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This bright and bold Spanish meatball (albondigas) dish is alive with Iberian flavour! Juicy, tanned and plump meatballs (a mix of pork and beef), soak up a smoked paprika and bell pepper and tomato sauce, with briny greens olives bobbing alongside too. It’s a throwback to summer holidays on the costas that will cheer up any midweek dinner despite the weather. And no packing necessary!
It’s not only the Spanish that make a good meatball. There’s Swedish, Swedish meatballs in cream sauce; Greek, baked with orzo and feta cheese; and Italian, of course- meatballs with bucatini all ‘Amatriciana. Where’s your next dinner destination?
Homemade baked meatballs
Let’s talk meatballs. There are two things that make a knockout meatball:
- Using a combination of beef and pork in equal measure. Somehow both meats together spin a kind of meatball magic that results in the juiciest meatballs that are at the same time, pork sweet and beef savoury.
- Browning the balls. Browning, or searing, releases fat and flavour into the cooking oil and lays the groundwork for a deeply intense sauce. It also seals in the meaty moisture, so they won’t dry out in the oven. And…golden balls. They’ll tan like toffee. Who doesn’t love that look?
As well as the two ground meats, I’ve used an egg and breadcrumbs to bind them into sticky, not-too-tight balls. I seasoned with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and smoked Spanish paprika to make them highly flavoursome and authentically compliment the sauce.
The sauce is a riff on the classic bravas sauce, that famously comes over fried potatoes. The signature Spanish tomato sauce is a potent cocktail that’s heavy on the garlic, onion and smoky (sometimes spicy) This is an affiliate link.paprika, and tangy with tomatoes and red wine vinegar. Smooth and liquified, as a tapa, about four balls will bathe in a shallow pool of it.
I’ve maximised my recipe by adding sliced red bell pepper and whole, pitted green olives to make it more of a 15-meatball, veg-packed, family mega meal.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- For me, the best meatballs combine the sweet, fattiness of minced pork and the irony, earthiness of minced beef. If you don’t usually mix your minced meats, now is the time to give it a try.
- Adding flavour to the meatball mix is a must. That’s what brings the sultry Spanish smokiness.
- Roll those Spanish meatballs fat- it will keep them moist. I use an ice-cream scoop to make them uniform in size and shape, so they look good and cook evenly.
- Browning the meatballs is a crucial step. It flavours the oil for the sauce, seals in moisture and slightly caramelises the outside.
- If meatballs are sounding like a lot of work, make the same dish but with fuss-free chicken thighs: see Spanish Chicken in Bravas Sauce.
- Traditionally, the albondigas sauce is smooth. I like mine chunky. I’ve also thrown in a handful of green olives for a salty bolt.
- To stretch the dish and add extra protein, I sometimes throw in a can of butter beans or chickpeas. Try it if you’re having a financially lean week.
Serving suggestions
We are in tapas country, my friends! When ordering or serving tapas, I tend to go for 3 dishes per person as a satisfying rule of thumb. It’s usually one meat, one vegetable and one fish or cheese for a well-rounded, try-everything approach. Here’s what my husband’s and my order would look like:
1x albondigas
1 x patatas bravas
1 x padron peppers
1 x grilled asparagus with Romesco sauce and burrata
1 x seafood paella
Plus, dos copas de vino y pan.
However, this gut-busting baked meatball recipe is just as easily served as a main meal in its own right. In which case, all it needs is some crusty bread for sopping up the sauce, or garlic and herb mashed potato if that’s more your style, plus greens. I’d go for roasted tenderstem broccoli or pan-fried zucchini.
Storage and leftovers
A traditional albondiga tapa will consist of about 4 meatballs. But who’s making four meatballs?! This easy Spanish meatballs recipe yields 15, so if serving as a tapa I suggest taking what you need, 4 or 8 depending on the party size and freezing the rest.
Frozen meatballs can be stored up to 2 months. Meatballs that have been cooked can be cooked again from frozen. Uncooked meatballs need to be defrosted overnight before going in the oven.
Any leftovers from your meal can be kept in an This is an affiliate link.airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat on the stove with a splash of water.
More recipes to try
- Meatballs Stroganoff
- Easy Spanish Rice with Chicken and Shrimp
- Baked Meatballs with Mozzarella and Arugula
- Spanish Style Baked Chicken and Potatoes
Spanish Meatballs (Albondigas)
Ingredients
- 500g/1lb ground beef, 5% or 10% fat content
- 500g/1lb ground pork, 5% or 10% fat content
- 75g / 3/4 cup breadcrumbs or oatmeal (porridge oats)
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp This is an affiliate link.smoked Spanish paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 10g / 1/3 cup parsley, chopped
For the sauce
- 1-2 tsp This is an affiliate link.olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 red pepper (red bell pepper in the US), sliced
- 1/2 tsp Spanish smoked paprika
- 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
- 400g / 14 oz This is an affiliate link.canned chopped tomatoes
- 125ml / 1/2 cup water
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- Salt to taste
- 90g / 1/2 cup green olives or black olives of any kind
- 2-3 sprigs flat leaf parsley , chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl combine beef and pork, an egg, breadcrumbs (or oats), garlic powder, onion powder, smoked Spanish paprika and salt, mix well and shape into large meatballs. You should get 15 meatballs.
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Heat the olive oil in a large pan, which could be used in the oven later, and brown the meatballs over high heat until golden but not cooked all the way through. (If you cook them till done, they will dry out in the oven later.) Remove to a separate plate.
- To the same pan add the chopped onion, sliced red peppers, sliced or pressed garlic and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Add the smoked paprika and thyme (leaves only) and cook for 5 minutes longer.
- Pour in canned chopped tomatoes, water, red wine vinegar and a pinch of salt, turn the heat up and bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and stir in the olives.
- Next put the meatballs on top of the sauce, put the pan in the preheated oven and bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve over rice or potatoes.
Notes
- Roll those meatballs fat to keep them moist. I use an ice-cream scoop to make them uniform in size and shape, so they look good and cook evenly.
- Browning the meatballs is a crucial step. It flavours the oil for the sauce, seals in moisture and slightly caramelises the outside.
- Traditionally, the albondigas sauce is smooth. I like mine chunky. I’ve also thrown in a handful of green olives for a salty bolt.
- To stretch the dish and add extra protein, I sometimes throw in a can of butter beans or chickpeas.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi Vikalinka, I made your roasted whole cauliflower and your meatball recipes and they were both superb! My husband said he would like me to make the meatball recipe every week. He said it is just scrumptious. So I will be stocking up on jars of roasted red peppers. I had never tried the Romesco sauce before. It is also scrumptious. We had it with some fast food chicken tenders and it was a perfect fit. Thank you for opening up our world to some new wonderful foods.
I am absolutely thrilled to hear it, Adele! Romesco sauce is my go to for entertaining. It’s so easy to whip up and could be enjoyed with a variety of things. Meatballs are always a win in my house.