Albondigas Recipe

Soak breadcrumbs

Place breadcrumbs in a small bowl and pour the milk over them. Let sit 5 minutes until absorbed.

Mix meatball ingredients

In a large bowl combine ground beef, ground pork, soaked breadcrumbs, chopped onion, minced garlic, chopped parsley (and cilantro if using), egg, cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Mix gently with your hands or a spoon until just combined—do not overwork.

Form meatballs

Shape the mixture into golf-ball sized meatballs (about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches) — you should get about 18–22 meatballs depending on size. Place on a tray or plate.

Brown meatballs

Heat 2 tbs olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches if necessary, add meatballs and brown on all sides, turning carefully so they hold shape, about 6–8 minutes total. They do not need to be fully cooked through. Transfer browned meatballs to a plate and set aside.

Sweat aromatics

In the same skillet (add 1 tbs olive oil if pan is dry), reduce heat to medium and add 1/2 cup finely chopped onion. Cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, about 4–5 minutes. Add 2 cloves minced garlic and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant.

Deglaze and build sauce

If using, pour 1/4 cup red wine into the pan to deglaze, scraping up browned bits. Let reduce 1–2 minutes. Add 28 oz tomato sauce (or crushed tomatoes), 1/2 cup stock, bay leaf, and 1 tsp brown sugar. Stir to combine.

Simmer with meatballs

Return the browned meatballs to the skillet, nestling them into the sauce. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer for 20–25 minutes until meatballs are cooked through (internal temp 160°F / 71°C) and sauce has slightly thickened. Stir gently occasionally.

Finish

Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper or to taste. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in 2 tbs chopped fresh parsley or cilantro. If sauce is too thin, simmer uncovered a few minutes more to reduce.

Serve albondigas hot, spooning sauce over the meatballs. They can be served with white rice, warm tortillas, crusty bread, or over pasta. Garnish with extra chopped cilantro or parsley and an optional squeeze of lime.