Albondigas Soup - Mexican Meatball Soup

Albondigas is a Mexican meatball soup that B and I grew up with and love. One of our first dates was to La Casa Garcia and B was obsessed with their Albondigas. I make mine a little differently but we love it the same way. I also make this very veggie heavy to add some extra healthfulness, you can adapt this recipe to whatever is on sale or veggies you prefer. Just a word of caution, this recipe make a TON of soup, it is perfect to freeze or entertain with, just make sure you have a large enough pot. This recipe has a lot of ingredients but all of them should be easy to find and definitely are worth it.

This picture is actually from when we had some dear friends over and it hit the spot!

Albondigas
Serves 12

1 1/2 lb. ground chicken or turkey (the leaner meats are traditional - I used Chicken)
1 large bunch cilantro, divided
1/2 cup corn meal
2 onions - chopped
3 Tablespoons garlic, minced
1 bunch celery - chopped
1 lb carrots - chopped
3 yellow summer squash - sliced into half rounds
4 zucchini - sliced into half rounds
2 large sweet potatoes - chopped
1 can red enchilada sauce
1 can green enchilada sauce
1 can green chiles 2-3 cups beans (I used black and have also loved spicy pinto beans in the past)
3-4 cans of chicken broth (it depends on how much liquid you need)
Taco Seasoning - to your taste preference
Chipotle Powder - to your taste preference
Chile Powder - to your taste preference
Cinnamon - just a dash
Salt and Pepper - to taste
1 Tablespoon Olive or Vegetable Oil
Garnishes - Sour Cream, Cilantro, Cheese, Green Onions, etc.

1. Heat the oil in a very large pot and add the onions. Saute until clear and add the garlic, celery and carrots, soften.
2. Add the zucchini, squash, and sweet potatoes, and saute until slightly softened. 
3. Add the enchilada sauces, green chiles, beans, and broth until all the vegetables are covered. Lower the heat to med-low and let simmer.
4. Now you can make the meatballs - combine the chicken (or turkey), cornmeal, half of the cilantro (chopped), salt, pepper, and some chipotle powder. Do not overwork too much. Roll into 1 Tablespoon sized balls. Line on a wax paper covered cookie sheet. Continue until all done with the meat mixture. Put in the freezer for 15-20 minutes to firm up.
5. Add your desired spices to the soup and taste test, once you are good with the flavor, add the meatballs, one-at-a-time.
6. Make sure there is enough liquid to have a soup consistency, if not, add more broth or water.
7. Let simmer for 20 minutes and cut one meatball open to ensure they are cooked through.
8. The soup is ready to serve and garnish with your desired toppings. Enjoy and freeze the extras. It is like the best chicken soup when you feel under the weather!