Albondigas en Chipotle
Albondigas en Chipotle are beef meatballs that are simmered in a smoky tomato chipotle sauce.
Servings 6
Calories 320kcal
Ingredients
- For The Meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef 85% lean
- 1 ½ teaspoons Kosher salt divided
- ¼ teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon dried marjoram
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- ½ cup Panko bread crumbs
- ¾ cup onion sweet onion, or white onion, fine chopped
- 4 medium garlic cloves minced
- ½ cup Golden raisins soaked and rough chopped
- 5 Flat leaf parsley sprigs stems removed, leaves chopped
- For The Sauce
- 1 pound Roma tomatoes or 2 14.5-ounce cans fire roasted tomatoes, well drained
- 2 whole Chipotle Chiles in Adobo chopped
- 1 Cup Chicken broth
- 1 Tablespoon Olive oil
- Warm Corn Tortillas and Rice for serving
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix together the ground beef, 1 teaspoon of the salt, pepper, thyme, marjoram, eggs, bread crumbs, half of the chopped onion, garlic, golden raisins, and half of the chopped parsley.
- With your hands, form 12 large meatballs, 1 ½ inch in diameter Set aside.
- In a food processor or blender, blend the tomatoes, remaining chopped onion, chipotles peppers, broth, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt until smooth.
- Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, pour in the sauce, and cook for 2 minutes.
- Turn down the heat to medium low and gently add the meatballs to the sauce.
- Once the sauce is at a constant low simmer, partially cover the pan and cook for about 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.
- Serve the albondigas with the rice and warm tortillas on the side. Garnish with the remaining chopped parsley and sprinkle with crumbled Cotija Cheese.
Notes
Tips for Success:
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- I’ve never mixed meatball ingredients any other way than with my hands. Don’t overwork the meat mixture. Overworking or even mixing with a spoon smashed and compacts the meat mixture and makes for a mushy combination and a tough end result.
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- When rolling the meatballs, they must end up being a smooth tidy package, or else they'll fall apart in the sauce. If a piece of chopped raisin is sticking out causing there to be a seam or open space in the meatball, simply use your finger to push it deeper into the meatball, or remove it completely. Continue rolling the meatball until smooth.
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- Chop the onions as small as you can. Again, too large of chunks may cause the meatballs to break apart.
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- Don't skip soaking the raisins. They'll be easier to chop and the texture will be more appealing once the meatballs are cooked. Just be sure to drain well and pat dry before using in the recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 320kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 116mg | Sodium: 844mg | Potassium: 552mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 723IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 3mg