Colombian Meatball Soup Recipe

Ingredients

• 227 g (½ lb)minced pork
• 227 g (½ lb)minced beef
• 60 ml (¼ cup)Colombian aliños
• ½ teaspoonsalt
• 60 g (½ cup)precooked cornmeal or masarepa
• 120 ml (½ cup)warm water
• 240 ml (1 cup)Colombian aliños sauce
• 3fresh corn cobs, cut into 2 or 3 pieces each
• 2.84 litres (12 cups), or more if neededwater
• 2green plantains, peeled and cut crosswise into 5 cm (2-inch) pieces
• 4 mediumwhite potatoes, peeled and halved
• 454 g (1 lb)frozen or fresh yuca, cut into large pieces
• 60 ml (¼ cup)chopped fresh coriander
• ¼ teaspoonground pepper
• 1 teaspoonsalt

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the meatballs

   In a large bowl, combine the beef, pork, aliños, ½ teaspoon of salt, cornmeal and warm water. Knead by hand until thoroughly mixed, then shape into 8 meatballs and set them on a plate.

2. 2

   Start the soup

   Put the water, aliños sauce, meatballs, corn, 1 teaspoon of salt and green plantain in a large pot. Bring to the boil, then cover, lower the heat to medium and cook for about 45 minutes.

3. 3

   Add the vegetables

   Add the potatoes and yuca. Cook for a further 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender when pierced with a fork, then stir in the coriander.

4. 4

   Season and serve

   Taste and adjust the seasoning. Ladle into large soup bowls, sharing the meatballs and vegetables evenly between them.

What is sancocho de albóndigas?

Sancocho is a family of hearty soups and stews found in Colombia and elsewhere in Latin America, with regional versions built around vegetables, starchy roots and meat. This version centres on meatballs and combines them with corn, green plantain, potatoes and yuca.

The mix of ingredients makes the broth and bowl substantial, while the aliños brings the seasoning through both the meatballs and the soup. It is especially suited to a relaxed meal shared around the table.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 914 calories, 30g protein, 132g carbs, 32g fat.

The potatoes, plantain, corn and yuca provide most of the carbohydrates, while the minced pork and beef contribute protein and much of the fat. To balance the plate, serve the soup with a simple side salad or extra non-starchy vegetables.

The meatball mixture

Pork and beef: the two meats make up the meatballs, while the aliños, salt and pepper provide seasoning. Knead the mixture until it holds together evenly before shaping it into 8 balls.

Cornmeal: precooked cornmeal or masarepa helps bind the meat mixture. Add the stated warm water as well, so the mixture is workable rather than dry.

Building the broth

Aliños sauce: it goes into the pot with the water and provides the soup's base seasoning. The method uses aliños in both the meatballs and the broth.

Corn and plantain: these cook from the beginning, giving them time in the simmering broth before the potatoes and yuca are added.

When to add the roots

Potatoes and yuca: add these after the first 45 minutes of cooking, then simmer for 30 minutes more. The timing keeps them from cooking for the entire length of the soup's first simmer.

Fork test: the recipe's doneness cue is tender vegetables when pierced with a fork. If they need longer, continue cooking until they reach that point.

Getting the texture right

Meatballs: handle the mixture just enough to combine it well and form the 8 balls. Set them aside on a plate while you prepare the soup pot.

Vegetables: the recipe calls for large yuca pieces, halved potatoes and plantain cut into 5 cm pieces. Keep the pieces fairly even within each ingredient so they cook at a similar pace.

Serving the soup

Coriander: stir it in after the potatoes and yuca have cooked, then taste and adjust the seasoning before serving. This keeps the fresh herb as a finishing touch.

Even portions: divide the meatballs and vegetables evenly among 4 large soup bowls, then ladle over the broth. Serve as a filling main meal.

Recipe notes & tips

• Use a large pot so the meatballs and vegetables have room to cook in the broth.
• Shape the meatballs into 8 portions before starting the soup so they are ready to add.
• Cut the plantain crosswise into pieces about 5 cm long, as specified.
• Add the potatoes and yuca after the initial 45-minute simmer, not at the start.
• Check the vegetables with a fork before finishing the soup.
• Taste the broth at the end and adjust the seasoning before dividing it between bowls.

Variations

• Use fresh yuca: cut it into large pieces and add it at the same point as the potatoes.
• Use frozen yuca: add the pieces directly as directed, then check for fork tenderness.
• Change the meat blend: use a different balance of pork and beef while keeping the total amount the same.
• Adjust the broth: add more water if needed, as the recipe allows.
• Make smaller meatballs: divide the same mixture into more pieces for smaller portions in each bowl.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Dry meatball mixture: knead in the stated warm water until the ingredients hold together.
• Adding roots too early: wait until the first 45-minute cook is complete before adding potatoes and yuca.
• Uneven vegetable pieces: cut them to broadly similar sizes so they become tender at a similar rate.
• Guessing doneness by time alone: pierce the vegetables with a fork and continue cooking if they are still firm.
• Uneven bowls: divide the meatballs and vegetables between the bowls before ladling in the broth.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container and eat within 3 days. Reheat gently in a saucepan until hot throughout, adding a little water if the broth has thickened.

Frequently asked questions