Smoky Spanish Meatballs Recipe

4.23 from 103 votes

This beautiful dish comes together very quickly an in only one pot. Kids will love dipping their meatballs in the fragrant and smokey tomato sauce and then mopping up any leftovers with some fresh crusty bread.

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Total Time35

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Anytime

Keyword: spanish meatball recipe

Servings: serves

Calories: 557kcal

Ingredients

Spanish Meatballs

½ cup fresh breadcrumbs (see notes for making your own)
2 tablespoon milk
500 grams (roughly 1lb) Minced beef
2 clove garlic minced
1 egg yolk
2 ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
¼ cup olive oil

Smoked Paprika Tomato Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion finely chopped
3 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
500 grams fresh tomatoes cored and chopped

Instructions

Soak the breadcrumbs in milk for about 5 minutes and then squeeze out any excess liquid. Pop breadcrumbs into a bowl with the beef, garlic, egg yolk, and smoked paprika. Season with salt and pepper and use your hands to knead the mixture until it is smooth.
Form the meat mixture into 12 balls and play on a tray. Cover with cling wrap and pop in the fridge for 10 minutes to rest.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over med heat. Cook the meatballs, turning, for 4 minutes or until browned. Use a slotted spoon to remove the meatballs and transfer to a plate. Reserve the oil in the pan for the tomato sauce.
Return reserved pan with oil to medium heat. Add the little splash of extra oil, onion, garlic, and bay leaf and cook for about 4 mins, or until the onion is softened.
Add in the paprika and cook for a further minute until fragrant.
Stir in the tomatoes and return the meatballs to the pan. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and the meatballs are cooked through.
Transfer to a bowl and serve immediately (see article for serving suggestions).

Notes

Homemade Breadcrumbs

To make the breadcrumbs in the food processor, place chunks of old stale bread into the processor or blender jar. Pulse to desired crumb size, approximately the size of grains of rice. For the best results, add the bread chunks in small batches.

If you only have fresh bread place slices on a baking sheet and dry out slightly in a 300-degree-Fahrenheit oven for 15 minutes. Cool and prepare as above.

Place in a resealable bag, and store in the refrigerator for up to one month or in the freezer for up to three months.

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