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Baked Cheese and Chorizo Empanadas

By 10 Comments

These empanadas de chorizo are baked rather than fried and this Argentinian specialty takes a Tex-Mex spin with a filling of chorizo, cheese, and roasted chile peppers. Adding cream cheese to empanada dough allows for elasticity and produces tender and flaky results. Give these chorizo empanadas a try.

Chorizo empanadas served with salsa

About this Recipe and Why it Works

Making empanadas is really not as hard as it looks.

What are empanadas? Empanadas are crescent shaped pastries filled with a variety of ingredients. Empanadas are either fried or baked golden for a perfect handheld treat.

Fillings can include anything from seasoned beef, chicken, pork, seafood or vegetables and even pumpkin.

For this recipe, we’re baking chorizo empanadas.

One afternoon in Culinary School, we made around four hundred authentic Argentinean empanadas. We learned the technique of holding the filled empanada in one hand and using the other hand to twist the pasty into a beautiful braided border to seal the package. That braided border is called a repulgue.

There were about a dozen of us in an unsupervised assembly line and unfortunately I remember more about our conversations than I do the learning experience.

Once the empanadas were filled and sealed, they were handed over to Nathan who was manning the deep fryer for their traditional cooking method.

Some were burnt, some fell apart because they weren’t sealed properly, or overfilled, and some were greasy due to not keeping the deep fryer at proper temperature. It was somewhat of a mess.

It wasn’t until this past Fall, when our son had us over for happy hour, that my interest in making these at home became a quest. His girlfriend Julie served some of the most delicious chorizo empanadas I’ve ever had, and when she announced they were baked, I was all in.

Let’s take a look.

Ingredients for Making Baked Empanadas Dough

Mise en place. Always gather ingredients before starting any recipe. It will save you time and organize your mind.

Ingredients to make cream cheese empanada dough
Ingredients for Cream Cheese Empanada Dough
  • Cream Cheese: Full fat cream cheese not only adds an additional depth of flavor, but also brings elasticity to the dough, which in turn yields a tender flaky crust once baked.
  • Butter: My favorite “fat” for making pastry dough. It produces a beautiful all butter pie crust, as well as for this empanada dough. And it brings that buttery flavor that we all love.
  • Salt and Flour: The backbone of the dough.

Filling Ingredients Chorizo Empanadas

Ingredients to make chorizo empanadas
  • Cilantro: Fine chopped.
  • Grated Cheese: I chose a medium sharp cheddar cheese.
  • Chorizo: Purchased bulk packaged, rather than a tube of chorizo.
  • Spices: Oregano and Cumin
  • Chile Peppers: Roasted, peeled and chopped. I use either Hatch Chiles or Colorado Pueblo Chiles.
  • Olives: I chose black olives, chopped. They add a briny flavor note and additional texture.
  • Seasoning: Chopped garlic, salt and pepper, to taste.

Ingredient Swaps

  • Protein: Use ground beef, ground chicken or turkey in place of the chorizo. If using a lean protein, you’ll need to add a splash of oil to the pan before frying.
  • Cheese: Use any type of cheese for this recipe, as long as it’s a hard cheese that will grate well. Monterey Jack is a good choice here, or Muenster.
  • Chile Peppers: This recipe calls for Hatch chile peppers. If you don’t have a stash of roasted peppers in your freezer, substitute canned Hatch chiles. Roasted poblano peppers are a good choice here.
  • Olives: Next time I make these, I want to use chopped green olives in place of the black olives.

How to make Baked Empanada Dough

Mixing cream cheese dough to make empanadas
Step 1

Step 1: In a large bowl, add room temperature cream cheese, cold butter, flour and salt. Using a dough blender, start combining ingredients.

Shaggy mass dough stage for empanadas
Step 2

Step 2: Mix the dough until you achieve the “shaggy mass” stage. Dough will be crumbly but begins to clump together. This stage will easily form a ball.

Wrapping empanada dough in plastic wrap to rest in the refrigerator.
Step 3

Step 3: Press the cream cheese empanada dough together to form a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for thirty minutes or even overnight if you wish.

The Filling

How to cook chorizo filling for empanadas
Step 4

Step 4: In the meantime, prepare the filling for the empanadas. Simply brown chorizo and remove from heat. Drain excess grease, if needed, and stir in remaining ingredients.

It’s time to fill and seal chorizo empanadas.

How to fill empanadas
Step 5
  • Step 5. Roll the dough and fill the empanadas. Using a rolling pin and a floured surface, roll the dough to ⅛ inch thick. Cut the dough into circles. I used a 4-inch mini tart pan to cut my circles.
  • Step 6: Place a small amount of filling in the center. Make sure you have a clean margin of dough around the edge of the filling. Don’t overfill the empanadas, or you’ll end up with filling that leaks out during baking, or an empanada that breaks.
how to seal empanadas
Step 7

Step 7: Fold the dough over and using the back of a fork to press the edges together.

Empanadas made with cream cheese dough ready to bake
Step 8

Step 8: Place the sealed empanadas de chorizo on a sheet pan and brush with an egg and milk mixture. This will help them to turn that beautiful golden brown while baking.

FAQ’s, Empanadas de Chorizo

Use cold butter.

Keep that butter nice and cold before blending the empanada dough. If the butter is too warm, it will blend too quickly to achieve that shaggy mass stage.

How do I successfully roll baked empanada dough?

Using a floured surface and a rolling pin. Roll dough to ⅛ inch thick. And yes, use a ruler to measure the thickness. Consistency will result in even baking. Once you cut your circles, you’ll have left over dough. Carefully shape the scraps into a ball and roll out again.

What size should empanadas be?

I used a 4″ mini tart pan to cut my empanadas. They can be 4″, 5″ or 6″, whichever you prefer.

What should I use to cut the empanada dough?

A mini tart pan works well, or a bowl that doesn’t have a wide rim. You can also purchase empanada makers or empanada presses.

Can I make chorizo empanadas ahead of time?

