Meatballs in Chipotle Sauce
Albóndigas al Chipotle
Recipe Yield
8 to 10 servings
Cooking time
1 hour
Rate this recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
- 2 pounds ripe tomatoes
- 2 garlic cloves
- 3 tablespoons white onion chopped
- 1 to 2 tablespoons chipotle chiles in adobo sauce or to taste
- 1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce optional
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 to 3 fresh cilantro sprigs or to taste
To Prepare
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground meat with the eggs, minced garlic, breadcrumbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper. Mix thoroughly with your hands or a spatula.
- Place tomatoes in a saucepan and cover with water; simmer over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until cooked through and mushy.
- In a blender, add the cooked tomatoes along with 1/4 cup of their cooking liquid, 2 garlic cloves, white onion, the sauce from the chipotle chiles in adobo and, if desired, one whole seeded chipotle chile. Purée until smooth.
- Pour the oil into a large soup pot and place over medium-high heat. Once hot, pour in the puréed tomato mix. It will sizzle and jump, that is ok! Let it simmer, with the lid ajar, anywhere from 6 to 8 minutes, or until it has changed its color to a deeper red, thickened in consistency and lost its raw flavor. Add the chicken broth and salt to taste and reduce heat to medium low.
- Place a small mixing bowl with water to the side of the soup pot with the simmering tomato broth. Wet your hands and start to make the meatballs, one by one. They should be anywhere from 1 to 2″. Gently place the meatballs in the simmering tomato broth.
- Once you have shaped all the meatballs, add the cilantro sprigs to the pot, then simmer over medium-low heat for 25 to 30 minutes.
- Serve hot with a side of Mexican avocado slices, some warm corn tortillas and, if desired, frijoles de olla or white rice and plantains.
Comments
40comments inMeatballs in Chipotle Sauce
Jim
Jan 23
Everything about this dish is just terrific: the meatballs, the sauce, the combination
of the two. The recipe is also easily adapted to different levels of spice and smoke.
Thank you, Pati, for opening so many doors and for crossing borders. And also for
featuring food from the Yucatan. My partner and I will return to Mérida next week,
for the fifth time, and will visit some of the restaurants you’ve mentioned, including
La Tradición (Mérida) and Kinich (Izamal), where we’ve had outstanding meals in the
past.
Saludos!
Pati Jinich
Jan 27
Saludos Jim, enjoy Merida and have the most delicious food!
Todd O'huigin
Aug 26
I’ll try this as I love smoked flavor.
Having lived in numerous places this appeals to the appetite just thinking of these simmering.
Aside;
I usually smoke my chicken thoroughly before hand on a completely different thought.
Hickory, Apple, oak, mesquite has a wonderful taste carried through certain dishes!
Pati Jinich
Sep 04
Yum! Thanks for sharing Todd 😉
Elsa
Aug 25
Patti, I tried your Meatballs in Chipotle Sauce and they are to die for! My family loved them. I enjoy trying your recipes as they are always wonderful. I still cook for my 101 year old Mom and she also enjoys your recipes. I am very blessed to have my mom and I am delighted being able to cook your spectacular dishes for her. Thank you for sharing your beautiful knowledge in the world of cooking.
Pati Jinich
Sep 04
Thanks to you for your sweet words Elsa, and big hugs to you and your mom!
Alba
Aug 25
Sabrosa receta, me quedaron muy bien hechas
Gracias por compartir.
Pati Jinich
Sep 04
Con gusto Alba, que bueno que te gustaron 🙂
Josephine Jackyra
Aug 25
Thank you Patti, delicious meatballs and so easy to make. Your recipes are relatively easy and so satisfying. Keep them coming😋!
Pati Jinich
Sep 04
Thanks to you Josephine, so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Harry Valle
Aug 25
I’m excited to make these meatballs thank you.
Pati Jinich
Sep 04
Let me know how you like them Harry 😉
Toni
Aug 25
Looks delicious will give them a try .I love your cookbook.
