Albondigas, Spanish tapas – Spiced Spanish meatballs in a rich tomato sauce.
Albondigas are a classic Spanish tapas dish that you will often find in small bars and restaurants across Spain. Here you get tender, lightly spiced meatballs served in a simple, flavourful tomato sauce – a dish that is both easy to make and full of authentic flavour.
The mixture is shaped into meatballs, which are first browned well in the pan so they develop a good crust. They then finish cooking directly in the spiced tomato sauce, which is made in the same pan. That way the meatballs take on flavour from the sauce, while the sauce gains depth and flavour from the meat – a genuine win-win.
I have kept the seasoning simple, so you can taste the meat and the classic notes of garlic, paprika and tomato in the sauce, but still with a touch of spice that gives the dish character.
Traditionally, albondigas are served as tapas with good bread, but you can just as easily enjoy them as a main course with fried potatoes and a fresh salad on the side. The recipe makes about 30 meatballs, which is enough for 8 people, depending on how they are served. And if there are leftovers, the dish freezes well and can be enjoyed another day.
Spanish meatballs – the meat makes the difference
For my albondigas I use a combination of minced beef and minced pork. I find it gives the most flavourful meatballs, because the beef brings deep, meaty flavour while the pork adds juiciness and richness. The result is meatballs that are juicier and more tender – perfect for simmering in a tomato sauce.
I would recommend that you do not choose mince with the very lowest fat content, as it can make the meatballs dry. On the other hand, you do not need to go for the fattiest either. You get the best result with a fat content somewhere in the middle – it gives both good flavour and a juicy texture.
I also use a little bread soaked in milk instead of breadcrumbs. It may sound a little unusual, but it is actually a classic technique that makes the meatballs even softer and juicier inside. It gives a better texture, so they hold their shape but still melt in the mouth.
If you want to keep them simpler, you can get by with beef alone, but I would strongly recommend the combination – and a mid-range fat content – for the best flavour and texture.
Albondigas – Spanish Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 2 slices white bread, crusts removed, cut into cubes
- 25 ml milk
- 450 g minced beef
- 450 g minced pork
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, grated or crushed
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 handful parsley, finely chopped
- Plain flour
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Oil
Tomato sauce
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp tomato purée
- 1/2-1 tsp smoked paprika
- 100 ml red wine
- 2 tins chopped tomatoes
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 pinch sugar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Oil
To serve
- Chopped parsley
- Baguette or other bread
- Fried potatoes or a hearty salad
Method
Meatballs
- Soak the bread in the milk.
- Put both types of mince in a bowl with the onion, garlic, soaked bread, eggs, cumin and parsley. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Mix the mince thoroughly, ideally with a hand mixer – make sure everything is well combined.
- Divide the mixture into small portions of about 40 g each and roll them into meatballs. Then toss them in plain flour.
- Heat a good glug of oil in a deep frying pan and fry the meatballs over a medium heat until golden. They only need to be browned – they will finish cooking in the sauce.Set the meatballs aside on a plate.
Tomato sauce
- Make the sauce in the same pan. Fry the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent, then add the tomato purée and smoked paprika. Heat through for a moment.
- Pour in the red wine and let it reduce for a moment, then add the chopped tomatoes and the bay leaf. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Return the meatballs to the sauce and let it simmer over a low to medium heat for about 15-20 minutes – or until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Season to taste with a little sugar, salt and freshly ground black pepper – and serve with, for example, bread, fried potatoes or a hearty salad.
Nutrition
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