Spanish meatballs (called ‘Albondigas’ in Spanish) are delicious meaty morsels that are best when served in a rich flavorsome tomato sofrito sauce. They are ideal for party food or served as a small appetizer or tapas. Best of all, Spanish meatballs are super easy to make and use a few easy-to-find ingredients. We have two cooking options for the meatballs: pan-fried or oven-baked and both are clearly explained below in the recipe guide.
For best results, we use a mixture of ground beef and pork meat which helps give these meatballs a distinctive rich flavor. For seasoning, we opt for a traditional blend of Spanish herbs and spices including dried oregano, ground cumin, garlic powder, and fresh chopped parsley.
- Servings: 4-6 as tapas
- Prep: 35 minutes
- Cook: 20 minutes
- Ready in: 55 minutes
Table of contents:
How to Make Spanish Meatballs (Albondigas)
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- ½ cup bread crumbs
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ lb. (225g) lean ground beef
- ½ lb. (225g) ground pork
- 1 egg
- ⅛ yellow onion, diced fine
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon of dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (for frying)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
For the Sofrito sauce
- 4 ripe tomatoes
- 2 yellow onions
- 3-4 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup tomato paste
- 1 sprig of fresh rosemary (optional)
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
Equipment Needed
- Large mixing bowl
- Large frying pan or skillet
- Oven (optional)
- Large baking sheet (optional)
Instructions
Step 1 – Make the meatballs
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together bread crumbs and milk. Mix well and then allow the mixture to rest while you prepare other ingredients.
- To the breadcrumb mixture, add ground beef and pork, egg, diced onion, garlic, parsley, oregano, and season with salt and pepper (note: we use around ½ tsp salt).
- Mix well until ingredients are evenly combined.
- Use a tablespoon to scoop the mixture and use the palms of your hands to shape the mixture into even-sized meatballs, about 1 inch (2.5cm) each.
Step 2 – Cook meatballs
(Note – We have included two cooking methods so choose the one that suits you best (we opted for the pan-fried method for the video).
Pan Fried Stovetop Method
- Add the olive oil to a 12-inch/30 cm non-stick skillet on medium heat.
- Cook meatballs in batches (so they aren’t overcrowded) until just lightly golden brown this should take around 4 – 6 minutes.
- Once lightly browned on all sides, transfer meatballs to a plate for use later. (go to step 3)
Oven Baked Method (optional)
- Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F.
- Lightly oil a baking tray lined with foil or parchment paper.
- Place meatballs on baking sheets, leaving enough room between each (around an inch/2.5 cm is fine).
- Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 10 minutes, remove and rotate balls, then bake for another 10 minutes or until they are browned evenly.
- Once browned, remove from oven and transfer meatballs to a plate for use later. (go to step 3)
Step 3 – Prepare Sofrito Sauce
- Add the onion and a splash of oil to a skillet on medium-high heat. Brown onion for around 5 minutes, then add garlic and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute).
- Grate the tomatoes and add to the skillet with the tomato paste and seasoning.
- Mix well and reduce heat to a simmer.
- Check the seasoning and add sprig of rosemary (if using). Add a splash of water if the sauce looks too dry.
- Simmer sauce for 15 minutes or until the sauce begins to thicken.
Cooking note – To grate tomatoes, cut them in half, then rub the flesh along the box grater. Discard the skin.
Step 4 – Add meatballs and serve
- Remove the sprig of rosemary before adding meatballs to the sauce.
- Add meatballs to the sauce and simmer for around 5 minutes.
- Once the balls are warmed and well covered in sauce, serve and garnish with some fresh chopped parsley.
About Spanish Meatballs (Albóndigas)
Meatballs (Albóndigas) are a popular tapas dish you’ll find served all over Spain. The exact origin remains unknown, although they are thought to have originated as a Berber dish imported to Spain during the period of Muslim rule (around 711 and 1492 A.D.)
Spanish meatballs are made with either pork or beef mince (or both) and either pan-fried or oven-baked with lots of dried herbs and spices. It is common to find Albóndigas served in a rich tomato sauce.
Why Spanish meatballs are so good!
- Easy to make
- Good for meal prep or batch cooking
- Freezer friendly
- Great party food
- The homemade sofrito sauce is oh-so good!
Best Ground Mince Meat to Use for Meatballs
Use a combination of ground beef and pork for this recipe (we used a 50/50 ground beef/pork mince). Combining the two minced meats will result in a more rounded flavor. The beef mince contains more fat than the pork mince, and those fats break down during cooking and add to the overall flavor of the meatballs.
