The Best Spicy Albondigas Recipe
A flavorful and hearty recipe for Spicy Albondigas, featuring tender ground beef meatballs with a fresh tomatillo and mint blend, simmered in a smoky chipotle tomato sauce. Perfect for warming meals with a spicy kick and traditional Mexican flavors.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 2 lb ground beef
- 4 medium fresh tomatillos
- 2 tablespoons mint leaves, chopped
- 1/2 cup uncooked white rice
- 4 hard boiled eggs
Sauce
- 56 oz (2 cans of 28 oz) whole tomatoes
- 1/3 cup chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 1/2 cup water (plus additional as needed)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Prepare tomatillo and mint blend: In a blender, combine the tomatillos and fresh mint leaves until smooth, creating a fresh, tangy base for the meatballs.
- Mix meatball ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly mix the ground beef, the tomatillo and mint blend, and the uncooked white rice until well combined.
- Shape meatballs with eggs: Halve the hard-boiled eggs. Shape the ground beef mixture into 3-inch round meatballs, enclosing half of a hard-boiled egg inside each meatball. Set aside.
- Prepare tomato-chipotle sauce: Blend one can of whole tomatoes until smooth and pour into a large pot over medium heat. Blend the second can of whole tomatoes together with the chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, then add the mixture to the pot along with one cup of water. Season with salt to taste and stir well.
- Simmer meatballs: When the sauce reaches a boil, gently add the meatballs to the pot, ensuring they remain intact. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking and to allow the flavors to meld.
- Rest the dish: Remove the pot from heat and let the albondigas rest for 10 minutes to deepen the flavors and thicken the sauce slightly.
- Serve: Serve hot and enjoy! For a milder flavor, consider reducing or omitting the chipotle peppers and substitute with ¼ cup of tomato paste instead.
Notes
- Ensure the meatballs are formed gently to avoid breaking apart during cooking.
- You can adjust the level of spiciness by controlling the amount of chipotle peppers used.
- If the sauce is too thick, add a little more water to reach desired consistency.
- Serve with warm tortillas, rice, or crusty bread to complement the dish.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
Keywords: Spicy Albondigas, Mexican meatballs, chipotle sauce, tomatillo, ground beef, traditional Mexican recipe
Find it online: https://cheflenacooks.com/the-best-spicy-albondigas-recipe/
