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Spanish meatballs (albóndigas)

Name: Spanish meatballs (albóndigas)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Spanish recipes
Ingredients: For the albóndigas; 50g white bread, chopped; 40ml whole milk; 1 small onion, coarsely grated or pureéd in a food processor; 250g pork mince; 250g beef mince; 1 small egg; 1 tsp hot smoked paprika; ½ tsp fine salt; 2 tbsp olive oil; For the tomato sauce; 1 tbsp olive oil; 4 garlic cloves, crushed; 1 red pepper, finely chopped; 1 tsp sweet paprika; ½ tsp hot smoked paprika; 400g tin chopped tomatoes; 2 tbsp chopped parsley to serve; Crusty bread to serve

By: Pollyanna Coupland
Food producer, delicious.

Published: 16 May 25
Updated: 26 May 25

Learn how to make traditional Spanish meatballs with our simple recipe. A beloved tapa or dinner dish, albóndigas are meatballs made from pork and beef mince for a rich flavour.

Rich sauce: These Spanish meatballs are braised in a simple paprika tomato sauce, which gives them a wonderfully melting texture.
Authentic texture: The meatball mixture is a little wetter than you’d expect, due to the milk-soaked bread and grating the onion rather than chopping it, which releases a lot of liquid. This is what gives the albóndigas their amazing texture but they can be a little delicate, so take care when frying them.

Make a feast of it with more of our delicious tapas recipes.

Easy
June 2025

Test kitchen approved

Serves 4
Prep time 25 min. Cooking time 30 min

Learn how to make traditional Spanish meatballs with our simple recipe. A beloved tapa or dinner dish, albóndigas are meatballs made from pork and beef mince for a rich flavour.

Rich sauce: These Spanish meatballs are braised in a simple paprika tomato sauce, which gives them a wonderfully melting texture.
Authentic texture: The meatball mixture is a little wetter than you’d expect, due to the milk-soaked bread and grating the onion rather than chopping it, which releases a lot of liquid. This is what gives the albóndigas their amazing texture but they can be a little delicate, so take care when frying them.

Make a feast of it with more of our delicious tapas recipes.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 405kcals
Fat: 23g (6.9g saturated)
Protein: 34g
Carbohydrates: 13g (7.2g sugars)
Fibre: 3.1g
Salt: 1.1g

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Ingredients

For the albóndigas

50g white bread, chopped
40ml whole milk
1 small onion, coarsely grated or pureéd in a food processor
250g pork mince
250g beef mince
1 small egg
1 tsp hot smoked paprika
½ tsp fine salt
2 tbsp olive oil

For the tomato sauce

1 tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 red pepper, finely chopped
1 tsp sweet paprika
½ tsp hot smoked paprika
400g tin chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp chopped parsley to serve
Crusty bread to serve

Method

Soak the bread in the milk for 5 minutes. Add the rest of the albóndigas ingredients (apart from the oil) and knead together with your hands until well combined. Roll into 16 equal-size balls, put on a tray, then put in the fridge to firm up.
To make the sauce, heat the oil in a pan, then add the garlic and pepper and sizzle until softened but not yet colouring. Add both paprikas, stir for a minute, then add the tin of tomatoes, season and simmer for 20 minutes.
After 15 minutes, put a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat with the olive oil. Carefully add the meatballs and brown all over, swirling the pan gently to roll them around until evenly browned. Pour in the tomato sauce, gently stir to coat, then cover, turn down the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve with crusty bread for mopping up the sauce.