Mexican Meatball Soup

In the bowl of a food processor add the torn up tortillas and pulse until they’re the size of crumbs. Set aside a 1/2 cup of the crumbs for the soup and pour the remaining into a large bowl.

Add the remaining meatball ingredients to the bowl and gently mix together with your hands being careful not to over-mix. Use a tablespoon or tablespoon size cookie scoop to scoop out the meat mixture. Roll into balls and transfer to a plate. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Wipe out the bowl of the food processor and add in the fire roasted tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, garlic, chipotle, spices, salt and pepper. Process until the mixture is smooth.

Heat the tablespoon of oil in a dutch oven or large heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Pour the tomato mixture into the pot and cook for 10-12 minutes stirring occasionally. The mixture will get darker in color and be starting to stick to the bottom of the pot.

Stir in the beef broth, carrots, zucchini and remaining tortilla crumbs. Gently drop in the meatballs and bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling reduce the heat to medium and simmer for approximately 15 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through and the vegetables are tender. Serve the soup topped with chopped cilantro, fresh lime juice and sliced avocado if desired.