Albóndigas in Chipotle Sauce
This authentic Mexican recipe for Albóndigas in Chipotle Sauce combines tender meatballs simmered in a smoky, spicy sauce that’s packed with bold flavors. It’s a comforting dish that’s simple enough for busy weeknights but flavorful enough to impress at any gathering. Plus, it’s easy to make family-friendly with a kid-friendly variation. Once you taste these albóndigas, you’ll see why they’re such a beloved staple in Mexican kitchens!
Equipment
- Small pot
- Mixing bowl
- Deep Pan or Pot
Ingredients
Chipotle Tomato Sauce
- 3 medium Roma tomatoes
- ⅛ small white onion
- ¼ stalk of celery
- ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 8 oz can of tomato sauce
- 1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup chicken broth
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon starch (optional) such as cornstarch, tapioca starch or arrowroot
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ black pepper
- 1-2 medium potatoes diced into small cubes
Instructions
Chipotle Tomato Sauce
- Add the tomatoes and the piece of white onion to a small pot of boiling water. Boil until soft then place the tomatoes and onion in a blender or food processor.
- Add celery, Dijon mustard, ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder, tomato sauce, 1 cup of water, 1 cup of chicken broth, salt and pepper to taste, and 1-2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (depending on your spice preference).
- Blend all the ingredients together until completely smooth.
- Heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil in a deep pan or pot. Carefully pour the sauce in and cook over medium heat.
Meatballs
- While the sauce comes to a simmer, prepare the meatballs. Place a pound of ground beef in a large mixing bowl. Add the garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- With your hands, mix the ingredients into the meat until just combined. Do not overwork the meat or else it can become tough.
- Next, roll the meat into 1″ meatballs. Place the meatballs into the sauce once it has come to a boil.
- Lower the temperature of the sauce to a simmer and let the meatballs cook for 8 minutes.
- Add the diced potatoes. Cover and simmer for another 10-15 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through and the potatoes are fork tender.
- The sauce should thicken as it simmers. For a thicker sauce dissolve one tablespoon of starch in a tablespoon of cold water and add to the simmering sauce.
- Serve.
Notes
Whole30 Version
- If you cannot find a compatible brand of chipotle peppers in adobo then use dried chipotle peppers. Boil 1-2 of the dried peppers in water until soft, about 5-8 minutes. Once soft, add them to the blender in place of the chipotles in adobo.
- Instead of cornstarch use arrowroot or tapioca starch to thicken the sauce, if needed.
- Complete all the steps as written, but omit the chipotle peppers. When the potatoes and the meatballs are cooked, separate the kids’ portions from the pot.
- Once their portions are separated, then you can add the chipotles to the rest of the sauce. Take one cup of the sauce and blend it together with one or two chipotle peppers. Then add this back to the pot and let it simmer for another 2-3 minutes.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 servingCalories: 175kcalCarbohydrates: 27.3gProtein: 13.8gFat: 2.9gSaturated Fat: 0.9gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 1120mgPotassium: 1041mgFiber: 6.6gSugar: 5.4gCalcium: 92mgIron: 7mg
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