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Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer
Several years ago, a Rick Bayless recipe for chipotle meatballs appeared in the Wednesday section of the New York Times. Fortunately, we didn't notice the recipe until a correction for it appeared in a subsequent paper, correcting the 2 cans of chipotle peppers the paper had published with the correct 2 chiles.
We made the meatballs and loved them, but couldn't help wincing over the idea of eating them made with 5 times as much chipotle!
How to Serve Chipotle Meatballs
We first published this recipe in 2006 and have since modified it a bit. This is the updated version. They're excellent served with rice and/or tortillas.
You could even serve the meatballs with spaghetti for a Tex Mex-ish version. It's quite spicy and best accompanied with something cooling like sour cream and thinly sliced lettuce.
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Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer
Meatball Magic
- Greek Meatballs
- Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
- Swedish Meatballs
- Italian Meatballs
- Cranberry-Glazed Meatballs
Chipotle Meatballs
Ingredients
For the meatballs
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2 slices bacon, minced
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2 cloves garlic, minced
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2 large eggs
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1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
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1 1/2 teaspoons salt
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1 1/2 pounds ground pork
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2 teaspoons dried oregano or fresh mint, finely chopped
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1 to 2 teaspoons chipotle powder (or a couple teaspoons adobo sauce)
For the sauce
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2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
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1 medium onion, chopped, about 1 cup
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3 cloves garlic, minced
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1 to 3 chipotles chiles in adobo (canned), minced fine and sauce reserved
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1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes (preferably fire-roasted)
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1/2 cup beef or chicken stock
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1 teaspoon dried oregano
Method
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Preheat the oven to 400°F.
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Mix the meatball ingredients:
Add all of the meatball ingredients to a large bowl and mix well with clean hands for a minute or two. You want the mixture to be well integrated, but you don't want to overwork it or the meatballs will be tough.
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Form into meatballs and bake:
With wet hands or an ice cream scoop, form the meat into about 16 plum-size balls and space them out in a 13x9-inch baking dish, or, if you have one, a mini-muffin tin. Bake at 400°F until lightly browned, about 15 minutes.
Elise Bauer -
Make the sauce:
While meatballs bake, heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat and sauté the onions until they just start to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Add the minced chipotles, the can of tomatoes, broth, and oregano or mint. Mix well and add salt to taste. If you want more chipotle flavor, add the reserved chipotle sauce a spoonful at a time, mixing and tasting between spoonfuls. Simmer the sauce uncovered as the meatballs cook.
Elise Bauer -
Toss the meatballs with sauce to serve:
When meatballs are ready, put them into the sauce and toss to coat. If the sauce is too thin for your taste, continue to boil it down for a few minutes. Otherwise, serve with rice, tortillas or polenta. Garnish with cilantro to serve.
Elise Bauer
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
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525 | Calories |
32g | Fat |
22g | Carbs |
37g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 6 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 525 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 32g | 41% |
Saturated Fat 11g | 53% |
Cholesterol 172mg | 57% |
Sodium 1071mg | 47% |
Total Carbohydrate 22g | 8% |
Dietary Fiber 4g | 15% |
Total Sugars 8g | |
Protein 37g | |
Vitamin C 17mg | 85% |
Calcium 126mg | 10% |
Iron 5mg | 25% |
Potassium 997mg | 21% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |