Albondigas en chipotle is a comforting dish that you can make whenever you’re in the mood for some spicy and smoky flavors. It’s a great choice for a cozy night in. Serve with rice, noodles, bread, or tortillas!
In Mexico we love to eat meatballs, they are called albondigas and most of the time are cooked in a brothy soup, like this albóndigas en caldo.
But we also have these albondigas en chipotle dish that consists of meatballs simmered in a rich and dense chile chipotle sauce. Usually, the meatballs are stuffed with hard-boiled eggs or also with cheese.
Let me show you how to make them at home with this super easy recipe!
How to Make Albondigas en Chipotle
Step 1. Make the sauce
Add tomatoes to a medium pot. Place the pot over medium heat and bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes.
Turn off the heat and then add dried chipotles and guajillos, using a spoon to immerse them well into the hot water. Leave everything to rest for 10-15 minutes.
Tip: I like to use some guajillo peppers for color and extra flavor, but feel free to leave them out as they’re optional.
Peel tomatoes and add them to a blender. Drain chilies and add them along with garlic cloves. Pour 2 cups of beef stock and blend until you have a smooth sauce.
Step 2. Make the meatballs
Place ground meat, chopped onion, rice, eggs, and oregano in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper and mix until nicely combined.
Take about ¼ cup of meat mixture and place it on the palm of your hand. Slightly flatten it into a patty. Add a piece of boiled egg in the middle.
Wrap the meat mixture around ensuring that it completely covers the egg. Roll it into a smooth ball shape, making sure there are no cracks or openings. Repeat until you use all the meat mixture.
Step 3. Cook the albondigas en chile chipotle
Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Pour the chipotle sauce over and the remaining beef stock.
Bring to a gentle simmer and carefully add the meatballs, don’t mix, or the meatballs with fall apart.
Bathe the meatballs with the sauce so they will cook on all sides. Cook for 15 minutes then gently turn them.
Cover the pan and cook for 30-35 minutes turning the meatballs every now and then to cook them evenly. If necessary, add more stock or water.
Uncover the pan and allow the sauce to thicken to your liking.
Adjust seasonings to taste and turn off the heat. Serve your albondigas en chipotle immediately as suggested below or store them for later.
Tips & Tricks
- I like to use a combination of ground beef and ground pork for a more flavorful dish.
- Be careful not to overmix the meatball mixture or the meatballs will become tough. Mix until just combined.
- Adjust the spiciness to your preferences, I recommend 1-2 chipotles if you want a mild sauce or 3-4 if you prefer it spicier.
Serve With
These albondigas en chipotle are perfect to serve with tortillas and white rice so it will soak all the flavorful chipotle sauce!
You can also add a side of beans or serve over noodles for a hearty and satisfying dinner any day of the week.
Or, if you prefer eating them with bread, I recommend a crumby bread like my these bolillo rolls.
Last, if you looking for some light sides, this ensalada verde or these pickled onions will be your best option. ¡Buen provecho!
Store
Albondigas en chile chipotle last up to 3-4 days in the fridge nicely stored in an airtight container.
They are also the perfect dish for batch cooking. I like to prepare a larger batch, and then divide it into individual meal-sized portions and freeze. They last up to 2-3 months in the freezer.
For reheating, thaw overnight in the fridge if they are frozen, then transfer the dish to a pan and add a splash of beef stock or water to loosen up the sauce. Reheat over medium heat stirring gently from time to time.
More Mexican Recipes
I love sharing with you authentic Mexican recipes from my homeland, and I hope you like this delicious álbondigas en chipotle recipe. Please remember to leave a comment and rating below and follow this blog on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram. Thank you!
Albondigas en Chipotle Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds ground pork or beef (or a combination of both)
- 4 hard-boiled eggs (each one cut into quarters)
- 2 medium eggs
- ½ cup onion (finely chopped)
- ½ Tablespoon oregano
- â…“ cup Basmati rice
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
For the chipotle sauce
- 2-3 dried chipotle peppers (or canned chipotle in adobo)
- 2 guajillo chilies (stems and seeds removed)
- 1 ½ pound tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 cups beef stock
Instructions
- Add tomatoes to a medium pot. Place the pot over medium heat and bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and then add dried chipotles and guajillos, using a spoon to immerse them well into the hot water. Leave everything to rest for 10-15 minutes.
- Peel tomatoes and add them to a blender. Drain chilies and add them along with garlic cloves. Pour 2 cups of beef stock and blend until you have a smooth sauce.
- Place ground meats, chopped onion, rice, eggs, and oregano in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper and mix until nicely combined.
- Take about ¼ cup of meat mixture and place it on the palm of your hand. Slightly flatten it into a patty. Add a piece of boiled egg in the middle.
- Wrap the meat mixture around ensuring that it completely covers the egg. Roll it into a smooth ball shape, making sure there are no cracks or openings. Repeat until you use all the meat mixture.
- Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Pour the chipotle sauce over and the remaining beef stock.
- Bring to a gentle simmer and carefully add the meatballs, don’t mix, or the meatballs with fall apart.
- Bathe the meatballs with the sauce so they will sear on all sides. Cook for 15 minutes then gently turn them.
- Cover the pan and cook for 45 minutes turning the meatballs every now and then to cook them evenly. If necessary, add more stock or water.
- Uncover the pan and allow the sauce to thicken to your liking.
- Adjust seasonings to taste and turn off the heat.
Notes
- I like to use a combination of ground beef and ground pork for a more flavorful dish.
- Be careful not to overmix the meatball mixture or the meatballs will become tough. Mix until just combined.
- Adjust the spiciness to your preferences, I recommend 1-2 chipotles if you want a mild sauce or 3-4 if you prefer it spicier.
I recently made Albondigas en Chipotle, and it’s now a favorite in my recipe collection! I paired it with rice, and the combination was heavenly. Definitely a must-try, versatile dish!