Albondigas in Chipotle Sauce
Albondigas (Spanish for meatballs) soup is a traditional Mexican dish best served when the temperatures begin to drop. Albonidags can be made with beef, pork, turkey, chicken or shrimp and are served over a bed of rice. Hearty meatballs simmered in a rich chipotle tomato broth are pure comfort. Chipotle peppers add a hint of boldness to the tomato based broth which pairs wonderfully with Kendall-Jackson AVANT Red Blend.
If concerned about heat or spiciness from the chipotles, no need to worry. Chipotles are relatively mild with a depth of smokiness that adds a wonderful deep layer of flavor to any dish. They can be found in the Latin section of your grocery store in cans. This recipe calls for only ¼ of a cup simply dice the remaining chipotles and freeze individually in 1 tablespoon size servings in ice cube trays and place in the freezer. Experiment by adding one cube to soups stews and sauces – trust me soon you will be addicted to chipotles.
For more authentic Mexican recipe make sure to stop by Sweet Life, Buen Provecho!
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 small onion, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- ½ tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup onion, finely minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 (28 oz) can tomato sauce
- ¼ cup canned chipotles in sauce, finely diced
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and black pepper
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place ground meat, eggs, bread crumbs, garlic cloves, onion, oregano, salt and pepper, mix well. Form into 16 (1 inch) balls and place them on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Heat oil in a large sauce over medium high heat; add onion and sauté until translucent. Add garlic and continue to sauté for 1 minute. Stir in tomato sauce, chipotles, and oregano and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, reduce heat, add meatballs and simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt; serve warm.
