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This Meatballs in Smoky Tomato Sauce recipe is a hearty and flavorful dish that combines juicy pork and beef meatballs with a rich, smoky tomato sauce filled with black beans. The dish is perfect for any meal, served over rice, with tortillas, or simply as an appetizer. The crispy chorizo topping adds an extra punch of flavor, making it a meal you’ll want to enjoy again and again.

Full Recipe:

Ingredients

For the Meatballs:

9 oz ground beef
9 oz ground pork
1 egg yolk
¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground coriander

For the Sauce:

4 oz spicy chorizo sausage, chopped
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp salted butter
1 bell pepper, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup chicken broth
2 cups crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 can black beans (do not drain)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp chipotle powder or 2 tbsp chipotle in adobo sauce (optional)
2 tsp smoked paprika
Fresh cilantro for serving
Sour cream for serving
Warm tortilla and/or rice for serving

Directions

Make the Meatballs: In a large bowl, mix together ground beef, ground pork, egg yolk, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and ground coriander. Using your hands, form the mixture into meatballs, about 2 tablespoons each. You should have about 25 meatballs.
Brown the Meatballs: Heat oil and butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the chorizo and cook until crispy. Remove it from the skillet, leaving the grease. Add the meatballs in batches and cook until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Remove the meatballs and set them aside.
Prepare the Sauce: In the same skillet, add chopped onion, garlic, and bell pepper, and sauté for about 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and simmer for 2 minutes, scraping up the brown bits from the skillet. Stir in tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, black beans, and all the spices (oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, chipotle powder). Bring the sauce to a boil.
Simmer the Soup: Return the meatballs to the skillet and gently stir to coat. Simmer for 15 minutes, until the meatballs are tender and the sauce has thickened.
Serve: Serve the meatballs and sauce over rice, or with warm tortillas. Top with crispy chorizo, cilantro, and a dollop of sour cream.

Nutritional Information (per serving, estimated)

Calories: 484 kcal
Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
Cholesterol: 148 mg
Sodium: 1630 mg
Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Sugar: 8 g
Protein: 26 g
Vitamin A: 1976 IU
Vitamin C: 52 mg
Calcium: 102 mg
Iron: 5 mg

The Perfect Meatballs: Tender and Flavorful

The heart of this dish lies in the meatballs. A blend of ground beef and pork is used to create these tender, juicy meatballs. The pork provides moisture, ensuring that the meatballs stay soft and flavorful, while the beef adds richness and depth. The addition of egg yolk helps bind the ingredients together, creating a tender texture without being too dense. Panko breadcrumbs give the meatballs a light, airy texture, making each bite soft and satisfying.

What really makes these meatballs stand out is their seasoning. Garlic powder and ground coriander give them a gentle warmth and complexity, while salt and pepper enhance the natural flavors of the meat. The blend of pork and beef ensures that each meatball is packed with savory goodness, and they brown beautifully when cooked, providing a satisfying contrast to the creamy tomato sauce.

The Smoky Tomato Sauce: Deep and Flavorful

The smoky tomato sauce that accompanies the meatballs is what truly elevates this dish. It’s a robust sauce made with crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and a variety of spices that create a deep, rich flavor. One of the key components of the sauce is the use of chipotle powder or chipotle in adobo sauce, which imparts a smoky heat that perfectly complements the sweetness of the tomatoes. The combination of smoked paprika and chipotle powder brings an earthy smokiness that transforms the sauce into something bold and exciting.

Adding black beans to the sauce not only enhances the texture but also adds a subtle creaminess, making the sauce more hearty and filling. The beans absorb the rich flavors of the sauce, and their soft texture provides a perfect contrast to the meatballs. The sauce is further seasoned with oregano, cumin, red pepper flakes, and a bit of salt, all of which create a harmonious balance of savory, spicy, and smoky notes. These spices give the sauce a wonderful depth, ensuring that every bite is full of flavor.

Crispy Chorizo: A Flavorful Topping

One of the most unique features of this dish is the addition of crispy chorizo as a topping. Chorizo, a Spanish sausage made from pork and seasoned with paprika, garlic, and chili, adds a flavorful, crispy crunch to the dish. After the chorizo is cooked in the skillet, it becomes crispy and caramelized, releasing its rich, smoky oils, which add an extra layer of flavor to the meatballs and sauce. The crispy chorizo also provides texture, offering a satisfying crunch that contrasts with the tender meatballs and soft beans.

