Albóndigas en Salsa de Chile Chipotle
Ingredients
Directions
Position the oven rack 3–4 inches below the broiler. Preheat the broiler to high. Place tomatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil for 10 minutes per side, until the skins loosen. Set aside to cool.
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In a large pot, heat a 3 to 4 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Fry the slice of bread until very dark brown to deepen the sauce color and flavor. Set aside. The pot will be used to cook the albondigas later.
- Add the soaked bread, egg, onion, ham, salt, and pepper to a blender. Blend to achieve a uniform paste. Set aside.
- Add the ground pork and beef to a large bowl and mix with a serving fork until they integrate. Add the paste to the meat and mix well.
- Portion the meat with a scoop (1/3 cup). Roll into smooth balls with wet hands, and place on a tray. Freeze briefly while preparing the sauce to help them hold their shape.
- Peel the cooled tomatoes and cut them into chunks. Blend them with the fried bread, onion, vinegar, chipotle chili, parsley, cilantro, chicken bouillon powder, and pepper.
- Add some oil to the large pot and bring it to medium heat. Add the blended sauce and bring it to a gentle simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Cooking
- Once the sauce is simmering, carefully slip in the chilled meatballs one by one. Do not stir yet.
- Simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes, allowing the meatballs to firm up.
- Add the potatoes. Continue simmering for 10 minutes.
- Add the carrots. Simmer gently until both potatoes and carrots are tender and the meatballs are fully cooked through, about 30–40 minutes more (total cooking time 50–60 minutes, depending on size).
- Taste the sauce and adjust salt and spice with extra chipotle adobo if desired.
Serving
- Serve hot with Mexican rice and beans.
Notes
- Any ripe tomatoes will do. I like to use steak tomatoes or vine tomatoes.
- You can also use 2 lbs potatoes and omit the carrots.
- To make 4 batches of 1.5 lb each, you'll need 3 lb pork + 3 lb beef, with no leftovers.
Make-ahead Freezer Version
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Make the meatball mixture as in the recipe (bread + egg + onion + ham blended, mixed with ground beef/pork).
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Roll into golf-ball-sized meatballs.
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Arrange on a parchment-lined tray, not touching, and freeze until solid (2–3 hours).
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Transfer to a freezer bag or container, remove as much air as possible, and label.
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✅ Keeps 2–3 months.
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🔥 Cook directly from frozen (no thawing needed).
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Step 2. Sauce Base (freezer-friendly)
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Blend raw tomatoes, chipotle, onion, bread, parsley, cilantro, bouillon, pepper, and salt.
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Pour into a saucepan, simmer 10 minutes to cook it down slightly and concentrate flavor.
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Cool completely. Portion into freezer-safe containers or quart bags.
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✅ Keeps 3 months in freezer.
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Step 3. Quick Weeknight Cooking (20 minutes from frozen)
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Reheat sauce base in a pot until simmering.
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Add frozen meatballs directly into the simmering sauce. Cover and cook 5 minutes.
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Add diced potatoes + carrot chunks (you can prep/freeze these too, or add fresh).
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Cover and simmer 15 more minutes, stirring gently once the meatballs are firm.
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Check doneness: meatballs should be 165°F (74°C) inside, veggies fork-tender.
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Adjust seasoning with extra adobo or bouillon before serving.
Pro Tips
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Double batch: Make a big batch of sauce + meatballs, freeze in meal-sized portions.
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Rice pairing: Cook rice fresh, but you can also freeze rice in single-serve bags and reheat quickly in the microwave.
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Family variation: If cooking for kids or spice-sensitive eaters, freeze sauce with just 1 chipotle. Add more adobo when reheating for adults.
✨ With this setup, all the “hard” work is done ahead of time — weeknight cooking is just simmer + serve.
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