Pati Jinich
Sep 04
Thanks so much Toni!
Sandra Reyes
Aug 24
Sounds Delicious 🤤 I’m going to try it! Hola 👋🏽 from So. Cal🥰
Pati Jinich
Sep 04
Hola Sandra, hope you enjoy the meatballs!
Foodhuntermark Brownstein
Aug 24
Rico e suave,
Bravo Patti!!
Saludos
MB
Pati Jinich
Sep 04
Saludos back 😉
Carol
Mar 05
Made this tonight and it’s wonderful! Used 1T adobo plus 1 pepper, will use 2T adobo next time. Great recipe.
Pati Jinich
Mar 06
Awesome, you’re on my spicy team Carol 😉
Erika
Feb 06
Puedo usar harina de almendra en vez de pan molido para q sea gluten free?
Tmbn usaria aceite de coco o ahuacate
Pati Jinich
Feb 08
Adelante Erika, muy buenas ideas 🙂
Sandra Velasco
Oct 13
Hy Jesus de Veracruz!!!
Las albondigas tanto como El arroz con chepil salieron delicious. No pense que respetar las instrucciones de una receta Daria excelentes resultados
Gracias por Las recetas
Mi familia y amigos te lo agradecemos
Bendiciones
Saludos desde Madera CA. Yo soy de Tijuana B.C.MX
Pati Jinich
Oct 29
Sandra, que alegria que el arroz con albondigas fuera un exito y les gustara tanto. Les mando un abrazo a todos 🙂
Mary Thomas
Jul 18
Hi Pati I love all your shows and try to not miss an episode. I have not tried the meatballs but planning to do so todsy. Thank you for your shows.
Pati Jinich
Jul 21
Hola Mary! Hope you liked the meatballs, yay!
Julia Mendieta
Jul 01
Hola Patty, deliciosa receta. Por favor me gustaria tener la receta de pan de yema, a mi familia le gusta mucho.
Gracias.
Pati Jinich
Jul 03
Por supuesto Julia, aqui esta la receta, espero que la disfruten mucho! http://patijinich.com/es/pan-de-yema/
Carole Smith
Jun 30
I am so anxious to try this recipe. But more than that I am so happy to hear you will return in the fall!! I just love your show!!!
Pati Jinich
Jul 04
Thanks so much Carole! It will be lots of fun from Jalisco 😉
Paul O.
Aug 23
I made this with canned tomatoes (diced and crushed) and it turned out delicious. Thank you, Pati!
Pati Jinich
Aug 26
Awesome Paul, happy you liked these Albondigas 😉
Emma
Sep 15
Yum! I’m an Arizona girl living in Sweden and the cold autumn season has just started. I wanted to make an albondigas soup but decided to try this instead. I’ve tried three of your recipes so far which me and my boyfriend have both loved. Your recipes bring such a home feeling. Thank you Pati!
Pati Jinich
Sep 17
Oh I hope many more recipes bring back a home feeling for your Emma and help keep you warm.
SamanthaS.
Jul 09
Could this be made ahead, and warmed up in a slow cooker the next day? I would love to bring this to a luncheon at work. It sounds amazing, and easy to “share”!!!
Pati
Jul 09
That will work just fine, Samantha! Have a great luncheon 🙂
Frierce&wild
Jun 04
Like the amazing chef Pati jinich this is an amazing recipe. I fixed it’s a number of times in my family loves it. Tonight I fixed it with farro and garlic spinach on the side. My family loves this recipe!
Pati
Jun 05
Oh wow…thank you!
Jon
Apr 17
Hi Pati, Eres una dama muy hermosa😘
This is the first time I have seen your program about making meat balls and now I’m hooked on your recipes
I would love for you to have an hour program. Please don’t stop letting us have your recipes
tuyo sinceramente Jon
Pati
Apr 18
I for sure will keep sharing recipes!