Yes, and it’s actually a benefit for both the dough and the filling. Refrigerating the dough overnight will allow the dough to relax and lose its stretchiness. The filling will also be less runny and will be easier to manage when filling the empanadas.

Can I freeze empanadas?

Absolutely! They will keep in the freezer for about three months.

How to reheat empanadas:

If reheating frozen empanadas, let them thaw and then heat them on low on a sheet pan at 200 degrees until they’re nice and warm. Watch them carefully, you don’t want to cook them again, just warm them up. Using a microwave will compromise the flaky crispy texture of the baked empanada dough.

Pro Tip: Use Cold Butter. Keep that butter nice and cold before blending the empanada dough. If the butter is too warm, it will blend too quickly and you will not achieve that shaggy mass stage.

Recipe for Baked Chorizo Empanadas (Empanadas de Chorizo)

Baked empanadas ready to eat

I hope you give this chorizo empanada recipe a try, and if you do, please come back and give the recipe a star rating. And scroll down and leave a comment about your experience with the recipe.

And if you have a favorite empanadas de chorizo recipe, let me know. Now that I had such success with this recipe, I’m looking for more filling ideas for chorizo.

Dipping sauce for empanadas: Serve with either Tomato Salsa or Roasted Hatch Chile Sauce.

And if you love Mexican food as much as we do, check out my Mexican Food Category. You’ll find plenty of fun recipes, including the most popular on my site for Hatch Green Chili.

Empanadas de Chorizo
Print Recipe
5 from 6 votes

Chorizo Empanadas ( Empanadas de Chorizo )

Adding cream cheese to empanada dough allows elasticity and produces tender and flaky results. These empanadas are baked rather than fried and this Argentinian specialty takes a Tex-Mex spin with a filling of chorizo, cheese, and roasted chile peppers.
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time20 minutes
Resting Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 50 minutes
Course: Appetizer Recipes
Cuisine: Southwestern Mexican
Servings: 20 empanadas
Calories: 176kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • For the empanada dough
  • 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
  • ½ cup unsalted butter cut into cubes. Keep the butter cold until ready to use.
  • 1-½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • For the empanada filling:
  • 1 pound Mexican chorizo bulk, or removed from casings
  • ½ cup cheddar cheese grated
  • ¼ cup black olives pitted and chopped
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 4 roasted green chile peppers seeds, skin and stems removed, diced. Or 1 4 ounce can chopped Hatch chile peppers
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon Mexican Oregano
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees
  • For the empanada dough: In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, flour, butter and salt. Using a pastry blender, Mix all ingredients until a shaggy mass stage is reached. Press the dough into a ball, wrap in saran wrap and chill 30+ minutes. (or overnight)
  • For the empanada filling: Brown chorizo and remove from heat. Stir in remaining ingredients and stir until well mixed.
  • Using a rolling pin and a floured surface, roll empanada dough very thin, ⅛ inch thick. Use a ruler to measure.
  • Cut the dough into circles. Use a mini-tart pan, or a bowl with a thin rim to cut into circles. Once circles are cut, gather the excess dough and roll into another ball. Roll out again and make more circles.
  • Add a spoonful of filling and crimp closed using the back of a fork. Place the sealed empanadas on a baking sheet as you complete them.
  • In a small bowl, combine 1 egg with 2 tablespoons of milk. Whisk together using a fork Brush each empanada with the egg wash.
  • Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes, or until golden.

Notes

Dipping sauce for empanadas: Serve with either Tomato Salsa or Roasted Hatch Chile Sauce.
Protein: Use ground beef, ground chicken or turkey in place of the chorizo. If using a lean protein, you’ll need to add a splash of oil to the pan before frying.
Make Ahead: it’s actually a benefit for both the dough and the filling. Refrigerating the dough overnight will allow the dough to relax and lose its stretchiness. The filling will also be less runny and will be easier to manage when filling the empanadas.
Empanadas can be frozen. 
If reheating frozen empanadas, let them thaw and then heat them on low on a sheet pan at 200 degrees until they’re nice and warm. Watch them carefully, you don’t want to cook them again, just warm them up. Using a microwave will compromise the flaky crispy texture of the baked empanada dough.
Depending of the size of the empanadas, this will make 15 – 20 empanadas.

Nutrition

Calories: 176kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 331mg | Potassium: 22mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 453IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1mg

Chorizo Empanadas …. They’re what’s for dinner.

If you like this recipe … you might like:

Best Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing Recipe

By 41 Comments

Simply stated, this is the best homemade blue cheese dressing you’ll find. You’ll never buy store-bought again. An easy creamy and chunky blue cheese dressing perfect for salads or a dipping sauce for wings and vegetables.

Chunky Homemade blue cheese dressing to serve on a wedge salad

What You Can Expect From This Recipe

Why is this the best homemade blue cheese dressing recipe? With a line-up of 5-star reviews, this Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing Recipe will become your “go-to”.

This recipe is everything you’d expect from a blue cheese dressing. A perfect balance of super creamy and chunky with plenty of crumbled blue cheese. Blue cheese dressing should be brash with flavor, yet still refined and gutsy with cheese.

And using fresh ingredients makes this homemade blue cheese dressing recipe better than anything you can buy at the store. I’ve never ever, EVER found a bottled blue cheese dressing that’s as good as this homemade version.

A couple of reasons this recipe is unique:

  • This is a blue cheese dressing recipe using no buttermilk. The base of the dressing is a mix of sour cream, half and half and mayonnaise.
  • Adding Worcestershire to homemade blue cheese dressing recipe brings an irresistible layer of umami flavor.
  • This is a recipe I learned in Culinary School, a classic chunky steakhouse style blue cheese dressing. It’s a absolutely perfect for a classic wedge salad and beyond.

Cooking is all about making things fresh from scratch? Don’t you agree?  And this homemade blue cheese dressing recipe is a great place to start.

Let’s take a look:

Noteworthy Ingredients You’ll Need

Mise en place. Always gather ingredients before starting any recipe. It will save you time and organize your mind.

