Albondigas Soup (Mexican Meatball Soup)

Place a large, heavy-bottomed 5-quart pot on the stove and heat the oil over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the onion to the pot. Cook the onion until it becomes tender, which should take about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic to the pot with the cooked onion. Cook the garlic for about 1 minute, until it becomes fragrant.

Pour the stock, water, and tomato sauce into the pot. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and let the mixture simmer.

Add the green beans and carrots to the simmering liquid in the pot.

In a large bowl, combine the uncooked rice with the meat. Add the spearmint leaves, parsley, salt, and pepper to the bowl. Mix all the ingredients together thoroughly.

Crack the raw egg into the bowl with the meat and rice mixture. Mix the egg into the mixture until well combined.

Take small portions of the meat mixture and roll them into 1-inch meatballs. Set the meatballs aside.

Gently add the meatballs to the simmering soup, one at a time. Once all the meatballs are in the soup, cover the pot with a lid.

Let the soup simmer with the meatballs for 30 minutes.

A few minutes before the 30-minute simmering time is up, add the peas to the soup.

Add a few pinches of oregano to the soup. Then, sprinkle salt, pepper, and a dash of cayenne to taste.

Use a ladle to transfer the soup into bowls. Garnish each bowl with chopped fresh cilantro.