VEGAN MEXICAN MEATBALL SOUP

Brianna did an excellent job at making this recipe very detailed, so you shouldn’t have a problem at all following along. The recipe calls for two things that no matter what, you cannot substitute. Those are gardein beefless ground and the new follow your heart vegan egg. (This is not an ad. No monetary compensation is being provided by gardein or follow your heart.) If you don’t use these, your meatballs might fall apart while cooking, like mine did the first time I made this soup. This vegan Mexican meatball soup is a hearty soup filled with carrots, potatoes, celery, and amazingly tender meatballs. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 Tomato, medium
• 1/4 White or yellow onion
• 2 Carrots, regular size
• 1-2 Celery stalks
• 2-3 Caloro yellow peppers
• 3 Potatoes, small, cut into quarters
• 1 Mexican zucchini, small
• 3 sprigs Cilantro
• 6-8 Mint leaves
• 1 tbsp. Avocado oil, Any cooking oil is fine
• 1 package Gardein ground beef crumbles, defrosted (see note)
• 1 package Follow Your Heart vegan egg package (You need about "2 eggs")
• 1/3 cup White rice, long grain, raw
• 1 tsp. Black pepper
• 1 tsp. Garlic salt (garlic powder & salt works just 1/2 tsp of each)
• Vegan flavorings (I use 2 vegan not chicken and vegetable bouillon)

Preparation

1. First you will need to dice the tomato and onion. Make sure they are not large pieces. You're going to sauté that with the 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in a large cooking pot that you will also be cooking the albondigas in.
2. After you're done sautéing the tomato and onion, you will add water. Depending on how large the pot you're using, add water to about 1/2 or 3/4 of the pot will work. Use your best judgement. (Remember you will be adding vegetables later so make sure there is enough water for the soup.) Bring to a boil.
3. Once it's boiling, add salt, and vegan flavorings. Two of the not chicken and two of the vegetable bouillon cubes. (Depending on if you get the low sodium, you will need to add a lot more salt for flavor and taste until it's to your liking). Pepper is optional to add for flavor.
4. Next comes the making of the albóndiga. I recommend only Gardein ground beef. As it doesn't crumble as easily. Make sure you defrost it beforehand so it is not frozen.
5. Grab a bowl, and add the package of Gardein beef. Then add 1 teaspoon of black pepper, 1 teaspoon of garlic salt, and 1/3 of the white rice. Mix all together and add about 5-6 finely cut mint leaves into the mix. Adding the vegan egg last is easier as it can become messy.
6. You will need to make about 2 vegan eggs, and when mixed properly add it to the ground beef mixture. Make sure it's eggy enough to form an albóndiga that stays in shape. Mix all together and form the albóndigas (Meatballs).
7. One bag of the gardein beef will make about 6 very large albondigas, or even 10 small albondigas. However small or large you shape them, that number can drastically change.
8. As soon as the vegan flavorings, salt, and or pepper have been added and mixed in well and it's been boiling, add the albondigas.
9. It's crucial that once you've added in the albondigas to make sure that when you stir it around you're not making very much contact with the albondigas as you don't want them to fall apart but to keep their shape. Cook for 15 minutes or so.
10. Meanwhile chop up carrots, celery, and the calabaza. Do quarter cuts for the potato.
11. Add the cut up carrots, celery, calabaza, potato and yellow peppers (do not cut). You can lower this from boiling to medium low until vegetables are cooked. Cover pot and let it thoroughly cook together for about 15 minutes then add cilantro for finishing touch and let cook for a few minutes and you should have vegan albondigas! Don't forget the warm tortillas! Or even avocado slices!

Chef's Notes

The recipe calls for two things that no matter what, you cannot substitute. Those are gardein beefless ground and the new follow your heart vegan egg.If you don't use these, your meatballs might fall apart while cooking

More Deliciouse Recipe Vegan Mexican Meatball Soup @ dorastable.com