Spanish meatballs, albondigas, or tapas are the best meatballs in tomato sauce I've ever had; they are Spanish food at its best.
Spanish albondigas recipe
Easy to make, these incredibly comforting and aromatic Spanish meatballs or albondigas in tomato sauce are perfect for tapas or as a main course with rice or noodles.
Ingredients: 15 + oil, salt & pepper | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 35 minutes | Servings: 4 | Difficulty: Easy
I've made this dish dozens of times over the years, as my husband and daughter are big fans who always request spaghetti or rice with meatballs and tomato sauce. When they do, I either make this albondigas recipe or my grandma's Pork Meatballs in Tomato Sauce.
Featured comment
Rob: Just made these tonight to go with patatas bravas after coming back from a holiday to Spain a few weeks ago. Wow these were superb, best meatballs I've ever made. I genuinely thought I was back in Spain. Anyone thinking of trying this recipe I urge you to give it a go, you will not be disappointed.
Jump to recipe
What are tapas?
Albondigas, or Spanish meatballs in tomato sauce, are often served as tapas in Spain. Tapas are small portions of food typical in Spanish cuisine, usually served with drinks and sometimes free of charge. They shouldn't be considered appetizers; if you start with tapas, you typically end your meal with them. In Spain, you can 'tapear,' meaning you go from bar to bar, enjoying a drink and a type of tapa at each stop. Check out the Mushroom tapas, too.
Recipe ingredients
Meatball ingredients
Ground meat: I use a mix of ground beef and pork - the pork adds richness and makes these Spanish meatballs extra hearty. Check out this Pork Meatball Soup, too, another hearty and delicious meatball recipe.
Spices: Three sorts of Spanish paprika: sweet, hot, and smoky paprika. The smoked paprika I use is sweet; if using hot, don't overdo it; these meatballs are not supposed to be hot.
Other ingredients: Egg, bread crumbs, and olive oil are used to brown the balls.
Sauce ingredients
Vegetables: Two cans of chopped tomatoes, one onion, and three cloves of garlic. You could use the same amount of fresh tomatoes, but only if those you have are exceptionally good quality: ripe, sweet, and juicy. Otherwise, canned ones are much better.
Spices: fennel seeds, oregano, bay leaves, cayenne pepper, parsley, salt, and pepper.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make Spanish meatballs?
Step #1: Mix all meatball ingredients in a bowl.
Step #2: Roll small, walnut-sized meatballs, wetting your hands occasionally to keep them from sticking.
Step #3: Brown the meatballs in batches, turning often with a spatula. Avoid overcrowding the pan, as they won't brown properly. Transfer to a bowl.
Step #4: Cook the onion in the same pan until translucent. Add the garlic and stir it shortly.
The meatballs won't be fully cooked at this stage, as you'll finish cooking them in the sauce later.
Step #5: Add the remaining ingredients and simmer on medium-low heat for about 20 minutes. The sauce should be slightly thickened.
Step #6: Add the meatballs and cook them in the sauce for about 5 minutes or until cooked through. Adjust the taste.
Tip: Add 1 teaspoon of sugar if needed to balance the tomato's acidity.
Make ahead, store, and freeze
The Spanish meatballs keep well in the fridge for about 2-3 days, allowing you to make them ahead of time and reheat before serving.
Store leftovers in an airtight container for 2-3 days or less if you made the Spanish meatballs in advance.
You can also freeze the Spanish meatballs in airtight containers, where they'll be fine for at least 2-3 months. Defrost them overnight in the refrigerator and reheat thoroughly.
How to serve Spanish meatballs?
You can serve them as tapa meatballs in a small dish with some crusty fresh bread on the side. In this case, the recipe would serve 8 to 10 people. Try them with this amazing Sun-Dried Tomato Bread.
You can also have them as a main dish over rice or noodles. Mashed potatoes would be great as well. The albondigas with sauce would be enough for four people.
What to serve at a tapas dinner?
You can create your own tapas table by adding a few dishes and serving them with these flavorful balls. Remember that anything served in small portions can qualify as a tapa.
Try the Calamari in Tomato Sauce; it is one of the best seafood dishes I've ever had, much better than anything similar that I've ever had in a restaurant. Then, add some Potatoes in Tomato Sauce, a traditional Spanish frittata with potatoes, or something a bit different like a Pea and Leek Frittata or a delicious Pumpkin Frittata in fall.
If you want to add more meat, try some skewers, like these Pork Kebabs with Vegetables or these Turkey Skewers.
Serve other Spanish recipes in small portions, for instance, Chicken and Chorizo Stew, Spanish Pork Stew, or Chorizo Chicken Paella.
Don't forget to place a small bowl of olives on the table, some roasted almonds, and some crusty bread. A good bottle of white or red wine is almost mandatory.
Spanish Meatballs - Albondigas Recipe
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven or saute pan
Ingredients
Meatballs:
- 1 lb ground meat a mixture of beef and pork, Note 1
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 egg
- 2 ½ tablespoons dried breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- ¾ teaspoon sweet paprika
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon hot paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Tomato sauce:
- 1 medium onion
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 cans chopped tomatoes each weighing 400 g/ 14 oz
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds Note 2
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- salt and pepper
Instructions
Meatballs:
- Make meatballs: Place the ground meat, grated garlic cloves, lightly beaten egg, dried breadcrumbs, parsley, sweet, smoked, hot paprika, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Mix well with your hand. Form between 30 and 35 small meatballs, about the size of a walnut.1 lb ground meat + 2 garlic cloves + 1 egg + 2 ½ tablespoons dried breadcrumbs + 2 tablespoons chopped parsley + ¾ teaspoon sweet paprika + ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika + ¼ teaspoon hot paprika + 1 teaspoon salt + ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Fry meatballs: Heat the oil in a large skillet. Fry the meatballs (in two batches if necessary) until brown on all sides. This will take about 5 minutes. Remove the meatballs from the pan and set them aside.1 tablespoon olive oil
Tomato sauce:
- Saute: Chop the onion very finely. Heat the olive oil in the same skillet. Add the onion and cook it until translucent. Add the finely chopped garlic cloves and stir for another minute.1 medium onion + 2 tablespoons olive oil + 3 garlic cloves
- Simmer: Add the tomatoes, fennel seeds, oregano, bay leaves, cayenne pepper, and chopped parsley. Add some salt and pepper as well. Stir well and bring to a boil. Simmer on medium-low heat for 20 minutes or until slightly thickened.2 cans chopped tomatoes + ½ teaspoon fennel seeds + 1 teaspoon dried oregano + 2 bay leaves + ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper + 2 tablespoons chopped parsley + salt and pepper
- Add the meatballs to the pan and heat them in the sauce for about 5 minutes or cooked through.
Notes
- The recipe serves 4 as a main dish and 8-10 as tapas. The nutrition is calculated for 4 servings.
- Fennel seeds: I strongly recommend using them; they add incredible flavor.
Alex says
Wow those were delicious! We had them with Couscous and some fried zucchini on the side. Something to repeat!
Adina says
I am so happy to hear it, Alex. Thank you for taking the time to comment.
Alice says
Can I make these in a crockpot?
Adina says
Hi Alice. I think it should work fine, but I never tried.