Salvadoran Albondiga soup

Salvadoran Albondiga Soup with vegetables and fideo Salvadoran albondiga soup with vegetables recipe Alicia Maher Delicious El Salvador

By Alicia Maher

Serves 4-6

1 pound lean ground beef  

1 egg 

½ cup chopped tomato

2 tablespoon flour or bread crumbs  

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ cup chopped onion

½ cup chopped red bell pepper

½ cup chopped parsley

½ cup chopped cilantro

½ cup chopped celery

2 teaspoons beef or chicken bouillon

8-10 cups water

1 cup cubed potatoes (about 1-inch)

1 cup sliced carrots (about ½-inch rounds)

1 guisquil (chayote) peeled and cut in cubes (about 1-inch)

2 ounces fideo pasta

In a deep bowl combine the ground beef, egg, chopped tomato, flour or bread crumbs salt, and black pepper. Mix well and shape this mixture into an albóndiga, or meat ball, about the size of a golf ball. It yields about 14 albóndigas.

In large and deep pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the albóndigas and brown for about 2 minutes. Add the onion, red bell pepper, parsley, cilantro, celery, salt, and chicken bouillon. Cook while stirring for another minute. Add the water, increase heat to high, and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce flame to medium, cover, and cook for about 15 minutes.

Increase the heat to high again and bring the soup to a boil. Add the potatoes, carrots and guisquil, reduce the flame to medium, and cook covered for 15 minutes.

When the potatoes, carrots and guisquil are tender, add the fideo pasta into the soup, and gently stir just long enough to break the pasta. Cover and cook for about 5 more minutes. Adjust the seasoning with salt and serve hot.