Mexican Meatballs

5 from 2 votes

These perfectly spiced and seasoned juicy Mexican Meatballs come with an Adobo-flavored tomato sauce. It's the perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and smoky with a touch of heat.

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings meatballs

Calories 81

Author Jessica Kwon

Ingredients

3 tortillas I used corn tortillas
1 lb lean ground beef I used 88/12%
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon paprika
2 chipotle chiles in adobo (canned) de-seeded and minced
1 egg
¼ cup grated cotija cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Cilantro for garnish

Sauce

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Fry the tortillas:
Air fry: Preheat air fryer to 400°F. Place tortillas inside and fry for 2-3 minutes until crispy.
Bake: Preheat oven to 450°F. Place tortillas on a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes or until stiff.
Let the tortillas cool for 1-2 minutes. Then place into a zip-top bag and use a mallet, rolling pin, or bottom of a pan to finely crush. Tortilla crumbs should be the size of sand, like breadcrumbs. Crush enough to make ⅓ cup.
Mix meatball ingredients: To a large bowl, add ground beef, tortilla crumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cumin, paprika, chipotles, egg, cotija cheese, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Lightly whisk the egg, then gently mix to incorporate the ingredients into the beef. Be careful to not overmix or else you'll get a tough meatball.
Form into meatballs: Use a 1½ tablespoon cookie scooper or spoon to form about 15 meatballs. Wet your hands and roll into the size of a golf ball.
Sear the meatballs:
Air fry: Preheat the air fryer to 350°F. Lightly spray the bottom of the basket so the meatballs don't stick. Place the meatballs inside, leaving a little space between each one. Then fry for 4-5 minutes. Internal temperature should be around 120-130°F.
Bake: Preheat the oven to 450°F if you haven't already done so. Line a baking sheet with foil, then place a wire rack on top. Lightly spray the rack with oil and place the meatballs, evenly spaced, on the rack. Bake for 7-8 minutes. Internal temperature should be around 120-130°F.
Pan sear: In a large, wide pan, heat ½ tablespoon oil. When hot, add half the meatballs and sear each side for 1-2 minutes. Repeat with the second half. Transfer to a plate and set side.
Start on the sauce: If you're air frying or baking, start on the sauce while the meatballs are searing. If pan searing, start on the sauce immediately after.
To a large wide pan, add beef broth, tomato sauce, adobo, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover and let simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes.
Finish cooking the meatballs: When the meatballs are done searing, add them directly into the sauce. Cover and keep simmering for 5 minutes. Then flip, and simmer until meatballs are done cooking and are no longer pink in the middle, about 3-5 minutes. Internal temperature should be 160°F.
Let cool slightly and garnish with cilantro and additional cotija. Serve warm.

Video

Notes

If serving with pasta, I recommend doubling the sauce.
Serving size ranges between 15-20 meatballs, depending on the size.
Storing Leftovers: Let cool completely and then place in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezing:
- To freeze cooked meatballs, let cool completely and place in an air-tight bag or zip-top container with as much air removed as possible. Store in the freezer for 3-4 months.
- To freeze uncooked meatballs, place them on a baking sheet in a single layer without touching. Freeze for 20-30 minutes until they are solid, and then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag. They can stay frozen for 2 months. Let thaw overnight in the fridge and cook as directed in the recipe.
Reheating: Add the meatballs and sauce to a small pot, cover, and heat on medium-low until warmed through. You can add more broth or water if it looks dry. Alternatively, you can microwave them until they're warm.
Substitutions:
- Substitute the tortillas with tortilla chips, Panko or regular breadcrumbs.
- Use different kinds of meat for the meatballs - try half beef and half pork, veal, chorizo, chicken, or turkey.
- Instead of cotija cheese, use feta cheese or grated Parmesan cheese.
- To make this dairy-free, use dairy-free feta cheese in place of the cotija cheese.
- To make this vegan, try using the following plant-based subsitutions:
  - Instead of beef, use mushrooms and chickpeas.
  - Substitute the egg with a flax egg.
  - Use vegan feta or Parmesan cheese instead of cotija cheese.
  - For the sauce, use vegetable broth instead of beef.

Nutrition