Mexican Shrimp Albondigas in Garlic-Lime Broth

About This Recipe

Albondigas soup is a beloved Mexican comfort food, usually made with seasoned ground beef meatballs simmered in a tomato-based broth. This coastal variation swaps beef for chopped shrimp, bound lightly with egg and breadcrumbs, and simmers them in a lighter garlic-lime broth instead of the traditional tomato base -- a nod to the seafood-forward cooking found along Mexico's Pacific and Gulf coasts. The technique that matters most is not overworking the shrimp mixture -- shrimp gets tough and rubbery if processed too much, so it's pulsed just until coarsely chopped, not pureed smooth, keeping some texture in each bite. The meatballs are gently poached directly in the simmering broth rather than fried first, which keeps them tender and lets their flavor infuse the broth as they cook. Served with warm corn tortillas and a squeeze of extra lime, this soup is light but satisfying, showing how classic Mexican comfort food techniques translate naturally to seafood along the coast.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 500 graw shrimp(peeled, deveined, roughly chopped)
• 1egg
• 0.33 cupbreadcrumbs
• 2 tbspcilantro(chopped, plus more for garnish)
• 2 clovesgarlic(minced, divided)
• 1 tspsalt(divided)
• 2 tbspoil
• 1onion(diced)
• 1jalapeño(diced)
• 6 cupschicken or seafood stock
• 0.25 cuplime juice
• 1zucchini(diced)
• 8corn tortillas(for serving)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the shrimp mixture

   Pulse chopped shrimp in a food processor just a few times until coarsely ground, not smooth. Mix with egg, breadcrumbs, cilantro, half the garlic, and 1/2 tsp salt.

2. 2

   Shape the meatballs

   Form the mixture into small meatballs, about 1.5 inches, and refrigerate while you prepare the broth.

3. 3

   Build the broth base

   Heat oil in a pot over medium heat. Cook onion and jalapeño 5-6 minutes until soft, then add remaining garlic and cook 30 seconds.

4. 4

   Simmer the broth

   Add stock and remaining salt, bring to a gentle simmer.

5. 5

   Poach the meatballs

   Gently drop the shrimp meatballs into the simmering broth along with the diced zucchini. Simmer 8-10 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through and float.

6. 6

   Finish and serve

   Stir in lime juice off the heat. Ladle into bowls, garnish with cilantro, and serve with warm corn tortillas.

Variations

• •

  Add diced potato to the broth along with the zucchini for a heartier soup.

• •

  Use a mix of shrimp and white fish for a more varied seafood meatball.

• •

  Add a can of diced tomatoes to the broth for a closer nod to classic tomato-based albondigas.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days. The meatballs can turn slightly firmer on reheating -- warm gently over low heat rather than boiling hard.

Frequently Asked Questions