This topping is not just for flavor, but also for visual appeal. The vibrant red chorizo adds a pop of color to the dish, making it as pleasing to the eye as it is to the palate. The richness of the chorizo pairs perfectly with the hearty, smoky tomato sauce, making each bite more exciting and flavorful.

The Sauce and Meatballs: A Harmonious Marriage

Once the meatballs are browned, they are added to the smoky tomato sauce and simmered gently, allowing them to soak up all the flavors of the sauce. As they cook, the meatballs become tender and juicy, absorbing the rich, flavorful broth. This cooking method ensures that the meatballs don’t dry out, and they become even more succulent as they simmer in the sauce. The sauce thickens as it cooks, turning into a velvety, rich coating for the meatballs, making each bite irresistible.

The combination of the smoky, spicy tomato sauce and the tender meatballs creates a harmonious balance of flavors. The meatballs are savory and juicy, while the sauce is rich, smoky, and slightly spicy. The black beans add a creamy element to the sauce, tying everything together and making this dish a filling and satisfying meal.

Perfect Pairings: Serving Suggestions

This Meatballs in Smoky Tomato Sauce dish is incredibly versatile and can be served in a variety of ways. For a complete meal, serve the meatballs over a bed of rice. The rice will absorb the rich sauce, making each bite even more satisfying. The dish can also be served with warm tortillas, which can be used to scoop up the flavorful sauce and meatballs. The tortillas add a soft, slightly chewy texture that complements the rich, smoky sauce.

If you’re looking for a lighter option, the meatballs can be served with a side of sautéed vegetables, such as zucchini, bell peppers, or spinach. The fresh vegetables provide a burst of color and a light, fresh contrast to the richness of the meatballs and sauce. For a more indulgent side, consider serving the dish with a slice of crusty bread to soak up any leftover sauce.

This dish also pairs wonderfully with a fresh, green salad. A simple salad of mixed greens, avocado, and a light vinaigrette can provide a refreshing contrast to the smoky, savory meatballs. The coolness and crunch of the salad balance the warmth and richness of the main dish, creating a well-rounded meal.

Nutritional Benefits of the Dish

While this Meatballs in Smoky Tomato Sauce is undoubtedly hearty and flavorful, it also offers several nutritional benefits. The combination of ground beef and pork provides a good source of protein, which is essential for building and repairing tissues. The black beans in the sauce add fiber, which is important for digestive health and helps keep you feeling full longer.

Tomatoes, a key ingredient in the sauce, are a rich source of vitamins A and C, both of which are important for immune health and skin health. The bell peppers in the sauce also contribute to the dish’s vitamin C content, which helps boost the immune system. The addition of spices like oregano, cumin, and paprika not only enhances the flavor but also provides antioxidant benefits, which help fight inflammation and support overall health.

Customizing the Dish

One of the best things about Meatballs in Smoky Tomato Sauce is its versatility. While the recipe calls for pork and beef meatballs, you can easily swap in ground turkey or chicken if you prefer a lighter version. You can also adjust the level of spice in the sauce by adding more or less chipotle powder, red pepper flakes, or chorizo to suit your taste.

For a vegetarian version, you can omit the meatballs entirely and instead use plant-based meat substitutes or add extra vegetables like mushrooms, eggplant, or zucchini to create a hearty, satisfying dish. The smoky tomato sauce is flavorful enough to stand on its own, ensuring that the dish remains delicious and satisfying without the meat.

Conclusion: A Flavorful, Hearty Meal

Meatballs in Smoky Tomato Sauce is a flavorful and hearty dish that combines savory meatballs with a rich, smoky tomato sauce and a crunchy chorizo topping. The combination of tender meatballs, flavorful sauce, and satisfying toppings makes this dish a true comfort food classic. Whether served over rice, with tortillas, or on its own, this dish offers a satisfying and filling meal that will please both meat lovers and those looking for a flavorful, hearty meal.

The dish is versatile and can be customized to suit a variety of tastes and dietary preferences. Whether you enjoy it as a weeknight dinner or serve it for a special occasion, Meatballs in Smoky Tomato Sauce is sure to become a family favorite that everyone will enjoy.

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