Description
These Easy Baked Mexican Meatballs are a flavorful and satisfying dish featuring roasted poblano peppers, ground beef, and a zesty enchilada sauce. Perfect for a family dinner or as a delicious appetizer, these meatballs are baked to a light brown and simmered in a rich sauce for a comforting Mexican-inspired meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 poblano pepper
- 1 1/2 cups Fritos
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 small onion (chopped into a few chunks)
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup cilantro (firmly packed)
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 pounds ground beef
Sauce
- 20 ounces red enchilada sauce
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Instructions
- Broil the Poblano Pepper: Turn the broiler on high and arrange the rack about 5-6 inches below. Place the poblano on foil on a baking sheet. Broil for 6-8 minutes, turning every 1-2 minutes until the skin is blistered and blackened.
- Steam and Peel: Remove the pepper and place it in a sealed ziplock bag to steam for 10 minutes. Then peel off the skin, and remove stem and seeds.
- Preheat Oven: Set the oven to 400°F (204°C) to prepare for baking the meatballs.
- Prepare Baking Sheet: Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- Crush the Fritos: Use a food processor or blender to crush the Fritos into small crumbs. You need about 1/2 cup crumbs from 1 1/2 cups whole Fritos. Place crumbs in a large bowl and mix with 1/4 cup milk. Let soak for a few minutes.
- Process Vegetables: Without washing the food processor, add onion chunks, garlic cloves, cilantro, and roasted poblano pepper (skin, seeds, and stem removed). Pulse until finely chopped.
- Combine Poblano Mixture and Fritos: Add the chopped mixture to the soaked Fritos and mix well.
- Add Seasonings and Eggs: Stir in 2 eggs, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper to the mixture.
- Add Ground Beef: Use your hands to gently fold the ground beef into the mixture until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep meatballs tender.
- Shape Meatballs: Form 1 1/2-inch diameter meatballs, yielding about 35 meatballs. Ensure uniform size for even cooking.
- Bake Meatballs: Place meatballs on prepared baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 10-12 minutes until lightly browned on top.
- Prepare Sauce: In a large pot on the stove, combine 20 ounces red enchilada sauce, 2 cups chicken broth, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Bring to a simmer over high heat.
- Add Meatballs to Sauce: Remove meatballs from baking sheet using a fork, scraping off excess fat. Add meatballs to the pot with the sauce, even if sauce is not hot.
- Boil Meatballs and Sauce: Bring the meatballs and sauce to a boil over high heat. Avoid stirring too much to prevent breaking the meatballs. Scrape the spoon along edges and bottom as needed.
- Simmer to Thicken: Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 15-20 minutes until sauce thickens and flavors meld.
- Serve: Serve these meatballs as a delicious appetizer with scoop Fritos or as a main dish with your choice of sides.
Notes
- Ensure to peel the poblano pepper properly to avoid bitter skin in the meatballs.
- Do not overmix the meatball mixture to keep them tender and juicy.
- Use a uniform size when shaping meatballs for even baking.
- Scraping fat off the meatballs before adding to the sauce helps reduce greasiness.
- The sauce can be adjusted for spiciness by using mild or hot enchilada sauce.
- Leftover meatballs can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