Ingredients to make creamy chunky homemade blue cheese dressing.
  • Blue Cheese: Choose a wedge of blue cheese from the specialty cheese section.
  • The Creamy: This recipe calls for both sour cream and mayonnaise. A perfect rich combination of tangy and creamy. And using both ingredients makes this recipe extra creamy.
  • Worcestershire Sauce: The secret ingredient that gives this chunky blue cheese dressing just the savory kick it needs. Worcestershire Sauce is used in many steakhouse blue cheese recipes.
  • Acid: We’ll use lemon juice and apple cider vinegar. Not only does an acid introduce a slight sour undertone to the flavor. Adding any acid to any recipe brightens and enhances flavors in a way that salt can’t do.
  • Seasoning: Garlic powder and sugar, salt and pepper to taste.

How To Make Blue Cheese Dressing, It’s Easy

So easy! Once you’ve gathered the ingredients, the rest is a cinch. Just grab a large mixing bowl and start adding ingredients.

Adding sour cream and mayo to make homemade blue cheese dressing.
  1. Step 1: Using a whisk, mix the sour cream, half and half, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, sugar, garlic powder, and salt and pepper.
How to make homemade blue cheese dressing.
  1. Step 2: Switch to a spatula and fold in the chunks of blue cheese. If you try to mix the ingredients with a whisk, the chucks of blue cheese will get stuck in between the wires.
Adding chunked blue cheese to make homemade blue cheese dressing recipe.
  1. Step 3: Simply stir until all ingredients are well blended.

What Type of Blue Cheese Should I Use?

  • Maytag Blue Cheese: I have received no incentive to mention this name brand, it’s simply the brand I prefer. It’s an American made blue cheese produced in Iowa. A cow’s milk cheese that is creamy and mild in flavor and easy to find.
  • Roquefort Blue Cheese: Roquefort is a sheep milk’s cheese. Creamy and aromatic, complex and intense. This cheese will add a stronger funky flavor to blue cheese dressing. This cheese and its strong personality is made for serious blue cheese lovers.
  • Traditional Danish Blue Cheese: A strong blue veined cheese that is rich and creamy, with a slight bitterness and salt. Made with cow’s milk, it’s milder than Roquefort and an excellent choice for blue cheese dressing.
  • Stilton Cheese: The best known British Blue Cheese that has a strong spicy flavor. I use it whenever I can find it.
  • Gorgonzola: Gorgonzola, from Italy, is soft and spreadable. Depending on age, the flavor ranges from mild to sharp. Due to its softness, your chunky factor will be compromised. I’d save this one to spread on a burger.
  • Amish Blue Cheese: Made in Wisconsin, it’s a medium strength cow’s milk cheese and a good value and I’ve made this recipe many times using this cheese. The color variation isn’t as crisp as other blue cheeses, making it not my first choice.

In summary, any blue cheese will work for the blue cheese dressing recipe. Try them all, find your favorite and make it your own.

FAQ’s

How Long Will Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing Last?

This recipe will keep for 7 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Will This Recipe Work As A Dip?

Yes. Whenever I make Buffalo Style Chicken Wings, this is the recipe I use as a dip for the wings and the celery. It’s absolutely perfect.

Is This Dressing Gluten Free?

Yes. All the ingredients in this blue cheese dressing recipe are naturally gluten free.

Tips For Success

  • Purchase a wedge of blue cheese in the specialty cheese section, rather than a plastic container of pre-crumbled blue cheese. Pre-crumbled blue cheese is a dryer product. The creamier wedge is easy to crumble and the texture will enhance and blend better with the creamy ingredients.
  • When mixing the ingredients together, use a fork to smash some of the blue cheese crumbles. It will help distribute the blue cheese flavor better.
  • Let this dressing sit in the refrigerator for an hour or so before serving. A quick rest will allow those flavors to marry.

Storage and Make Ahead

  • Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
  • Make Ahead: Because of it’s long storage time, this is a great make-ahead recipe. Prepare a double batch so you can drizzle it on every salad and use for a vegetable dip all week long.

How to use this dressing

  • A big beautiful salad of course: Our favorite salad is bowl of fresh greens, topped with bell pepper, sliced mushrooms, tomato wedges finished with a generous grating of mozzarella cheese. And topped with blue cheese dressing, Just like our favorite Italian Restaurant serves.
  • Hamburger: Add a dollop to your next Blue Cheese Burger.
  • Chicken Wings: Use it as a blue cheese dipping sauce. We prefer Blue Cheese Dressing over Ranch dressing for spicy chicken wings.
  • Vegetables: Place a small bowl of this dressing in the middle of a fresh veggie platter. It’s tasty for dipping raw cauliflower, carrots, celery and beyond.
  • Baked Potato: You bet, add a spoonful to your next baked potato instead of sour cream. Give that one a try, you’ll be glad you did.

The Best Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing Recipe

Homemade blue cheese dressing recipe served over a wedge salad.

And if you’re looking for more salad recipes, don’t miss my Salad Category. You’ll find lots of great salad and dressing recipes, including the most popular for everyone’s favorite Old Fashioned Taco Salad Recipe with Catalina Dressing. And this creamy Red Chile Buttermilk Ranch Dressing ,a riff on Ranch Dressing from a James Beard Winning Restaurant.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

A container of homemade blue cheese dressing.
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5 from 92 votes

The Best Chunky Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing

Simply stated, this is the best homemade blue cheese dressing recipe. A recipe from Culinary School, you'll never buy store-bought again. An easy Creamy and chunky blue cheese dressing recipe for salads and a dipping sauce for wings.
Prep Time10 minutes
resting time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Salads, Salad Dressings and Vinaigrettes
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
Calories: 259kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • ½ cup sour cream full fat is best
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup half and half or milk
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
  • ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon sugar
  • ⅛ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 cup crumbled blue cheese

Instructions

  • Using a whisk, mix sour cream, mayonnaise, half and half, lemon juice, Worcestershire, garlic powder, sugar, vinegar and salt and pepper together in a medium sized bowl. Stir until well blended.
  • Switching to a spatula, fold in the crumbled blue cheese and mix well. If you try to mix the blue cheese crumbles in with a whisk, the'll get stuck between the wires of the whisk.
  • Let sit in the refrigerator for about an hour for flavors to blend. Take a little taste and add more salt if needed.

