• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Comfortable Food
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Cooking
  • Seasonal
  • Regional
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Cooking
    • Seasonal
    • Regional
    • About
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Appetizer Recipes

    Albondigas - Traditional Spanish Meatballs

    BY: Ben Rayl PUBLISHED: 29 May, '14 UPDATED: 13 May, '21 Leave a Comment

    RecipePrintComments

    I lived in Barcelona for many years, and while tapas isn’t the traditional style of eating there, there are certainly no shortage of tapas restaurants. I quickly became addicted to albondigas, a very traditional Spanish tapas dish. When I moved away from Spain, I wanted to learn how to make them at home, so I had to come up with an authentic recipe.

    A recipe for albondigas - traditional spanish meatballs.

    These meatballs are usually served 3-4 in a dish, smothered with zesty tomato sauce, with plenty of bread on the side to sop it all up. They are perfect as an appetizer with some wine, but also can work great as a main course with some rice or other starch on the side. These things are so addictive, trust me—you will want to keep eating them, so be sure to make plenty.

    A recipe for albondigas - traditional spanish meatballs.

    Albondigas - Traditional Spanish Meatballs

    Albondigas are perfect as an appetizer with some wine, but also can work great as a main course with some rice or other starch on the side. These things are so addictive, trust me—you will want to keep eating them, so be sure to make plenty.
    No ratings yet
    Print Pin Rate Save Saved! Share
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: Spain
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 422kcal
    Author: Ben Rayl

    Ingredients
     

    • 1 lb ground beef
    • 2 cloves garlic - chopped
    • 1 cup parsley - chopped
    • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
    • 2 teaspoon salt - divided
    • to taste pepper
    • ⅓ cup bread crumbs
    • ¾ cup parmesan cheese - grated
    • 2, eggs - beaten
    • ¼ cup milk
    • ¼ cup olive oil - separated
    • 1 medium onion - finely chopped
    • 8 tomatoes
    • 2 teaspoon herbs de provence
    • 1 tablespoon sugar

    Instructions

    for the meatballs:

    • Put the meat in a large bowl and add the garlic, parsley, nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese. Mix this together until combined.
    • Add the beaten eggs and milk and mix together well.
    • Dampen your hands slightly, and form the meat mixture into meatballs, about 1" in diameter.
    • In a heavy bottomed frying pan, heat up about 2 tablespoon of the olive oil and cook the meatballs over medium-high heat, until browned on all sides. Remove the cooked meatballs to a paper-towel-lined plate and allow to drain.

    for the sauce:

    • Wipe out the frying pan that you used for the meatballs, then return it to heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoon of olive oil.
    • Add the onion, and cook until golden brown - about 5 minutes - then add the tomatoes. Cook together for about 2 minutes, then add 1 teaspoon of salt, some pepper, the herbs, and sugar.
    • Stir together well and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes.
    • Add the meatballs, cover, and let cook together for about 5 minutes longer.
    • Serve 3-4 meatballs together in small dishes, with the sauce on the bottom.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 422kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 1110mg | Potassium: 739mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2415IU | Vitamin C: 38mg | Calcium: 236mg | Iron: 4mg

    More Appetizer Recipes

    • Roasted cauliflower with herbed cheese sauce
      Roasted Cauliflower with Herbed Cheese Sauce
    • Blue cheese stuffed sliders with red onion orange compote
      Blue Cheese Stuffed Sliders with Red Onion Orange Compote
    • The best crab cakes ever
      The Best Crab Cakes Ever
    • Super simple yeast biscuits
      Yeast Biscuits

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Chef Ben Rayl

    Hi, I'm Ben!

    I believe comfort food unites us, and I want to inspire you to cook at home with everyday ingredients. It is easier and takes less time than you think, costs less than eating out, and tastes a million times better.Read More

    Feel free to share our recipes on your blog using a photo and link back to the original recipe.

    Cooking How-tos

    • How many ounces in a quart featured 2
      How Many Ounces in a Quart
    • Jasmine rice featured
      How to make Perfect Jasmine Rice
    • How to brine a turkey
      How To Brine A Turkey
    • What is wagyu beef explained
      What Is Wagyu Beef?

    Italian Recipes

    • Tiramisu featured 1
      Easy Tiramisu Recipe
    • Different types of pasta featured
      32 Different Types of Pasta
    • Pizza pasta featured 2
      Pasta Pizza Casserole
    • Pizza soup featured 3
      Pizza Soup

    Comfort Casseroles

    • Featured chicken broccoli casserole
      Chicken Broccoli Casserole
    • Featured beef enchilada casserole
      Beef Enchilada Casserole
    • Featured chicken wild rice casserole
      Chicken Wild Rice Casserole
    • Featured pics
      Cabbage Roll Casserole

    Best Comfort Recipes

    • Soup recipes with few ingredients
      35 Easy Soup Recipes with Few Ingredients
    • Featured shredded chicken
      28 Easy Recipes with Shredded Chicken
    • Chorizo recipes featured
      26 Easy Chorizo Recipes
    • Cream of chicken recipes
      20 Easy Cream of Chicken Recipes
    • Panini recipes
      25 Best "Gooey Panini Recipes"
    • Easy kielbasa recipes
      30 Easy Kielbasa Recipes

    Footer

    Subscribe Now

    Never miss a recipe!

    Thank you!

    You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

    .

    About

    • Contact
    • Privacy
    • Disclosure
    • Accessibility

    Recipes

    • Dinner Recipes
    • Lunch Recipes
    • Breakfast Recipes
    • Side Dish Recipes
    • Appetizer Recipes
    • Dessert Recipes

    More

    • Cooking How tos
    • 35 Easy Soup Recipes with Few Ingredients

    Favorites

    • Bruschetta Recipe
    • Breakfast Casserole with Bacon
    • Greek Lemon Chicken Soup
    • Chicken and Biscuits
    • Chicken Casserole with Ritz Crackers

    ↑ back to top

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2021 Comfortable Food · All Rights Reserved