Here’s one of those meals I’ve been making for quite some time. Not something I quickly knock up after work when I need to eat in a hurry, mind you, but if I have just under an hour to spare and feel like a little spice, this is the one.

Firstly, let’s get this out of the way – this isn’t authentic Mexican food. I don’t recall coming across meatballs anywhere in Mexico when I was there, but if they exist, I’d sure like to know about them.

This is me just playing around with my meatballs and spicing them up a bit with my Mexican spice mix. They’re moist, flavourful and studded with beans.

And then there’s the rich tomato sauce they’re baked in – also full of beans, spices and biting dried ancho chilli.

Simply lumped on cooked rice with fresh coriander leaves and dollop of sour cream; it’s enough to keep me happy for a couple of meals. Sometimes I trick them up with diced fresh tomato, charred corn and pickled red onion, should I have either of these laying about the fridge.

As for any leftovers, I can vouch for Mexican meatball jaffles or sandwiches, or get this – a meatball and a little sauce cocooned in puff pastry, brushed with egg and baked.

Arriba!

Print Recipe

Mexican meatballs

Generously sized and flavour packed meatballs with Mexican flavours.

Course

Main Dish

Cuisine

Mexican

Servings

servings

Ingredients

Meatballs

• 500 g pork mince
• 1 egg
• 1½ tbsp Mexican spice mix recipe link in notes
• ½ tsp salt
• ⅓ cup coriander leaves & stalks chopped
• 400 g tin red kidney beans rinsed & drained (only use half in meatballs and reserve other half for sauce)
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Sauce

• 2 tbsp pork lard recipe link in notes - or use olive oil
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 400 g tin tomatoes roughly puréed
• 1½ cups water
• Reserved kidney beans
• 3 tbsp Mexican spice mix recipe link in notes
• 1 tbsp dried ancho chilli chopped
• salt to taste
• Coriander leaves to garnish

Course Main Dish Cuisine Mexican Servings servings Ingredients Meatballs 500 g pork mince 1 egg 1½ tbsp Mexican spice mix recipe link in notes ½ tsp salt ⅓ cup coriander leaves & stalks chopped 400 g tin red kidney beans rinsed & drained (only use half in meatballs and reserve other half for sauce) 2 tbsp olive oil Sauce 2 tbsp pork lard recipe link in notes - or use olive oil 1 onion finely chopped 400 g tin tomatoes roughly puréed 1½ cups water Reserved kidney beans 3 tbsp Mexican spice mix recipe link in notes 1 tbsp dried ancho chilli chopped salt to taste Coriander leaves to garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Combine the mince, egg, spice mix, salt, chopped coriander and half the tin of rinsed beans. Using your hand, mix the meatball ingredients together until well combined. It's ok if you squash some of the beans as this helps bind the meatballs.
3. Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions, or use a ⅓ cup measure, and roll each meatball into a football shape. Place onto a plate and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
4. Put the 2 tablespoons of oil into a skillet that's big enough to take the meatballs with room between each. Swirl the oil around to coat the skillet, then place each meatball into the oiled skillet, turning each over to coat with the oil. Put it all into the oven as you make the sauce.

Sauce

1. Heat the oil over medium flame. Sauté the onions until soft and translucent, or about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add the puréed tomatoes, water, remaining kidney beans, spice mix and chilli. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Check the seasoning and allow to cool gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove the skillet holding the meatballs from the oven. Scoop the sauce over each meatball then pour the remaining sauce around them. Put the skillet back into the oven and cook for 25 minutes.
4. Serve immediately garnished with coriander leaves.

Recipe Notes

Get my recipe for Mexican Spice Mix here.

Get my recipe on how to Render Pork Fat here.

Get my recipe on Pickled Red Onions here.

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