Video

Notes

There are many types of blue cheese available to make this recipe. Just find your perfect balance of sharp, to mild and make this recipe your own.
This recipe will keep for 7 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Tips For Success: 
  • You can purchase a container of already crumbled blue cheese, but a wedge of blue cheese is the better choice. Blue cheese is easy to crumble, so I always reach for my favorite wedge in the specialty cheese section. Pre-crumbled blue cheese may be a dryer product.
  • Let this dressing sit in the refrigerator for an hour or so before serving. A quick rest will allow those flavors to marry.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 259kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 454mg | Potassium: 98mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 339IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 150mg | Iron: 1mg

Chunky Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing Recipe … It’s what’s for a Salad

This recipe was first published June, 2017 and updated January 2025.

Quick Easy Homemade Enchilada Sauce

By 5 Comments

Deeply flavored, rich, this easy enchilada sauce is wonderful earthy with flavor. Making enchilada sauce from scratch is quick and easy and using cocoa powder is the secret ingredient. And it’s ready in under 30 minutes. This quick enchilada sauce is a perfect red sauce for enchiladas, tacos, burritos and beyond.

Looking to ramp up your Mexican food recipes with more authentic sauces? You won’t want to miss this one for Homemade Red Chile Sauce for Tamales.

Quick homemade Mexican red enchilada sauce in a deli container

Flavor is such a subjective thing. A personal thing. Our tastebuds all crave different flavors, seasonings and spices. It’s what makes the world go round … as they say. But in my book, this is simply the best easy homemade enchilada sauce recipe that I’ve found. It’s got everything you’d expect from a Mexican enchilada sauce.

It comes from a friend, who was born and raised in Mexico, and served this rich brick red saucy blanket of goodness over the best enchiladas I’ve ever had. Oh-my…g-o-o-d-n-e-s-s good.

Reasons To Love This Recipe

  • If you don’t dally, this recipe comes together in just about 20 minutes. Which means, you can easily ditch the canned versions from the store.
  • This sauce is full of authentic Mexican flavor. It gets it irresistible flavor from Mexican spices, tomato sauce and the key ingredient = cocoa powder.
  • This enchilada sauce is thick and creamy, just like you’d expect of an enchilada sauce.
  • It’s made using chile powder, which saves time from preparing enchilada sauce using chile pods.
  • Adding a splash of vinegar at the end brings out the brightness in the final flavor.
  • It’s fresh and preservative free. This recipe is so easy you can ditch those canned enchilada sauces.

Making enchilada sauce with chile powder is an easy method. One pan, cooked on the stovetop, and using ingredients you probably already have in your pantry … let’s take a look.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients to make quick enchilada sauce
  • The Roux: To make this thick and luxurious, we’ll make a roux with flour and water.
  • Spices: This quick enchilada sauce gets its ‘ole from a good quality Chile Powder. We prefer a New Mexico version such as Chimayo chile powder. Ancho Chile powder will work also. Garlic salt, Mexican Oregano.
  • Seasoning: Chicken Bouillon gives this enchilada sauce just the salty savory kick it needs.
  • Tomato: Every enchilada sauce needs a tomato component. For this recipe we’ll use Tomato Sauce.
  • Cocoa Powder: Natural Unsweetened Cocoa Powder tastes very bitter and brings a deep chocolate flavor to this enchilada sauce. It’s your secret ingredient to make enchilada sauce a very special enchilada sauce. You don’t need anything fancy. Hershey’s cocoa powder will work fine.

Note about chile powder: The recipe calls for three tablespoons of pure chile powder. As opposed to chili (with an i) powder. The later is a blend of ground chile peppers with added seasonings. It’s used to season soups like Chili with Beans. Take a look at my article on Chili vs. Chile for more information.

Other Ingredients You Can Use

  • Make it a gluten free enchilada sauce: Simply switch out the all purpose flour with gluten free all purpose flour. A high quality like Bob’s Red Mill is a good choice.
  • Mexican Chocolate: I’ve used a deep rich flavored cocoa powder for this recipe. If you can find it, use Mexican Chocolate in place of cocoa powder, for a more authentic experience.
  • Make it smoky: In place of the New Mexico Chile Powder, use Chipotle Chile Powder. Chipotle chile powder is made purely from dried chipotle peppers. Chipotle chile peppers are dried smoked jalapeno peppers. It has a sweet smoky flavor and packs a little heat, so be careful.
  • Mexican Oregano: I prefer Mexican oregano for all Mexican food recipes. With slightly citrus notes, it pairs well with the flavors in Mexican recipes. If you don’t have Mexican oregano, just use regular oregano.
  • Tomato Paste: Don’t have tomato sauce on hand, but you do have a can of tomato paste? Perfect. A substitution that will work well. Just mix ¼ cup tomato paste with ¼ cup water.

How To Make This Recipe

Mixing flour and red chile powder to make Mexican enchilada sauce
  1. Step 1: In a bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients. Simply stir them with a whisk to combine.
Combining water and dry ingredients to make enchilada from scratch
  1. Step 2: Stirring constantly, slowly add enough of the water to the dry ingredients to make a thin paste.
Cooking sauce to make quick enchilada sauce
  1. Step 3: Pour the mixture into a sauce pan and add the rest of water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Stir in tomato sauce and stir until the mixture is hot.

Voila! Done! Now that’s some quick enchilada sauce! We love this sauce and I’m certain you will too.

FAQ’s

Storing Enchilada Sauce

Once the enchilada sauce has cooled to room temperature, pour it into an air-tight container. It will keep in the refrigerator for about 3 weeks.

Can You Freeze Enchilada Sauce?

Absolutely! Store in an airtight container and it will keep in the freezer for up to three months. I like to use a freezer-safe zip lock bag. You can fill the bag, squeeze the air out and then store it flat, which saves room in the freezer.`

Whats A Substitute For Enchilada Sauce?

