Spicy Mexican Meatballs

A savory meatball dish packed deep with Mexican flavors that pairs exceptionally well over fresh bowls of rice or pasta.

Gluten-Free Dairy-Free

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

40 mins

Servings

4 people

Ingredients

For the Meatballs

• 250g pork mince
• 250g beef mince
• A handful of tortilla chips (crushed)
• 1 egg
• 1 onion (half of your total onion allocation)
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 cloves of garlic

For the Sauce & Fillings

• 1 onion (remaining half portion, finely chopped)
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 400g tin of tomatoes
• 1 beef stock pot
• 400ml water
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 3 sweet potatoes
• 3 tbsp oil

Method

Step 1: Combine the Minces

Add the pork mince and beef mince together in a large mixing bowl.

Step 2: Smash Tortilla Binder

Crush a handful of crunchy tortilla chips down finely into fine crumbs.

Step 3: Combine Meat and Crisps

Add the finely crushed tortilla chip crumbs directly into the bowl with your mixed minces.

Step 4: Chop and Split the Onions

Finely chop your 2 small onions. Transfer exactly half of them into the mince bowl, reserving the remaining half on the side for your aromatic sauce mix later.

Step 5: Season the Foundation Mix

Crush the garlic cloves into the bowl. Follow by seasoning the meat with ground cumin, cinnamon, and dropping in the raw egg to hold it all together.

Step 6: Work the Meat Mixture

Work the ground mince and seasoning elements together by hand until well bound.

Step 7: Roll out the Shapes

Form the worked mince dough into large, tight meatballs and place them directly into a wide frying pan warming up over a medium heat element.

Step 8: Brown the Exterior Surfaces

Drizzle in a splash of oil and turn the rounded spheres over carefully every few minutes to brown the meat uniformly.

Step 9: Setup Sauce Preps

In a separate blending jug, combine the brown sugar, cider vinegar, tinned tomatoes, the leftover half of your chopped onions, chilli powder, and paprika.

Step 10: Process the Enriched Liquid Base

Pour in your water, add the beef stock pot and dried oregano. Blend the contents smoothly using a stick mixer, then fold through your fresh chopped coriander.

Step 11: Cut the Vegetables

Peel and chop your sweet potatoes down into thick, solid cubes.

Step 12: Pan-Roast the Cubes

Toss the sweet potato cubes into a wide pan along with your remaining oil and sauté over medium heat until they start to soften up.

Step 13: Combine the Pan Elements

Bring your seared meatballs, sautéed sweet potatoes, and processed red tomato sauce altogether into one deep pan. Add your salt and pepper adjustments and lower to a gentle simmer for 20 minutes.

Step 14: Garnish and Plate Up

Plate up your warm stew components over columns of plain rice or boiled pasta. Scatter loose coriander leaves across the top for garnish and serve.

Recipe Tips & Alternatives

This dish tastes exceptionally good served alongside pasta or long-grain rice. To create the ultimate paired meal, try serving these meatballs directly over a fresh bed of our herby Mexican Green Rice.