Meatballs in smoky tomato sauce. Imagine deliciously tender plump meatballs, smothered in a slightly spicy tomato sauce that’s jazzed up with black beans and topped with crispy chorizo. It’s super hearty and made in only one-pan. These pan-seared pork and beef beauties are everything you probably love about meatballs. Serve with lots of warm tortillas for mopping it all up.
If you’re seeking a little knockout flavor to brighten up dinnertime, then this punchy Mexican-inspired dish will have you swooning the best way possible. Serve with warm tortillas, over rice, with a dollop of sour cream and a big side salad.
We’re using both, beef and pork mince for the best juicy and soft meatballs. Feel free to just use only beef, it will be super tasty, but not quite as soft.
We mix the meatballs with our hands, but be sure you don’t over mix. The shorter you mix and form the balls, the lighter they will be. If you overwork the meatballs, they’ll get tough.
As for the sauce, it’s pimped up with smoked paprika, garlic, tomato paste and sautéed bell pepper. Feel free to add a variety of chili peppers, chipotle powder or chipotle chilies in adobo sauce would work great here, and will add a nice smoky flavor and a spicy punch.
Let me guide you through the recipe with this step-by-step VIDEO.
What to serve with meatballs in smoky tomato sauce?
Here are a few things you can add to make it a meal:
- rice
- warm tortilla, taco
- crusty bread
- topping: sour cream, sharp cheddar, guacamole, jalapeños, cilantro leaves, red onion
- lettuce side salad or fresh cucumber salad with a sour cream dressing
RECIPE NOTES
- add chipotle chilies in adobo sauce or chipotle powder. It will add a spicy kick as well as a beautifully smoky touch
- great as an appetizer at your next dinner party, with corn tortilla chips to dip into the tomato sauce
- instead of rice, use spaghetti squash, it will add a nice sweetness
- feel free to use only ground beef, pork, chicken or turkey for the meatballs
- any leftover sauce can be used with pasta, roasted chicken, crusty bread, or anything else that calls for a spicy kick
- as for the chorizo sausage, I used dried Spanish chorizo, but if you can’t find it, add Argentine chorizo, Andouille sausage or just smoked bacon
- use beef broth instead of chicken broth for a more intense flavor
More meatballs, please!
- Meatballs in Tomato Sauce with Orzo
- Thai Coconut Curry Chicken Meatballs
- Baked Meatballs with Orzo in Roasted Pepper Sauce
Recipe Video
Calories Per Serving: 638 kcalMeatballs in Smoky Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
sauce
Instructions
Notes
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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