Albondiga is just the Spanish word for meatball, but there's no need to tell your dinner guests. Crockpot albondigas cooked with tomatoes and green chiles go great on warm flour tortillas with fresh chopped cilantro.
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup uncooked instant rice
1 egg
salt and pepper, as desired
1 can (4 oz size) diced green chiles, drained
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
1 can (14.5 ounce size) stewed tomatoes, undrained
2 cups low fat beef broth or water
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
Combine the ground beef, onion, garlic, rice, egg, salt, and pepper in a bowl and mix well. Form the beef mixture into 1 1/2-inch meatballs.
Place the green chiles and shredded carrot in the bottom of the crock pot. Evenly distribute the meatballs over the chiles.
Pour the stewed tomatoes evenly over the top of the meatballs. Add the beef broth, oregano, and cilantro.
Cover the crock pot and cook on low heat for 3-4 hours or until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve the albondigas with flour tortillas, if desired.
If you want a spicier version, add chopped jalapenos or a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes to the meatball mixture or sauce.
Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro before serving.
For a smoother sauce, you can use crushed tomatoes instead of stewed. You will probably need to add additional seasoning as stewed tomatoes typically have spices added.
If the sauce is too thin after cooking, you can thicken it with a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water) added in the last 30 minutes of cooking. Or add 1-2 tablespoons tomato paste.
Serve the albondigas with warm flour tortillas, rice, or crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
To make this dish healthier, you can use ground turkey, chicken, or a plant-based substitute instead of beef.
Yes, but it's recommended to cook it partially beforehand, as regular rice takes longer to cook than instant rice.
You can simmer them on the stovetop in a large pot. The cooking time will be less, so keep an eye on them so they don't overcook.
Lean ground beef works well, as it has enough fat for flavor but not so much that it makes the dish greasy.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until thoroughly warmed.
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