I’m super excited to share this recently-created Mexican Meatballs recipe and use it as an example of how easy it can be to create your own recipes. Even if you’re not an experienced cook, you probably are an experienced eater and that’s the only qualification you need to develop recipes. Just start paying attention to what you like, why you like it, and how different flavors and ingredients combine. Note them in your head, an app, a notebook, and then just go for it(!) in your kitchen.
When Cook Taste Eat announced this challenge to use Whole Food’s 365 Everyday Value coconut milk in a Latin-inspired appetizer or dessert recipe, I knew I’d create a Mexican meatball recipe. I love getting creative with meatballs and using them as a blank slate of ground meat for layering flavors and textures onto. Plus they’re a convenient make-ahead appetizer, allowing you to be an awesome host / hostess when your guests arrive. However, a meatball without tomato sauce is like Simon without Garfunkel. It’s good but you miss the harmonies, so I knew that I also wanted to create a tomato sauce to accompany these meatballs.
Here’s the exercise I did in my head when trying to create this recipe: I asked myself, “What Latin flavors and ingredients would go well in a meatball?” Dissecting all the burritos, tacos, and chilaquiles I’ve consumed, I came up with diced jalapenos for heat and texture; cumin, smoked paprika, and coriander spices to add flavor; and of course garlic and chopped cilantro. For the sauce, coconut milk combined with fire-roasted tomatoes and cumin created the perfect balance of earthy, sweet, and rich. The result? The best meatballs you’ll have this side of the border.
Helpful Tools: 1) Sharp knife; 2) Steady cutting board; 3) Saucepan; 4) Cast iron skillet; 5) Immersion blender; 6) Oval baker
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- Jalapeno, diced – 2
- Red onion, diced – ½
- Cilantro, chopped – Handful of sprigs
- Garlic, crushed – 1 tbs.
- Ground pork – 1 lb. (possible substitutes: ground chicken or turkey)
- Panko / breadcrumbs – ⅓ cup
- Cumin – 2 tsp.
- Coriander – 2 tsp.
- Smoked paprika – 1 tsp.
- Kosher salt – 1 tsp.
- Canola oil – 1 tbs.
- Cotija cheese, crumbled – 2 oz. (possible substitutes: feta)
- Garlic, minced – 4 cloves
- Canola oil – 1 tbs.
- Diced / crushed fire roasted tomatoes, drained – 1 28 oz. can
- Coconut milk – 1 cup
- Cumin – 2 tsp.
- Cinnamon – 1 tsp.
- Salt – 1 tsp.
- Jalapeno / Red onion / Cilantro / Garlic – Prep as directed
- Meatballs – Mix together all ingredients except cheese in a large bowl (save some cilantro for garnish). Form into balls measuring 1.5” in diameter. Cover if not making right away
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- Prepare tomato sauce: Heat up a >3 quart saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbs. canola oil and then minced garlic to heated oil. Once you can smell the garlic, add the remainder of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes and then remove from heat and let cool
- While sauce is simmering: Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbs. canola oil and then as many meatballs as can comfortably fit into the pan. Sear for ~2 minutes on opposite sides. Move seared meatballs into a baker. Repeat if not all the meatballs could be seared in 1 batch
- Season tomato sauce to taste with more salt, cumin, or cinnamon. Puree with an immersion blender
- Pour tomato sauce over the meatballs. If you have some leftover, save it for another time. Bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until meatballs reach 160 degrees
- Garnish with cotija cheese and more cilantro. Serve with fancy toothpicks!
- Steps 1 through 5 can be done the day before. Reheat in the oven at 250 degrees before guests arrive for 20 to 30 minutes and then garnish
- Use leftover sauce with other proteins (I simmered some fish in my leftover sauce and it was delicious) and eat over rice
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Melissa Bryson says
These look like they are right up my alley and I cannot wait to make them!! Thanks for your inspiration.
Jess says
@Melissa Thanks for stopping by. I just finished off the leftovers of these and they were so, so good! Let me know if you make it and how it goes for you!
Therese says
These were great! We made a double batch of meatballs (without the breadcrumbs) and a single batch of sauce and it worked well for us. We left out the cinnamon and added mexican oregano to the sauce. I served them on top of zucchini noodles. Thanks for a great recipe!
Jess says
@Therese That sounds amazing! So glad you were able to make them low-carb. Thanks so much for stopping by
Jessica says
Perfect meal post-skiing on a snowy CO afternoon. I cheated and served over egg based linguini…the flavors are perfect (I think they come out with those “searing” touches)! Can’t wait to see how the flavors age over the next couple “leftover” days. Great work Jess!
Jess says
@Jessica Thanks so much for stopping by. So glad you made this dish your own and that it kept you warm and refueled after skiing!
Carole says
Hi there. The current Food on Friday on Carole’s Chatter is collecting links to posts about Mexican dishes and flavours. I do hope you link this one in. This is the link . Please do pop back to check out some of the other links – there are a lot of good ones already. Have a great week.
Jenn says
We made these tonight and they were delicious! A couple adjustments: added cayenne to the sauce (my jalapenos were kinda mild), used a lean pork, and baked the meatballs for 30min at 350 degrees (to reduce the fat). This dish even got my cilantro-hating boyfriend singin’ their praises. The flavors were so incredibly developed, I can’t wait to make this again!