🧆 Albóndigas (Spanish meatballs in tomato sauce)

Name: Albóndigas (Spanish meatballs in tomato sauce)
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Spain
Ingredients: 250 g minced beef; 250 g minced pork; 40 g breadcrumbs soaked in 3 tbsp water; 2 garlic cloves, crushed, and 2 tbsp chopped parsley; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 onion, finely chopped; 400 g tomato passata; 1 tsp sweet paprika, salt, pepper

Origin: Spain

538kcal

per serving · 250 g

215kcal

per 100 g

35 gProtein14 g / 100 g

32 gFat13 g / 100 g

25 gCarbs10 g / 100 g

Albóndigas are Spanish meatballs made from a mix of minced beef and pork bound with breadcrumbs, browned and then simmered in a tomato and onion sauce until tender. They are soft and juicy, with a rich, slightly sweet sauce. In Spain they are a favourite tapa served in small earthenware dishes, and a homely main course with rice or potatoes.

Diets

✓

Dairy-freeno milk, cheese, butter or yogurt in a typical recipe

✓

Low-carb10 g carbs per 100 g

✓

High protein14 g protein per 100 g — 26% of the calories

Not vegetarianbecause of: beef, pork

Not veganbecause of: beef, pork

Contains porkbecause of: pork

Contains glutenbecause of: breadcrumbs

Allergens

Contains (in a typical recipe):

⚠ Gluten ⚠ Eggs

What it is made of

beefporktomato sauceonionbreadcrumbs

Recipe

4 servings60 min

Ingredients

250 g minced beef
250 g minced pork
40 g breadcrumbs soaked in 3 tbsp water
2 garlic cloves, crushed, and 2 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
400 g tomato passata
1 tsp sweet paprika, salt, pepper

Method

Mix the beef, pork, soaked breadcrumbs, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper and shape into about 20 balls of 3 cm.
Brown the meatballs in the oil on all sides, then lift them out.
In the same pan soften the onion for 8 minutes, add the paprika and passata and simmer for 10 minutes.
Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

How to make it lighter

Choose lean minced beef and pork and pour off the fat after browning.
Bake the meatballs at 200 °C for 15 minutes instead of frying them to skip most of the oil.
As a tapa, 3–4 meatballs with a big salad is a lighter plate than a full portion with fries.

History

Meatballs have been eaten in Spain for centuries. The word albóndiga is usually traced to the Arabic al-bunduqa, “a small ball”, from the time of al-Andalus. Today albóndigas are a staple of Spanish tapas bars and home kitchens, and the dish travelled with Spanish cooking to Latin America.

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Values are estimates per 100 g for a typical recipe; home and restaurant versions vary. Diets and allergens are worked out from the ingredients of a typical recipe — always check with whoever cooked the dish. Not medical advice. Nutrition data: Me Nutrition dish database v13. How we count →