If you’re looking to use low-fat meat, you can always substitute beef and pork for veal, chicken, or ground turkey meat. All have a much lower fat content compared to ground beef or pork.
How to Make Fresh Breadcrumbs
There are two easy ways to make fresh breadcrumbs.
- Freeze any bread ends or unused bread then grate it with a box grater (see video).
- Tear slices of stale bread into pieces and place in a food processor, pulse mixture to fine crumbs for 1 minute.
Nutrition Information
| Nutrition Facts | |
| Servings: 6 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 310 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 17g | 22% |
| Saturated Fat 3.5g | 17% |
| Cholesterol 92mg | 31% |
| Sodium 135mg | 6% |
| Total Carbohydrate 15.1g | 5% |
| Dietary Fiber 2.5g | 9% |
| Total Sugars 5.1g | |
| Protein 25.2g | |
| Vitamin D 3mcg | 15% |
| Calcium 59mg | 5% |
| Iron 9mg | 50% |
| Potassium 663mg | 14% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
More Recipes with Meat
- Greek meatballs (keftedes) – baked and fried version
- Za’atar chicken with leek, artichoke hearts, and kalamata olives
- One-pan Greek chicken thighs with roast veg
Spanish Meatballs (Albondigas) in a Rich Sofrito Sauce
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Large frying pan or skillet
- Oven (optional)
- Large baking sheet (optional)
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- ½ cup bread crumbs
- ¼ cup milk
- ½ lb. 225g lean ground beef
- ½ lb. 225g ground pork
- 1 egg
- ⅛ yellow onion diced fine
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon of dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for frying
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the Sofrito sauce
- 4 ripe tomatoes
- 2 yellow onions
- 3-4 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup tomato paste
- 1 sprig of fresh rosemary optional
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Step 1 – Make the meatballs
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together bread crumbs and milk. Mix well and then allow the mixture to rest while you prepare other ingredients.½ cup bread crumbs, ¼ cup milk
- To the breadcrumb mixture, add ground beef and pork, egg, diced onion, garlic, parsley, oregano, and season with salt and pepper (note: we use around ½ tsp salt).½ lb. 225g lean ground beef, ½ lb. 225g ground pork, 1 egg, ⅛ yellow onion, 2 garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh parsley, 1 tablespoon of dried oregano, 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, Salt and freshly ground black pepper, 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- Mix well until ingredients are evenly combined.3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 4 ripe tomatoes, 2 yellow onions, 3-4 garlic cloves, ½ cup tomato paste, 1 sprig of fresh rosemary, Salt and pepper
- Use a tablespoon to scoop the mixture and use the palms of your hands to shape the mixture into even-sized meatballs, about 1 inch (2.5cm) each.
Step 2 – Cook meatballs
- (Note – We have included two cooking methods so choose the one that suits you best (we opted for the pan-fried method for the video).
Pan Fried Stovetop Method
- Add the olive oil to a 12-inch/30 cm non-stick skillet on medium heat.
- Cook meatballs in batches (so they aren’t overcrowded) until just lightly golden brown this should take around 4 – 6 minutes.
- Once lightly browned on all sides, transfer meatballs to a plate for use later. (go to step 3)
Oven Baked Method (optional)
- Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F.
- Lightly oil a baking tray lined with foil or parchment paper.
- Place meatballs on baking sheets, leaving enough room between each (around an inch/2.5 cm is fine).
- Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 10 minutes, remove and rotate balls, then bake for another 10 minutes or until they are browned evenly.
- Once browned, remove from oven and transfer meatballs to a plate for use later. (go to step 3)
Step 3 – Prepare Sofrito Sauce
- Add the onion and a splash of oil to a skillet on medium-high heat. Brown onion for around 5 minutes, then add garlic and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute).
- Grate the tomatoes and add to the skillet with the tomato paste and seasoning.
- Mix well and reduce heat to a simmer.
- Check the seasoning and add sprig of rosemary (if using). Add a splash of water if the sauce looks too dry.
- Simmer sauce for 15 minutes or until the sauce begins to thicken.
- Cooking note – To grate tomatoes, cut them in half, then rub the flesh along the box grater. Discard the skin.
Step 4 – Add meatballs and serve
- Remove the sprig of rosemary before adding meatballs to the sauce.
- Add meatballs to the sauce and simmer for around 5 minutes.
- Once the balls are warmed and well covered in sauce, serve and garnish with some fresh chopped parsley.
Video
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