Tortilla Meatball Soup

Too labor intensive for the finished product, though leftovers were better after the flavors melded a little.  Doubt I'd make this again though.

Very tasty. Substituted vegetable broth in place of chicken broth. Added a can of tomato purée. Otherwise followed recipe. Delicious and would definitely make again!

Amazing! I left out the panko and cilantro, because I did not have any. My corn came from a can, undrained. Since I am using up the last of the vegetables from the garden, I used Anaheim chilies (2) in place of the red bell pepper, and I used 7 jalapenos altogether. My meat was 90% lean ground beef. I don't like whole chunks of chipotle chili from the can, so when I open a can, I blend it all with its sauce and a little water. Then I freeze it, and when I need some, I use a knife to remove chunks. That way, none gets wasted. So I used about a teaspoon of the puree in the meat and added another 2 teaspoons to the broth along with a generous teaspoon of chili powder. Just right! Instead of all the water, I added 3 cups stewed tomatoes from my garden.This soup is good even without the toppings if you don't want the calories, but the cheese and baked tortilla take this to a whole new level. I baked the tortillas at 425 for 6 minutes, as I burned the first batch trying to broil them. Yummy!

Solid recipe. I don't like a ton of heat and this has just the right amount. It needed a little more salt, but other than that I wouldn't change anything. The tortilla strips really make the soup! Don't try and shortcut by using tortilla chips.

I loved this recipe too. I didn't have jalapeno peppers or the chipotle chile so I used a small can of fire roasted whole green chilis. I also felt like the broth lacked a little flavor (maybe because of the switch in peppers) so I added a little more salt and some cumin (added that because I didn't have fresh cilantro on hand). I also added a little more broth (1c) as my family doesn't like thick soups. It turned out great!! The meatballs were delicious as well as the soup. I'm not a big fan of really spicey stuff so I might keep it this way. If you don't have corn on cob, I also used frozen sweet corn and that tasted great (I'm sure the broiled corn would have been good though.

I'm a foodie and I don't typically follow a recipe, but when I saw the picture on the cover at the airport I bought the issue!! I am now hooked on COOKING LIGHT!!!! Best magaizine I've ever picked up. However, I did change some things. We love HOT in my family, so I used the entire can of chipotle with adobo sauce. I poured the remaining adobo sauce into the broth mixture. I also baked the meatballs in the oven. Much better idea and cut a HUGE portion of fat from the dish. I also added a can of crushed tomatoes. Chili powder was also added. The last two items gave it more of a tortilla soup broth. Everyone loved it and I will make it again. Great twist to Tortilla and Albondigas Soup!!!

Delicious!! Very flavorful despite the relatively short cooking time. I made the recipe as written and loved it, but I also like some of the other reviewers' suggestions to add a can of tomatoes. I'll try that next time...and maybe throw a little chile powder into the broth as well. I might also try adding some extra potatoes, carrots and peppers to transform it into more of a stew. Will definitely be making again this winter!

Made for the first time this evening. Local store didn't have jalapeno peppers so we used Anaheim instead. Also, instead of the water I used a 14 oz can of diced tomatoes with the juice, and a can of Bush's Grilling Beans - Black Bean Fiesta flavor, since it has corn, peppers, and onions in a southwest sauce. Came out fantastic. My wife is hesitant to try new foods, but she loved it. We will definitely be making this again. I'd also like to try it with some stewed pork roast instead of the meatballs!

This recipe is so flavorful, spicy and hearty! I've made it many times this fall. I now add an additional red pepper and jalapeno, an extra cup of the carrots and potatoes, and a can of tomatoes (as another reviewer recommended). I also add just shy of a whole can of chiptole peppers to the meatballs (also replacing the sirloin with ground turkey). The first time I made the meatballs, I forgot the egg and they held very well, so I have continued to omit the egg. I also brown the meatballs in the oven at 350 for 20 minutes. This is the one soup recipe that I always crave. It's a bit of work and time, but well worth it!

Wow! This soup has amazing flavor. All the work I put into it was well worth it. My family loved it, and I will definitely make it again. Take your time eating this, just savor, savor, savor.

This is one of the WORST recipes I have ever made. If I could have given it negative stars, I would have. I had to add all sorts of stuff to make it even edible. I have no idea what the reviews are talking about. I am from Texas, and this is FAAAAAARRRR from tortilla soup. What a waste of time and food. ;(

I loved this soup! I don't like chiles in adobo sauce so I left those out, but added some black pepper and chile powder to the meatballs instead- they turned out excellent! I made this for a party I was having & didn't have time to make this the day of the party so I made it the night before, put it in the frige, & put it in the crockpot the next day to warm it up. Everyone loved it! I will be making this again! It's a perfect soup for cold weather.

