Tortilla Meatball Soup

I’m always looking for yummy recipes that use ground beef – my kids love it, and more importantly, I always seem to have it in the freezer.  But without resorting to “Hamburger Helper” (eck!). it is tough to come up with new, and tasty, recipes that use hamburger. When I saw this one in Cooking Light Magazine, I knew it was worth a try.  And boy, am I glad!  It was absolutely delicious!

Because I am incapable of following a recipe exactly (I never manage to buy ALL the right ingredients, and I tend to go off into my own world while cooking), this is my adaptation.  I think because this is a soup, you can adapt it quite liberally to match your own preferences.

2 Jalapeno peppers

1 red bell pepper

2 cups frozen roasted corn (you can use fresh and roast it if you have the time)

3 cups tostada chips

3/4 tsp. kosher salt

3 tsp. chopped garlic

1/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs, but feel free to use what you have)

1 pound ground sirloin

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 small can tomato sauce

1 Tbs. olive oil

2 cups chopped onion

1 cup slice carrot

3 cups chicken broth

2 cups water

1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack chees

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 avocados

 

1.  Preheat broiler

2.  Cut jalapenos and bell pepper in half lengthwise; scrape out membranes and seeds.

Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet.  Broil 5 – 7 minutes. Remove and let cool.  Peel and chop finely.

Combine 1/4 tsp. salt, 1 1/2 tsp. garlic, panko, sirloin, beaten egg, and tomato sauce.

Shape meat mixture into 24 meatballs (about 2 Tbs. each)

Place a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add olive oil to pan; swirl to coat.  Add meatballs to pan, cooking for 8 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove from pan.

Add onion and carrots to pan.  Saute 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add remaining garlic.  Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Add peppers, corn, broth, and 2 cups water.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; simmer 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.

Return meatballs to pan.  Add remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and return to simmer.  Cook 10 more minutes, or until meatballs are cooked through.

Ladle soup into bowls.  Top with cheese, corn tostadas, and sliced avocado.

 

Happy Eating!

Tagged as: avocadoes, ground beef, sirloin, Tortilla Meatball Soup