The best substitute for enchilada sauce is Mexican Red Sauce made from dried chile peppers and Mexican spices. It’s best use if a sauce for tamales, but it will work equally well for enchladas, tacos and burritos.

How Spicy Is This Enchilada Sauce?

That’s up to you. This recipe calls for 3 tablespoons of pure Mexican red chile powder. As opposed to our American Chili Powder blend we use for chili soups. Some of these powders can be hot. Start with one tablespoon and then gradually add more until you achieve your tolerance to the heat.

Tips for Success

  • With a broad range of pure ground chile powders available, you can make this as spicy or as tame as you want. Just add a little at a time until you reach your heat tolerance.

Ways to use Enchilada Sauce

Best homemade enchilada sauce over beef bean burritos

Here’s this homemade enchilada sauce recipe in action. I’ve made beef and bean burritos and generously bathed them with the sauce before heaping on plenty of cheese and baking.

And my favorite way is to drizzle it over New Mexico Stacked Enchiladas.

Quick and Easy Enchilada Sauce Recipe

Best enchilada sauce recipe served in a festive chili pepper shaped bowl.

I hope you give this Enchilada Sauce recipe a try. Your enchiladas will thank you. It’s a thousand times better than store bought. Nothing beats homemade!

And if you’re looking for more Mexican Recipes, don’t miss my category for Mexican Food Recipes. You’ll find lots of recipe to spice up your meal plans, including the most popular on my site for Hatch Green Chili with Pork.

And speaking of condiments, a homemade recipe for Green Chile Sauce is a must have in any Southwestern kitchen. It's easy and simple with ingredients. Check it out.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Quick Easy Enchilada Sauce in a saucepan.
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5 from 2 votes

Quick And Easy Enchilada Sauce Recipe

Making enchilada sauce from scratch is quick and easy. Deeply flavored, rich homemade red enchilada sauce is wonderful earthy with flavor. Using cocoa powder is my secret ingredient and it's ready in under 30 minutes.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Mexican
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 4 cups
Calories: 40kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons chile powder good quality. New Mexico or Ancho
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
  • 1 teaspoon cocoa powder Hershey's is what I use
  • ½ teaspoon garlic salt or granulated garlic
  • 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano or regular oregano
  • 3 cups water
  • 8 ounces Canned tomato sauce
  • ¼ teaspoon Vinegar Apple Cider or White vinegar

Instructions

  • Combine all dry ingredients in a small bowl. Using a whisk, stir to blend.
  • Stirring constantly, slowly add enough of the water to make a thin paste. It should be the consistency of gravy.
  • Pour into a sauce pan and add the rest of water.
  • Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. About 5 – 10 minutes.
  • Stir in tomato sauce and continue to heat until the tomato sauce has blended and the enchilada sauce is hot. About 2 minutes.

Notes

Note about chile powder: The recipe calls for three tablespoons of chile powder. With a broad range of pure ground chile powders available, you can make this as spicy or as tame as you want.
Ancho chile pepper is a milder powder that delivers lots of chile flavor. I like using New Mexico Chile powder.
Chimayo, which can be quite spicy, is my favorite. I’d test the waters if I were you, adding a tablespoon at a time, tasting as you go, until you reach the power you’re looking for.
Don’t use chili (with an i) powder. It’s a blend of spices used to season chili soup. 
Storage: Once the enchilada sauce has cooled to room temperature, pour it into an air-tight container. It will keep in the refrigerator for about 3 weeks.
You can also freeze enchilada sauce and it will keep in the freezer for about 3 months.
Gluten Free: Simply switch out the all purpose flour with gluten free all purpose flour. A high quality like Bob’s Red Mill is a good choice. 
This recipe makes about 4 cups with is an ample amount or a big pan of enchiladas.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 40kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 424mg | Potassium: 140mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1796IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 2mg

Quick and Easy Enchilada Sauce … It’s what’s for enchiladas

Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken And Wild Rice Soup

By 31 Comments

Cozy, creamy, and full of comfort, this Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup is everything you crave on a chilly day. Tender chicken, nutty wild rice, and a savory blend of carrots, celery, onion, and pancetta slowly simmer together to create rich, layered flavor. Finished with a touch of cream and fragrant rosemary, this soup delivers a warm, hearty bowl that's guaranteed to become a family favorite.

We love our creamy soups here On The Ranch. You too? Take a look at one of our favorites for Creamy Italian Potato Sausage Soup.

Creamy chicken and wild rice soup served with a side salad

This Crockpot Cream of Chicken Soup was first published January, 2015 and updated January 2021 with new photos.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click through my referral link, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase.

Why This Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup Stands Out

Looking for a cozy, comforting soup that practically cooks itself? This Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup is the perfect answer.

  • Who can resist tender chunks of chicken breast.
  • Hearty wild rice is a healthier and unique way to make chicken and rice soup. Wild rice is actually a whole grain that brings more protein to this meal than using white rice.
  • You simply won’t believe the flavor and texture of the creamy rich, velvety broth.
  • It’s a set-it-and-forget-it recipe that delivers serious flavor with minimal effort.

The base starts with a classic mirepoix of carrots, celery, and onion, which builds layers of savory depth. Poultry seasoning and fresh rosemary infuse the soup with that traditional chicken soup taste, while chopped pancetta adds a hint of smoky, bacon-like richness.

To finish, a stovetop roux is stirred in during the final hour, giving the soup its signature creamy texture. And the best part? It tastes even better the next day. Let's dive into how to make this cold-weather favorite.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients to make chicken wild rice soup recipe
  • Wild Rice: With a chewy texture, and earthy nutty flavor, It’s a wonderful addition to any soup and especially when made into a creamy wild rice soup.
  • Aromatics: Onions, celery and carrots. A classic flavor combination for most soups.
  • Herbs: Poultry seasoning, a blend of dried herbs such as sage, rosemary, ground black pepper, and marjoram, it’s a wonderful spice to have in your pantry. Rosemary and bay leaves. Be sure to pull the bay leaf out of the soup before serving.

