About this recipe

Tender, herb-seasoned meatballs simmered in a rich, garlicky tomato sauce — this is the Spanish tapas-bar classic done right at home. Albóndigas are equally at home on a tapas spread alongside patatas bravas and croquetas, or served as a satisfying weeknight main with crusty bread or rice to soak up every drop of the sauce.

Instructions

1. 1

   In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground pork, lean ground beef, 2 minced garlic cloves, half the Italian flat-leaf parsley, egg, breadcrumbs, smoked paprika, cumin, fine sea salt, and black pepper. Mix gently with your hands until just combined — do not overwork or the meatballs will be tough. Roll into balls about 1½ inches in diameter (roughly the size of a golf ball). You should get about 20–24 meatballs. Place on a plate and refrigerate for 10 minutes to firm up.

2. 2

   Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, wide skillet over ^[medium-high heat]. Working in batches to avoid crowding, add the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally with tongs, until browned on all sides, about 5–6 minutes per batch. They don't need to be cooked through at this stage. Transfer the browned meatballs to a plate and set aside.

3. 3

   Reduce the heat to ^[medium]. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the same skillet. Add the diced yellow onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Add the 3 minced garlic cloves and smoked paprika and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Pour in the white wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it bubble and reduce by half, about 2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and the saffron with its soaking water (if using). Stir to combine and season with fine sea salt. Bring to a gentle simmer.

4. 4

   Nestle the browned meatballs into the crushed tomatoes sauce. Reduce the heat to ^[low], cover the skillet, and simmer gently for 15–18 minutes, turning the meatballs once halfway through, until they are cooked through and have absorbed the flavors of the sauce. Taste the sauce and adjust fine sea salt as needed.

5. 5

   Scatter the remaining chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley over the top. Serve the albóndigas directly from the skillet with crusty bread to mop up the sauce, or over white rice. They are equally wonderful served as a tapas dish with toothpicks alongside other Spanish small plates.