Chorizo Albondigas

Switch up your appetizer game with these Chorizo Albondigas! These Spanish meatballs, made with chorizo and ground beef, are cooked in a rich, spicy tomato sauce and fit perfectly on any Spanish Tapas Platter.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Erica Acevedo @crumbykitchen.

Ingredients:

Chorizo Albondigas

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil divided
• 1/2 onion minced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 cup white bread torn
• 1/4 cup beef stock
• 1/2 lbs. ground beef
• 1/2 lbs. ground chorizo sausage
• 1 egg large
• 2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese grated
• 2 Tbsp. cilantro chopped (optional)
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. ground oregano

Spicy Tomato Sauce

• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1/2 onion minced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 cups crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup Cabernet Sauvignon
• 1/4 cup beef stock
• 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
• kosher salt to taste
• black pepper to taste

Instructions:

Chorizo Albondigas

1. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet. Saute onion 3-4 minutes until it begins to soften, then add garlic and saute an additional minute. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
2. In a very large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, ground chorizo, torn bread, egg, grated cheese, cilantro, cumin, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix with your hands to combine. Add the cooled onions and garlic and mix well until just combined.
3. Grease a large plate surface lightly with olive oil; set aside. Lightly grease your hands with oil, then pinch a bit of the meat mixture out of the bowl and roll it into a 1-inch ball. Place the meatball on the plate.
4. Repeat with the remaining meat mixture until you have approximately 30 meatballs. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes, or freeze for up to a week.

Spicy Tomato Sauce

1. Heat olive oil in a medium skillet. Saute the onion 3 minutes, then add the garlic. Saute for an additional minute until garlic is fragrant.
2. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, Cabernet, beef stock, paprika, red pepper, and salt & pepper to taste. Scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Allow the sauce to simmer on low for at least 5 minutes (or up to 20 minutes), then remove from the heat.
3. When ready to cook, pour the sauce into the bottom of the Instant Pot. Place the meatballs in the sauce in a single layer, then add a second layer of meatballs on top.
4. Place the lid on the pot and set the valve to 'Sealing'. Press 'Manual' and set the timer for 6 minutes. When the cooking time is over, allow the pot to naturally release for 5 minutes, then turn the valve to quick release the remaining pressure. Stir the meatballs to coat them in the sauce.

Please visit J. Lohr’s Recipes page for additional recipes and pairing ideas.