Albóndigas Guisadas
Dominican-style meatballs in savory sauce.
By: Franchesca Livraghi | @breakthrukitchen
I have so many memories of my Mami making Albóndigas Guisadas throughout my childhood. While meatballs are often associated with Italian cuisine, Albóndigas have their own unique flavor and style, making them a completely different experience. The combination of onions, peppers, rich sauce, and bold Latin seasonings set them apart in the best way!
The secret to juicy, tender Albondigas
It’s all in the ingredients and technique. Using 80/20 ground beef gives them just the right amount of fat to stay juicy, and ingredients like eggs and breadcrumbs are essential for holding everything together in a light and juicy way instead of a dense or dry way.
And simmering the meatballs in the sauce is what makes them extra tender as they soak up the flavors while cooking low and slow. Be sure to keep the lid slightly open to help the sauce thicken while allowing some steam to circulate. This way the meatballs get super juicy, they absorb lots of sabór, and they don’t dry out.
Loisa’s Recaito adds so much sabor
In this recipe, the ground beef gets mixed with freshly chopped red onion and bell pepper, but it’s get’s all the garlicky herb flavor from Loisa’s Recaito. Out of the sofrito trio, this one packs the most garlic flavor, and a big taste of fresh cilantro, culantro, and oregano.
And we’re not just stopping at the meatballs. The sauce gets cooked with a spoonful of Loisa’s Recaito to bring all the flavors together. Mixed with the onion, bell pepper, tomato sauce, and Loisa’s Organic Sazón, it creates a rich and delicious sauce that tastes good on anything!
Browning the meatballs builds flavor
Browning the meatballs before simmering them in the sauce is a key step for adding flavor. As they sear, the outside develops a golden crust that locks in juices, and the caramelized bits left in the pan add even more flavor to the sauce.
If you make the sauce first then toss the uncooked meatballs into the sauce to simmer, they’ll still come out super tender but they won’t develop as much flavor as these Dominican-style Albóndigas do.
How to thicken the sauce
As the meatballs simmer, the sauce naturally reduces and thickens, but there are a few ways to help it reach the perfect consistency. Leaving the lid slightly open allows excess liquid to evaporate while keeping the meatballs tender.
If you’re looking for an extra thick sauce, let it simmer uncovered for a few extra minutes at the end, stirring occasionally. This helps it reduce and develop a rich, velvety texture that’s perfect for spooning over rice!
Use ground turkey, pork, or lamb
You can make these Dominican-style meatballs with other kinds of meat too, like with ground turkey, pork, or lamb. Albóndigas de Pavo is a lighter alternative to the classic beef version, and Albóndigas de Cerdo Guisadas is even more flavorful thanks to the natural flavors of pork.
And for a plant-based option, you could use Impossible Meat for a great vegan alternative that still soaks up all that delicious sauce!
Albóndigas Guisadas
12
15 minutes
30 minutes
Ingredients
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1 lb ground beef
¼ red onion, chopped
¼ red bell pepper, chopped
2 tbsp Loisa Recaito
½ tsp Loisa Organic Adobo
¼ tsp Loisa Sal Marina
¼ tsp Loisa Organic Black Pepper
1 egg
½ cup breadcrumbs
1 tsp olive oil
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¼ red onion, chopped
¼ red bell pepper, sliced
¼ green bell pepper, sliced
1 tbsp Loisa Recaito
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup water
¼ tsp Loisa Organic Sazón
¼ tsp Loisa Sal Marina
Directions
In a bowl, mix the ground beef, red onion, red bell pepper, Loisa Recaito, Loisa Organic Adobo, Loisa Sal Marina, Loisa Organic Black Pepper, egg, and breadcrumbs until well combined.
Roll the mixture into 12 evenly sized meatballs and set aside.
Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat and sear the meatballs until browned on all sides. Remove and set aside.
In the same pan, add red onion, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and Loisa Recaito. Sauté until the vegetables soften.
Stir in tomato sauce, water, Loisa Organic Sazón, and Loisa Sal Marina. Mix well and let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the meatballs back to the pan, place the lid on but leave it slightly open, and let simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the meatballs are fully cooked.
Serve warm with rice, habichuelas, tostones, y aguacate. ¡Buen provecho!
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Albóndigas Guisadas
12
15 minutes
30 minutes
Ingredients
blank
1 lb ground beef
¼ red onion, chopped
¼ red bell pepper, chopped
2 tbsp Loisa Recaito
½ tsp Loisa Organic Adobo
¼ tsp Loisa Sal Marina
¼ tsp Loisa Organic Black Pepper
1 egg
½ cup breadcrumbs
1 tsp olive oil
blank
¼ red onion, chopped
¼ red bell pepper, sliced
¼ green bell pepper, sliced
1 tbsp Loisa Recaito
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup water
¼ tsp Loisa Organic Sazón
¼ tsp Loisa Sal Marina
Directions
In a bowl, mix the ground beef, red onion, red bell pepper, Loisa Recaito, Loisa Organic Adobo, Loisa Sal Marina, Loisa Organic Black Pepper, egg, and breadcrumbs until well combined.
Roll the mixture into 12 evenly sized meatballs and set aside.
Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat and sear the meatballs until browned on all sides. Remove and set aside.
In the same pan, add red onion, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and Loisa Recaito. Sauté until the vegetables soften.
Stir in tomato sauce, water, Loisa Organic Sazón, and Loisa Sal Marina. Mix well and let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the meatballs back to the pan, place the lid on but leave it slightly open, and let simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the meatballs are fully cooked.
Serve warm with rice, habichuelas, tostones, y aguacate. ¡Buen provecho!