Chipotle Sauce Meatballs | Albóndigas con Chipotle

Chipotle Sauce Meatballs

This is one of the most popular and favorite ways of eating meatballs in Mexico. The mild spiciness and smoky taste of the Chipotle peppers are the key ingredients of this dish. It’s hard for my mouth to not start watering just by looking at the picture above. If you love meatballs and Chipotle peppers, you’re definitely going to love this recipe. It’s very easy to make and takes meatballs to a whole other level.

You’ll be gathering bread just to soak up the remaining sauce. The quality of the ingredients you use is very important in order to get great results. I know that not everyone can go to a Latin food store or a Wal-Mart to buy a can of La Morena Chipotle peppers, but you can buy them online and store them for whenever you need them. There are many uses for Chipotle peppers, and I’ll be posting another really easy recipe using Chipotles in the weeks to come.

When cooking Mexican meals, I prefer to buy products from Mexico, there’s nothing more authentic than that.

How to make Chipotle Sauce Meatballs

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DIRECTIONS:

• Place the slice of bread and milk in a large bowl. Mash bread until smooth and add ground meat. egg, salt, garlic, and pepper. Knead the mixture with your hands until it is well combined. (Please check the ingredients list below)
• Form 1 1/2-inch meatballs, rolling a small portion of your hands. You should have 16 meatballs. Wet your hands with cold water before forming the meatballs to avoid the meat from sticking to your hands.
• Many cooks in Mexico like to stuff the meatballs with a small piece of boiled egg or cheese. Others even add a small piece of a Serrano pepper. To do this, press the small piece of egg or cold cheese into the meatball and seal by rolling the meatball again between your hands.

• Place tomatoes and Chipotle Peppers in your blender and process until you have a very smooth sauce. The amount given renders 2 1/2 cups of sauce.

• Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook onion until transparent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, stir, and keep cooking for 3 more minutes.
• Stir in tomato sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. Add chicken broth or water if needed. Transfer meatballs to saucepan, cover, and cook for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove lid and keep simmering for 10 more minutes. If your sauce is too watery, remove the already cooked meatballs and place them in a warm oven, covered with aluminum foil, while you keep simmering the sauce until the desired thickness is achieved.

To serve, garnish with cilantro or parsley, and add a serving of rice and salad.

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Chipotle Sauce Meatballs

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: 4

Author: Mely Martinez - México in my kitchen

Ingredients

• 1 Slice of sandwich bread
• 2 Tablespoons of milk
• 1 Pound ground beef 85/15%fat
• 1 whole egg
• 1 garlic clove finely chopped or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Optional boiled eggs or small cubes of cheese

FOR THE SALSA

• 1 1/2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup white onion finely chopped
• 2 garlic clove finely diced
• 3 Large tomatoes chopped (22 oz)
• 1-2 Canned Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce “La Morena”*
• 1/2 Cup Chicken broth or water if needed**
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• Chopped parsley or cilantro to garnish

Instructions

1. Place the slice of bread and milk in a large bowl. Mash bread until smooth and add ground meat. egg, salt, garlic, and pepper. Knead the mixture with your hands until it is well combined.
2. Form 1 1/2-inch meatballs, rolling a small portion of your hands. You should have 16 meatballs. Wet your hands with cold water before forming the meatballs to avoid the meat from sticking to your hands.
3. Many cooks in Mexico like to stuff the meatballs with a small piece of boiled egg or cheese. Others even add a small piece of a Serrano pepper. To do this, press the small piece of egg or cold cheese into the meatball and seal by rolling the meatball again between your hands.
4. Place tomatoes and Chipotle Peppers in your blender and process until you have a very smooth sauce. The amount given renders 2 1/2 cups of sauce.
5. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook onion until transparent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, stir, and keep cooking for 3 more minutes.
6. Stir in tomato sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. Add chicken broth or water if needed. Transfer meatballs to saucepan, cover, and cook for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove lid and keep simmering for 10 more minutes. If your sauce is too watery, remove the already cooked meatballs and place them in a warm oven, covered with aluminum foil, while you keep simmering the sauce until the desired thickness is achieved.

To serve, garnish with cilantro or parsley, and add a serving of rice and salad.

Recipe Notes

* Adding two Chipotle peppers will give a mild spiciness to this recipe.

** In case your tomatoes render a dry sauce, add chicken broth or water as needed.

¡Buen provecho!
Mely,

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