📝 About This Recipe
These tender, melt-in-your-mouth Mexican meatballs are simmered in a velvety, vibrant tomato-chipotle sauce that perfectly balances smokiness with a gentle heat. A staple of Mexican home cooking (comida casera), this dish is beloved for its soul-warming qualities and the surprising addition of hard-boiled eggs tucked inside the meat. It’s a rustic, sophisticated masterpiece that brings the heart of a Mexico City kitchen right to your table.
🥗 Ingredients
For the Meatballs (Albóndigas)
- 500 grams Ground Beef (80/20 lean-to-fat ratio for juiciness)
- 250 grams Ground Pork (adds depth and tenderness)
- 1/2 cup White Rice (cooked and cooled)
- 1 piece Egg (lightly beaten)
- 2 tablespoons Spearmint (Hierbabuena) (freshly chopped, essential for authenticity)
- 2 cloves Garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon Salt and Black Pepper (to taste)
- 2 pieces Hard-boiled Eggs (cut into small wedges for stuffing (optional))
For the Chipotle Sauce (Caldillo)
- 5-6 pieces Roma Tomatoes (ripe and red)
- 1/2 piece White Onion (roughly chopped)
- 2 cloves Garlic (peeled)
- 2-4 pieces Chipotle Peppers in Adobo (depending on heat preference)
- 2 cups Chicken Broth (low sodium)
- 1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil (for searing)
- 1/2 teaspoon Mexican Oregano (dried)
For Garnish
- 1/4 cup Cilantro (freshly chopped)
- 1 piece Avocado (sliced)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Start by roasting the tomatoes, 1/2 onion, and 2 garlic cloves on a dry skillet (comal) over medium-high heat until the skins are charred and the vegetables soften.
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2
Transfer the roasted vegetables to a blender. Add the chipotle peppers (start with 2 for mild heat) and 1/2 cup of chicken broth. Blend until completely smooth.
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3
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, cooked rice, beaten egg, minced garlic, chopped spearmint, salt, and pepper.
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4
Mix the meat mixture gently with your hands until just combined; do not overwork the meat or the meatballs will become tough.
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5
Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture and roll into a ball. If using hard-boiled eggs, press a small piece into the center and seal the meat around it.
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6
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large, deep pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Sear the meatballs in batches until browned on all sides (they don't need to be cooked through yet).
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7
Remove the meatballs from the pot and set aside on a plate. Drain any excess fat, leaving about a teaspoon for flavor.
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8
Carefully pour the blended tomato-chipotle sauce into the same pot. It may splatter, so be ready to stir. Sauté the sauce for 3-5 minutes until it deepens in color.
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9
Stir in the remaining chicken broth and the Mexican oregano. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
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10
Carefully place the browned meatballs back into the simmering sauce. Ensure they are mostly submerged.
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11
Cover the pot and cook on low-medium heat for 20-25 minutes. The sauce will thicken and the meatballs will finish cooking through.
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12
Taste the sauce and adjust salt if necessary. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash more broth.
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13
Serve the meatballs in deep bowls, generously ladling the smoky sauce over them.
💡 Chef's Tips
Don't skip the spearmint (hierbabuena); it provides a subtle, fresh aromatic quality that defines authentic albóndigas. Using cooked rice instead of breadcrumbs acts as a binder that keeps the meatballs incredibly moist and light. For a deeper flavor, let the sauce 'fry' in the oil for a few minutes before adding the broth; this is called 'sazonar' and is key to Mexican cooking. If you prefer a smoother sauce, pass the blended tomato mixture through a fine-mesh strainer before adding it to the pot. To make it kid-friendly, remove the seeds from the chipotle peppers to reduce the heat while keeping the smoky flavor.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve over a bed of fluffy Mexican red rice (Arroz Rojo) to soak up the extra sauce. Provide warm corn tortillas on the side for making small tacos with the meatballs. Pair with a cold glass of Hibiscus tea (Agua de Jamaica) to cut through the richness and spice. Top with a dollop of Mexican crema or crumbled queso fresco for a creamy contrast. A side of quick-pickled red onions adds a bright acidity that complements the smoky chipotle.