Ingredients To Make The Roux

ingredients to make roux for creamy wild rice soup
ingredients to make roux for creamy wild rice soup
  • Chicken Broth
  • Half and Half
  • Flour
  • Butter

For The Protein

chicken and pancetta for creamy wild rice soup
  • Chicken and pancetta

Ingredient Variations

  • Dairy Options: Replace the half and half with whole milk. The butter and flour will still do it’s job to create that thick creamy base.
  • Grains: I love the chewy texture and nutty flavor of wild rice, but you can also substitute barley or even farro. Brown rice would also make a nice substitution here.
  • What's the best way to use a wild rice blend vs pure wild rice? Wild Rice Blends can also be substituted.I’ve only tried this with Lundberg Family Farms blend of Wild Rice and black, brown and red rice. Use can use this hearty blend without adjustments in the cooking time.
  • Meat: This recipe would make a great “turkey leftover” Thanksgiving soup. Since the turkey is already cooked, just add it at the end and cook just long enough to heat through. This recipe calls for chicken breast, boneless skinless chicken thighs are also a great option.
  • Pancetta is salt cured meat and adds a depth and flavor to any soup recipe. Be careful substituting bacon for pancetta. Bacon will bring a stronger smokier flavor to this otherwise delicate flavored soup.
  • Veggies: Got a couple of potatoes that need to be used? They’d make a great addition to this chicken and wild rice soup recipe. Just add them at the same time you add the carrots and celery.

How To Make Crockpot Cream of Chicken Soup

Sauteeing celery carrots, onion and pancetta for creamy chicken soup
  1. Saute the vegetable Mirepoix: Always sautee before adding vegetables to any slow cooker recipe. Doing so will seal in the flavor and also help keep them crisper during a long cook. Add the olive oil to a hot pan, and when it is shimmering, add all of the vegetables and the pancetta. Cook for about 5 minutes. I used a separate fry pan, but if your have a slow cooker with a stove top safe insert, it will make this recipe even easier.
  2. Cooking the pancetta: Pancetta needs to be chopped and cooked before adding to this soup. Sauteeing it with the chopped vegetables is a perfect time to cook it.

What is Mirepoix? (pronounced Meer-pwah) is a classic French aromatic flavor base, commonly used in soups and sauces. It’s made by lightly cooking a mixture of two parts chopped onion, one part chopped celery and one part chopped carrot. For instance, 2 cups onion, 1 cup celery and 1 cup carrot. The vegetables are cooked slowly in butter or oil to bring out thier flavors without browning or caramelizing.

Slow cooker chicken and rice soup
  1. Add the cooked vegetables, pancetta, chicken broth, wild rice and seasonings to the crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours.
Making a roux to make white cheddar mac and cheese.
Making a roux to make beer mac and cheese.
Adding milk to make a roux for mac and cheese.
  1. Step 4: Make The Roux: In the meantime, Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour and let the mixture bubble for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the half and half until a thick, creamy mixture forms. One hour before the soup is to be done, add the roux to the rice and chicken in the crockpot and stir to combine. Stir, remove bay leaf and stem of rosemary and serve.

How to Serve It

To serve the soup: This soup is a hearty meal. Ladle into bowls and and all you’ll need is an Accompaniment Salad and some rustic crusty bread.

My super popular recipe for Cheesy Cornbread is always a good choice here. Or try this popular recipe for Rabbit Hill In Molasses Bread. A super healthy salad is a welcome side, take a look at this Baby Kale Salad with Granny Smith Apples.

Tips For Success

  • Don’t skip sauteeing the vegetables. This quick step adds a deeper layer of flavor.
  • Did you somehow get lumps in the roux sauce? This probably happened because you did’t whisk the flour enough before adding the half and half. An easy way to fix this is with an immersion blender or some elbow grease using a whisk. You can also take the back of the spoon and crush the flour lumps against the side of the pan.
  • This recipe calls for six cups of chicken broth. Three cans of chicken broth is just short of this measurement. Instead of opening another can, just add water to equal 6 cups.
  • Slow Cooker Basics: This is not a soup you can prepare in the morning and cook all day for a meal when you arrive home from work. Over cooking chicken that long in the slow cooker will compromise the texture. You’ll find it to be dry, tough and stringy. Stick to the cooking time instructions.

Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup FAQ’s

Can I Use Frozen Chicken To Make This Recipe?

No! It's simply not recommended to put frozen chicken into a slow cooker. Doing so can create unsafe food practices and cause illness. The USDA reports that the chicken spends too much time in the "danger zone", which is a temperature between 40 degrees and 140 degrees before it comes to a safe temperature of 165 degrees. That time in the danger zone can cause bacteria like salmonella.

Can I Make This Soup Stove-top?

This soup will work beautifully on the stove top. Just use a 5 – 7 quart soup pot or Dutch oven. Follow directions below, however once the vegetables, rice, seasonings and broth are added, the cooking time will decrease to 45 minutes to an hour. Or until the rice is tender. Then follow instructions to prepare and add the creamy roux. Continue to cook the soup for about 15 minutes or until roux has thickened the soup.

Can I Make Cream of Chicken Soup In The Instant Pot?

Using the sautee feature, add the vegetables and pancetta to the Instant Pot. Saute for about 5 minutes. Add the rice, broth and seasonings. Cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. Release the pressure. In the meantime prepare the roux ingredients stove-top. Once you’re able to open the lid to the Instant Pot, stir in the prepared roux ingredients. Return the setting to sautee and cook, stirring occasionally for another 5 – 10 minutes.

Can I Make This Soup Gluten Free?

Yes, all you need to do is swap the all purpose four for Almond Flour or a gluten free flour. Almond flour will make a nice roux, but with a slightly less creamy texture.

Leftovers and Storage:

  • This creamy wild rice soup recipe makes a large batch. About 10 servings. Store in the refrigerator for 3 – 5 days in an air-tight contained. Gently reheat stove-top or microwave and enjoy.

