Albondigas - Smokey Spanish-Style Meatballs in Sofrito.
This authentic Albondigas recipe makes a large tapas portion (around 15 small meatballs) which are perfect for sharing between 2-3 people. Both the meatballs and the silky smooth sofrito sauce can be made ahead of time and frozen and reheated when required, making this dish a perfect tapas idea when you’re short on time!
Equipment
- 1 large 12-inch (30cm) frying pan (and lid) with deep sides around 2-3 inches.
- 1 large mixing bowl
Ingredients
For the albondigas
- 500 g/17oz. minced beef or pork
- 1 small white onion diced fine
- 1 cup of breadcrumbs
- Half a cup of chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- ½ teaspoon of cracked black pepper
- 2 egg yolks
- 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil for frying
Sofrito sauce ingredients:
- 6 Roma tomatoes around 500g/17oz.
- 1 jar of roasted bell peppers 200g/7oz.
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1 large white onion
- A handful of parsley
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 4-5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper for seasoning
- 2-3 bay leaves optional
Instructions
Step 1 - Prepare albondigas
- Add all albondigas ingredients (except the frying oil) into a large bowl and mix well with your hands. Press and squish the mixture well to help it firm up (this helps keep the meatballs together when cooking).500 g/17oz. minced beef or pork, 1 small white onion, 1 cup of breadcrumbs, Half a cup of chopped fresh parsley, 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of cracked black pepper, 2 egg yolks
- Take around a heaped tablespoon of the mixture and roll it gently in the palm of your hands until you’ve got a small smooth ball. This recipe makes around 20 1.5-inch balls. Set aside on a plate and repeat steps until no mixture remains.
- Next, heat 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium-high heat in a frying pan. Once hot add the meatballs and fry for 6-7 minutes or until they are evenly browned. Turn the meatballs frequently to ensure they are cooked evenly. Remove from the frying pan and set aside for use later.1-2 tablespoons of olive oil
Step 2 - Prepare sofrito sauce
- Grate the Roma tomatoes and discard the skin and add the tomato pulp and juice to a frying pan on medium-high heat. Dice the onion, mince the garlic, and add to the pan with the jar of diced roasted bell peppers. Add some olive oil and mix well. Reduce heat to medium and saute for 15-20 minutes.6 Roma tomatoes, 1 jar of roasted bell peppers, 4 cloves of garlic, 1 large white onion, A handful of parsley
- Next, add the chopped parsley, smoked paprika, and season to taste. Mix well and let simmer on low heat for another 10 minutes stirring occasionally.1 tablespoon smoked paprika, 4-5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, Salt and pepper for seasoning, 2-3 bay leaves
- Allow the sauce to cool for 15 minutes then add to a blender and buzz for 1-2 minutes until smooth. Once smooth, return the sauce to the pan.
Step 3 - Add albondigas to the sauce
- Arrange the fried meatballs into the sauce around the frying pan. Cover and simmer on medium-low heat for around 15 minutes.
Step 4 - Serve
- Remove from the heat and allow pan to cool for 3-4 minutes before serving.
- Serve straight from the pan with a few chunks of fresh bread.
