Albondigas en Chipotle (Meatballs in Chipotle Sauce)
Albondigas en Chipotle (Meatballs in Chipotle Sauce)
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS:
Meatballs:
2 Tablespoons (30 ml) whole milk
1 slice white sandwich bread
1 pound (450 g) ground beef
1 egg
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 clove garlic, minced or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Chipotle Sauce
3 large tomatoes, chopped
1 or 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (from a can) depending on preferred spiciness
1 1/2 Tablespoons (22 ml) vegetable oil
1/4 cup (30 g) finely chopped white onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup (120 ml) chicken broth or water, if needed
Salt and pepper to taste
Garnishing and to serve
Chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
Arroz Rojo (see below)
Green salad of choice
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. To make the meatballs: Place the milk and the bread in a large bowl, and mash the bread until smooth. Add the ground meat, along with the egg, salt, pepper, and garlic. Knead the ingredients with your hands until they are well combined.
2. Form 16 meatballs (about 1 1/4 inch/4 cm in size) with your hands wetted with cold water.
3. To make the chipotle sauce: Place the tomatoes and chipotle peppers (no adobo sauce) in a blender and blend until smooth.
4. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until transparent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, stir and continue cooking for another 3 minutes. Stir in the chipotle sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. If your tomatoes aren’t juicy enough and the sauce becomes dry, add about 1/3 cup (80 ml) chicken broth or water.
5. Add the meatballs to the saucepan, cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Season the sauce with the salt and pepper, then continue simmering, uncovered, for 10 more minutes. If the sauce is too thin, remove the already-cooked meatballs and keep simmering the sauce until the desired thickness is achieved. You can wrap the meatballs in aluminum foil and place them in a warm oven set at a low temperature while the sauce simmers.
6. Serve in medium bowls garnished with the parsley or cilantro, along with the rice and salad.
Arroz Rojo (Red Rice)
Arroz Rojo (Red Rice)
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups (270 g) long grain white rice
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil (45 ml) or lard (45 g)
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
3 Tablespoons (24 g ) chopped white onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 3/4 cups (660 ml) chicken broth
Optional items:
1 small carrot, peeled and diced
1/3 cup (50 g) green peas, (if canned, drain, and if frozen, thaw)
1 sprig fresh cilantro
1 serrano pepper
Salt to taste
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Place the rice in a large heatproof bowl and add enough hot water to cover the rice. Stir once, then let stand for 15 minutes. Drain the rice in a strainer, then rinse under cold water until the water runs clear. Shake the strainer well to remove any excess water, as the rice needs to be as dry as possible. Set aside to continue drying.
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan or cazuela over medium-high heat, then add the rice. It should sizzle as it touches the oil. Fry until it starts to acquire a light golden-brown color, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure that the rice does not stick to the bottom of the pan. When it’s done, carefully tip the pan to one side and use a spoon to remove the excess oil.
3. While the rice is cooking, place the tomatoes, onion, and garlic into a blender, and blend until smooth. Pour the tomato mixture into the rice using a strainer and stir. Continue cooking over medium-high heat until all the liquid has been absorbed, stirring to make sure the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan, about 3 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, any of the optional vegetables, and the salt, and bring to a boil.
4. Once it comes to a boil, cover the pan and cook over low heat until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice and vegetables are cooked, about 15 minutes. Once you cover the rice, it is important not to stir or touch it until it is cooked: otherwise it will become mushy. Check the rice to see if there is any moisture remaining (you may have to use a fork to check the bottom of the rice). If there is still some moisture, continue cooking over low heat for a few more minutes, still covered, until tender. Once the rice is cooked, remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes to let the rice continue steaming. Using a fork, lightly fluff the rice before serving.
Recipes from: The Mexican Home Kitchen, by Mely Martínez
Mexico Recipes 2026