Freezing

  • I’m not a fan of freezing creamy soups of this nature. It simply compromises the texture due to milk separation. But it can be done. I like using freezer safe zip-lock style bags. Stand the bag upright and spoon cooled soup into the bag. Press the air out and make sure it’s sealed well. Lay the bag flat in the freezer to optimize freezer space. It will keep for up to three months. Thaw the soup in the refrigerator overnight then give it a good stir with a whisk. Reheat stovetop over low heat.

Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup Recipe

Chicken wild rice soup in a frankhoma soup bowl served with a tossed green salad

Decadent and delicious. Creamy and chewy. Savory and simple. We loved this soup and the slow cooker works like champ playing a part in the success of this dish. Your family will flip over this recipe.

And if you’re looking for more soup recipes, don’t miss my Soup Category. You’ll find lots of recipe ideas, including this brothier chicken soup recipe for White Wine Chicken Potato Vegetable Soup. Check it out.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Creamy Chicken and wild rice soup.
Print Recipe
5 from 5 votes

Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken And Wild Rice Soup

Add this chicken soup recipe to your lineup of slow cooker dinners. Healthy with wild rice, rich, creamy, and a cinch made in your slow cooker. This Slow Cooker Chicken Soup with Wild Rice is hearty and totally amazing with flavor.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time6 hours
Total Time6 hours 30 minutes
Course: Soup, Stews and Chilis
Cuisine: American
Servings: 10
Calories: 320kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 1 cup wild rice uncooked, rinsed
  • 1 ½ pounds chicken breast boneless, skinless, cut into bite size pieces
  • 1 cup pancetta rough chopped
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 carrots cleaned and thick sliced
  • 2 stalks celery cleaned and thick sliced
  • ½ onion chopped
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary or 1 sprig fresh
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
  • ½ cup butter
  • ½ cup flour
  • 3 cups half and half or milk

Instructions

  • In a fry pan heat oil over medium heat, add carrots, celery, onion and pancetta and sautee until vegetables are tender and pancetta is mostly cooked.
  • Place the uncooked wild rice, sauteed vegetables, chicken pieces, chicken broth, poultry seasoning, rosemary, and bay leaf in crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 5 hours. The chicken should be cooked through and the rice should be soft.
  • Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour and let the mixture bubble for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the half and half until a thick, creamy mixture forms.
  • An hour before the soup is to be done, add the roux to the rice and chicken in the crockpot and stir to combine. Stir, remove bay leaf and stem of rosemary and serve.
  • Add extra milk or chicken stock if necessary to adjust the consistency.

Notes

  • Don’t skip sauteeing the vegetables. This quick step adds a deeper layer of flavor.
  • Did you somehow get lumps in the roux sauce? This probably happened because you did’t whisk the flour enough before adding the half and half. An easy way to fix this is with an immersion blender or some elbow grease using a whisk. You can also take the back of the spoon and crush the flour lumps against the side of the pan.
  • This recipe calls for six cups of chicken broth. Three cans of chicken broth is just short of this measurement. Instead of opening another can, just add water to equal 6 cups.
  • Slow Cooker Basics: This is not a soup you can prepare in the morning and cook all day for a meal when you arrive home from work. Over cooking chicken that long in the slow cooker will compromise the texture. You’ll find it to be dry, tough and stringy. Stick to the cooking time instructions.

Nutrition

Calories: 320kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 681mg | Potassium: 361mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 2620IU | Vitamin C: 11.9mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 1.1mg

Crockpot Cream of Chicken Soup With Wild Rice … It’s what’s for Dinner.

Oven Meatballs in BBQ Sauce, Pot Luck Perfect

By 57 Comments

Sweet and Smoky, this oven Meatballs in BBQ Sauce recipe is a dream come true. It makes a large batch, perfect to feed that party crowd. Baked and slathered with the best homemade bbq sauce you’ll find, they’re pot-luck perfect.

If you’re a big fan of meatballs like we are, don’t miss this recipe for gingery Ground Pork Meatballs. Unique with flavor and made with peaches, it’s a keeper.

homemade oven baked meatballs in bbq sauce displayed on a plate.

What You Can Expect From This Recipe

I’m very excited to share this recipe for Meatballs in BBQ Sauce with you. I feel like I’ve had this recipe all my life. I remember my mom making this very early in my youth.

It’s truly our favorite meatball recipe of all times and the best bbq meatball sauce you’ll find. It’s a crowd pleaser.

It makes a large batch and baked in the oven on baking sheets with BBQ sauce poured over to caramelize into a sticky flavorful glaze.

The best part about this meatball recipe is the bbq sauce. It’s easy and it’s incredible with flavor. Simply The best bbq sauce you’ll ever taste. So good, I wonder why I ever grab a bottle of at the store.

You’ll love the flavor combination of ketchup, brown sugar and liquid smoke. It’s my kind of BBQ flavor. A Kansas City style bbq sauce, if you will. And it’s easy.

Last Saturday night our cul-de-sac held a pre-Winter-hibernation block party. I brought these bbq meatballs and the crockpot was empty on that return trip home. One neighbor commented that he had eaten about 20 of them.

Don’t you love hearing comments like that about your food?  I most certainly do.

Let’s take a look:

Table of contents

Ingredients To Make BBQ Meatball Sauce

Ingredients to make sweet and smoky homemade bbq sauce

Just 5 ingredients to an incredible smoky, sweet, sticky BBQ sauce.

  • Liquid Smoke: Some barbecue snobs may turn up their noses at Liquid Smoke, but it’s a natural product made by condensing smoke from burning wood. It gives this bbq sauce just the smoky punch it needs.

Ingredients To Make The Meatballs

Ingredients to make BBQ meatballs with saltine crackers
  • Ground Beef: Choose an 80-20% lean ground beef for the ideal meat to fat ratio for both flavor and that “juicy” factor.
  • Evaporated milk: Is condensed milk where the water has been evaporated by 60%. I like using evaporated milk for meatballs, it just makes everything creamier.
  • Eggs and Saltine Crackers: The binder that brings these beautiful meatballs to their perfectly round meatball glory.

Ingredient Substitutions

Evaporated Milk: You can use cream, half and half or whole milk. I don’t like using 2% or skim milk. You need that fat for flavor and binding.

