansi wedges on the side.

Variations

• •

  Add sliced potatoes for a heartier, more filling version.

• •

  Use ground beef instead of pork for a different flavor profile.

• •

  Swap misua for rice noodles or skip noodles entirely for a lighter soup.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days; the noodles will soften further, so consider storing noodles separately if making ahead. Reheat gently on the stove.

Frequently Asked Questions