A great soup! At some point I'll make it with the meatballs, but it's also quite good with chicken. I don't eat red meat (much), and I was looking for a chicken tortilla soup recipe, and couldn't find one I liked. In this recipe, to substitute for the meatballs I used a pound of leftover rotisserie chicken and a 1/2-tsp chipotle chili powder. That much chipotle maybe too hot for some, but for me it was great. I kept the 6 tsp of garlic; unless you're a garlic nut (like me) I'd cut that in half if using chicken. I used frozen corn since that was all I had. I also added a can of petite diced tomatoes. I thought it was great. Even my husband, who's not a soup eater, ate two full bowls.

I agree with previous reviews that this soup is wonderful. So hearty and spicy, and unusual enough to not seem like "everyday" food. I doubled the recipe and added a can of diced tomatoes as suggested in previous reviews. I might save a little time next time by using bottled roasted red peppers and jalapenos. My tortilla strips didn't come out looking like the ones in the photo either, and they weren't as crispy as I'd expected. I skipped the cilantro since my household doesn't care for it. The meatballs were wonderful and were the easiest ones I've ever made; no problems whatsoever with them falling apart in the pan or the soup. I will make this again--satisfying and healthy winter meal.

Outstanding! We did not discard the seeds of the jalapeno...added a nice kick.

This recipe is a good base. However, I found it to be quite bland. I added chili powder, paprika and red pepper flakes at the end to make it more flavorful. Next time I will likely add tomatoes, more chipotle chilies to the meatballs and more broth. Both my kids (2 and 18 months) loved this meal.

Awesome! Even my picky 2 year old ate it. I didn't add the jalapeño because I couldn't find it in my fridge lol. But it was great without it and not too spicy for my son. I squeezed lime at the end and added a dash of hot sauce. So good!

Good soup - took a long time though - nearly 2 hrs total. I did use a 1/2 can of petite diced tomatos like others have suggested. However, I accidentally only put 2 cups of broth instead of 3. Definitely had too little juice. I think I may up it to 4c next time. Very flavorful and adequately spicy for our tastes. The chipotle flavor in the meatballs was great. I'll make it again (when I have enough time!) for sure!

Wonderful soup. I made it without the chipotle chili and my kids loved it! Thanks for posting.

My family loved this soup! My 10-year old son said it's his second favorite now. I think adding bit more flavor to the meatballs and some diced tomatoes, as Esme17 suggested, would probably enhance the recipe a bit. Lime would be a good idea, too.

Absolutely wonderful soup!!! Made it for a UT gameday and it was a huge hit. Not really kid friendly only because its sooo spicy...and actually I would not add the entire can of chipotle chile. I love spicy and this was almost too much for me. I added avocado, sour cream, and lime to each bowl when serving. It really adds more yumminess. Love this dish so much!

Excellent! I made with turkey because that's what I had taken out. Because turkey is a bit bland, I added 1 tsp. cumin, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 Tbsp. Worchester sauce to the meatballs. I also added a 14 oz. can of diced tomatoes to the sauce. Also, instead of broiling the jalapenos and bell peppers, I charred them directly over the flame and wrapped in paper towels, then peeled and cleaned as I do Poblano peppers -- much quicker. Other than that, great combination of flavors. I served the "stew" (it was chunkier than soup) with flour quesadillas. Next time, I try it with ground beef.

Delicious; everyone went back for seconds! I will definately add to the fall/winter rotation.

Made this last night and added a can of diced tomatoes with juice in lieu of 2 water. It was thicker and heartier than a soup. It was great.

A keeper! A little time consuming but worth it! I baked the meatballs and then cooked the veggies in the oil. Added a splash of sherry to the veggies as they were cooking for a little depth of flavor. Upped the adobo chilies in the meatballs also. Next time I may try adding some leftover pasta. Will definitely make again!

Tried this as soon as I got done reading my new Cooking Light! A little labor intensive to me, but tasted really good. We added some mushrooms along with all the other veggies since we had some on hand. Really hearty and filling, and great taste! Will make again.

Great soup! I made it with ground turkey instead and no potatoes or carrot. I will keep this one in the arsenal! Loved it!