How To Make BBQ Meatballs In The Oven

sweet and smoky homemade bbq sauce.
  1. Step 1 Make The BBQ Sauce: In a sauce pan, mix catsup, onion, garlic, liquid smoke, brown sugar and over medium heat, bring to a boil. Done. Turn off the burner, leave the pan on the hot burner to keep the sauce warm while you make those meatballs.
Mixing ingredients together to make homemade BBQ Meatballs
  1. Step 2 Mix the Ingredients for the meatballs: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grab your favorite large bowl and add all the ingredients for the meatballs. Important: use your hands to mix the ingredients together. A spoon or other large utensil will simply smash the ingredients together and will cause the meatballs to become too dense and mushy in texture.
Italian meatballs ready to bake for Sriracha Meatballs appetizer
  1. Step 3 Roll the meatballs: Again, use your hands. Grab a chunk of the mixed meat mixture and using the palms of your hands roll into 1 ½ to 2 inches in diameter. About 15 gentle rolls will form a good solid meatball. As you roll the meatballs, place them on a sheet pan lined with foil or sprayed with non-stick spray.
Oven baked bbq meatballs on a sheet pan
  1. Step 4, Cover the meatballs with bbq sauce and oven bake at 350 degrees for 30 – 45 minutes (depending on what size you made them). And be generous with that sauce.

Remove the bbq meatballs to your favorite serving platter and dig in.

FAQ’s

What’s the best way to crush saltine crackers?

A food processor works best. Just use the pulse feature until the crackers are fairly fine and even in size. If you don’t have a food processor, place crackers in a gallon sized zip-lock bag and remove air. Use a rolling pin to crush the crackers.

Can I make slow cooker BBQ meatballs?

Not really, but here’s what I’ve done. Make Ahead: Bake the meatballs first. When you’re ready to serve them, scoop them into a slow cooker. Pour the prepared sauce over the meatballs. Cook them on low for a couple of hours. This works great for making this recipe in advance and if you’re transporting them to a pot-luck.

Why Use An 80-20 Blend Ground Beef?

I know what you’re thinking, a leaner blend of hamburger sounds like a healthier option. However, the 80-20 blend has just the right amount of fat to make the meatballs tender and juicy.

Tips for Success

  • Practice your knife skills and chop those onions as small as you can. If the chunks are too large, it may cause the meatballs to separate or worse, fall apart.

Pro Tip Knife Skills: Always keep the hand that’s gripping the knife clean and dry. A wet hand could cause slips resulting in nicks or worse a nasty slice on your hand. 

Storage

  • Meatballs in BBQ Sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. The best way to re-heat them is to use the microwave. Using your 50% power setting, heat them in 30 second increments until nice and steamy. This recipe also freezes well. It works best if you separate the meatballs before freezing. Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

What To Serve With BBQ Meatballs

So many wonderful comfort food options. Here are some of our favorites.

Recipe for Oven Meatballs In BBQ Sauce

BBQ Meatballs recipe served on a flowered platter

I hope you give this Barbecue Meatballs Recipe a try. They’re simply perfect for entertaining and pot-lucks. This simply is a very popular recipe.

If You’re A Meatball Fan, Check These Out

And if you ‘re looking for more appetizer recipes, don’t miss my Appetizer Category. You’ll find lots of fun finger food ideas. And if you’re looking for more recipes using bbq sauce, don’t miss my recipe for Meatloaf With BBQ Sauce. A delicious unique version of everyone’s favorite comfort food.

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

BBQ meatballs displayed on a decorative plate.
Print Recipe
5 from 10 votes

Oven Meatballs In BBQ Sauce

Makes a large batch, perfect to feed that party crowd. Baked in the oven and slathered with some of the best flavored homemade bbq sauce you'll find. Pot-luck perfect recipe.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Appetizer Recipes
Cuisine: American
Servings: 90 meatballs
Calories: 93kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds ground beef 80-20 blend
  • 13 ounces evaporated milk *note below
  • 2 large eggs lightly beaten with a fork
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups saltine crackers crushed. The crackers should measure 2 cups after crushed. About 1 ½ sleeves of saltines.
  • 1 whole onion diced
  • 1 clove garlic diced
  • 3 teaspoons chili powder
  • For the Sauce:
  • 4 cups ketchup
  • 1 large sweet onion diced
  • 2 clove garlic diced
  • 4 tablespoons Liquid smoke
  • 3 cups brown sugar firmly packed

Instructions

  • BBQ Sauce Directions:
  • In a sauce pan, mix ketchup, onion, garlic, liquid smoke, brown sugar and using medium heat, bring to a boil. Turn the burner off but leave the pan on the burner to keep warm while you make the meatballs.
  • To Make The Meatballs
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Mix first 9 ingredients together in a large pan. Using your hands, gently mix the ingredient until well blended.
  • Again, using your hands, form into balls about 1 ½ to 2 inches in diameter.
  • Place the meatballs on two 9 x 13 baking dishes, sprayed with no-stick spray or covered in aluminum foil.
  • Cover liberally with sauce and bake for 30 – 45 minutes or until meatballs are done. (time depends on meatball size)
  • This makes around 90 meatballs.

Video

Notes

*This is an old recipe. The recipe calls for 13 ounces evaporated milk. These days, cans of evaporated milk are 12 ounces. Just add an additional 2 tablespoons of milk, cream or half and half to make up the additional ounce of liquid.
For Slow Cooker BBQ Meatballs: Bake meatballs in over per direction. Once cooked, place them in a slow cooker and pour the sauce over the meatballs. Give them a very gentle stir to combine. Cook on low for 2 hours and the dish is steamy warm and easy to transport.
The best way to crush saltine crackers is to use a food processor. If you don’t have a food processor, place crackers in a zip lock bag and remove air. Use a rolling pin to crush the crackers.

Nutrition

Calories: 93kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 158mg | Potassium: 105mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 90IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg

Oven Meatballs in BBQ Sauce …They’re What’s for a Pot Luck.