albondigas |älbônˈdēgäsælˈbɑndɪɡəs| plural noun: small meatballs, prepared in the Mexican, Spanish, or South American way.
I’m not one of those women who enjoys baking and cooking in the kitchen all day. But, I do have a few favorite family recipes that I love to make when I have the time! My family makes the world’s greatest Albondigas–and I wanted to share our recipe with you!
Albondigas are flavorful, spiced meatballs marinated in a delicious Mexican broth that you are sure to enjoy (though I enjoy eating them any time of the year!).
We’ve been making these for so long, we rarely measure the ingredients anymore and just throw them in by sight. I tried to get the exact measurements down, but feel free to be creative and add (or take away) as you please! Make it your own family recipe!
Sabrina’s Family Favorite Albondigas Recipe
Ingredients you’ll need:
1lb. Ground Turkey or Beef
1 Medium White Onion
2 Large Tomatoes
3/4 cups of /Uncooked Rice
1 Egg
2 Medium Potatoes
Tomato Sauce
Cilantro Stalk
Salt
Garlic Powder
Chicken Flavor Knorr
Directions:
- Fill a large pot 3/4 full of water and sprinkle with salt. Put on the stove to boil on high.
- While you are waiting for water to boil, place your ground meat in a large mixing bowl. Dice one tomato in small pieces and add to the bowl. Dice 1/2 the onion in small pieces and add to bowl. Add rice, egg, garlic and salt (to taste) to bowl as well, and mix all ingredients all together with your hands. Knead until all ingredients are mixed well.
- Once all ingredients are mixed well, begin forming your medium sized meatballs. Do NOT add to water until water is boiling. (Boiling water helps meatballs keep their form.) Once you have added all your meatballs to the boiling water, throw in the other tomato into the boiling water (whole). Cover the pot with a lid, and lower the heat to medium and cook for 45 min.
- While meatballs are cooking, peel and dice your potatoes and cut up your cilantro (These will be added the last 50 minutes of cooking).
- After meatballs have been cooking for 45 minutes, spoon out your whole tomato and place in blender. Add other half of an onion chopped in large pieces. Add a cup of water from boiling Albondigas. Add 2 tablespoons of Knorr and a pinch of garlic powder. Add 1/3 of tomato sauce (small can) and blend until liquidized. Add back to boiling Albondigas mixture. Mix and taste. (Add more knorr to taste, if needed.)
- Add potatoes and cilantro and cook for another 50 minutes (or until potatoes are tender).
Enjoy!
This dish goes great with a Mexican Fideo or brown rice mixed in! Yum! I hope you and your family enjoy this delicious recipe as much as mine does.
From my table to yours–feel free to share some of your favorite family recipes with me too!
Buen provecho!
XO-
Sabrina
