Spanish Meatballs – or Albondigas – simmer in enchilada sauce and are topped with sour cream, radishes & cilantro. Serve them taco-style in tortillas or as an appetizer with toothpicks.
Table of Contents
Albondigas are tender Spanish-style meatballs typically served in a rich, garlicky tomato sauce. Popular in tapas menus throughout Spain, these flavorful bites are perfectly seasoned and simmered until juicy and infused with bold Mediterranean flavor.
This dish makes an excellent appetizer for entertaining or a small-plate addition to a tapas spread. Serve with crusty bread for dipping and enjoy a savory, crowd-pleasing starter that’s both rustic and elegant. Or, serve them over rice with your favorite toppings.
When I set out to making these Spanish meatballs, I was after these three key points:
- I wanted them to have lots of flavor
- I wanted them to be as easy to prepare as possible
- I wanted them to be versatile so that they could be served in a number of different ways – i.e. over rice, in tacos, or as an appetizer
I took a huge shortcut here by using store bought enchilada sauce. While not traditional, it turned out delicious! The meatballs season the enchilada sauce as they cook away and, conversely, the sauce seasons the meatballs. The result is a nicely thickened, seasoned sauce that’s mild in heat but big on flavor.
Ingredient notes
- Ground Beef – You could also make these with ground turkey or ground chicken. Or, use a mixture of ground pork and ground beef.
- Crushed Corn Chips – These work as the binder for you meatballs, much like breadcrumbs would work with Italian meatballs.
- Enchilada Sauce
- Onion & Garlic
- Milk
- Eggs
- Cumin & Smoked Paprika
- Fresh Cilantro – Not a fan? You can also use fresh parsley.
- Salt & Pepper
- For Topping – Cotija cheese, sliced radishes, cilantro, avocado, lime wedges, jalapeno
How to make them
Step 1
Make the crumb mixture
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
- In a large bowl, combine the crushed corn chips and milk. Let stand about 5 minutes, until the chips soften.
Step 2
Combine the meatball ingredients
- Stir in the onion, garlic, cilantro, paprika, cumin, eggs, salt and pepper.
- Then, fold in the beef.
Step 3
Form the meatballs
- Shape into 1 1/2-inch meatballs (about 2 tablespoonfuls each). Evenly space meatballs on a cookie rack set in a deep sided baking sheet or on a broiler pan.
Step 4
Bake the meatballs
- Bake the meatballs for 10-12 minutes or until browned.
Step 5
Simmer in sauce
- Transfer the browned meatballs to a large frying pan or Dutch oven.
- Add the enchilada sauce and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to low heat, and simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through.
- Enjoy over rice, in tortillas, or as an appetizer with toothpicks.
How to make ahead and store
- The prepared meatballs in sauce can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
- Or, to freeze, just form and bake the meatballs, without simmering in the sauce. Freeze the meatballs on a sheet pan, then (once frozen) transfer to an airtight container or ziploc bag. When ready to serve, just put them on the stove with the enchilada sauce and add an additional 10 minutes to the simmering time.
How to serve albondigas
These beauties are begging to be wrapped into a tortilla and eaten like a taco. But, they’d also be amazing served over a bowl of steamed rice. Or, serve them as an appetizer – served straight from the pan with toothpicks on the side for easy snacking.
What to serve with albondigas
- Rice – I like to make rice cooker rice or instant pot rice to keep things easy. Or, try this Rice Cooker Mexican Rice.
- Tortillas
- Crushed Tortilla Chips or Tortilla Strips
Erin’s wine pairings
- Try a Sangiovese with this dish. It’s flavors of roasted peppers and tomato are echoed by the enchilada sauce, yet it’s light-bodied and fruit forward enough to not be overpowering.
- A Tempranillo would work well here as well. It’s a mild wine that works well with the spices in many Mexican dishes.
More meatball recipes
More appetizer recipes
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Full Recipe
Albondigas (Spanish Meatballs)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup corn chips (crushed )
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 small onion (minced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ cup cilantro (chopped )
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 28-ounce can enchilada sauce
- 6-inch corn tortillas
For Topping
- Sour cream, cotija cheese, sliced radishes, cilantro, avocado
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Stir together 1/2 cup corn chips and 1/4 cup milk in a large bowl; let stand about 5 minutes or until chips soften. Stir in 1 small onion, 2 cloves garlic, ½ cup cilantro, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon cumin, 2 eggs, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Fold in 2 pounds ground beef.
- Shape into 1 1/2-inch meatballs (about 2 tablespoonfuls each). Evenly space meatballs on a cookie rack set in a deep sided baking sheet or on a broiler pan.
- Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until browned.
- Transfer meatballs to a large skillet or Dutch oven; add 1 28-ounce can enchilada sauce. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through.
- Serve meatballs with tortillas and desired toppings. Or, serve them over rice.
Notes
Nutrition
This Spanish meatballs post was originally published in 2019. It was updated in 2023 to add new photographs and content. The albondigas recipe remains the same. Enjoy!
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