Description
This Spanish Meatballs recipe offers a flavorful and comforting dish featuring tender meatballs seasoned with paprika and garlic, simmered in a rich tomato sauce. Perfect for a hearty family dinner, these meatballs are browned to perfection before cooking slowly in a savory homemade sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 1/2 teaspoons paprika
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Sauce
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1.5 pounds fresh whole tomatoes, cored and chopped
Instructions
- Make meatballs: In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, whole milk, minced garlic, egg yolk, and paprika. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Knead the mixture until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Shape the mixture into 12 evenly sized meatballs and place them in the refrigerator to chill for 10 minutes, which helps them hold together during cooking.
- Brown meatballs: Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chilled meatballs and cook them, turning occasionally, until all sides are nicely browned. This step seals in juices and adds flavor. Once browned, remove the meatballs from the pan and set aside.
- Make sauce: In the same pan, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and reduce heat to medium. Sauté the finely diced onion, minced garlic, and bay leaf until the onion is softened and translucent, which should take about 5 minutes. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon paprika, then add the chopped fresh tomatoes to the pan, stirring to combine.
- Simmer: Return the browned meatballs to the pan with the tomato sauce. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let the meatballs simmer gently for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and to ensure the flavors meld beautifully.
- Serve: Once cooked through and the sauce has thickened, transfer the meatballs and sauce to a serving bowl. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serve hot, ideally with crusty bread or rice to soak up the delicious sauce.
Notes
- Chilling the meatballs before browning helps them hold their shape better.
- Use fresh, ripe tomatoes for a more vibrant and fresh sauce, or substitute canned tomatoes if fresh are unavailable.
- Adjust the amount of paprika to your taste preference for a milder or spicier flavor.
- Make sure not to overcrowd the pan when browning the meatballs, cook in batches if necessary.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Spanish
