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    Posted In: Cuban Recipes, Main Entrees
    May 11, 2022 — by Julie — Leave a Comment

    Home » Delish » Main Entrees » Albondigas Cubanas

    Albondigas Cubanas

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    These albondigas Cubanas criollas are Cuban-style meatballs made with ground beef and pork. The meatballs are pan-seared and then smothered in a deliciously spiced tomato sauce.

    Serve these with white fluffy rice and fried plantains for a complete dinner meal.

    Albondigas with white rice on a white plate.

    If you love Cuban recipes then I have a feeling you will love these albondigas Cubanas. They’re tender, full of flavor, and super easy to make. These are very different from Italian meatballs and are served with a different style of sauce but they’re just as good IMO.

    Why You’ll Love This Recipe

    • These meatballs are incredibly versatile. Not a fan of tomato sauce? You can use your favorite store-bought marinara sauce instead.
    • You can use any type of ground meat such as ground beef, chicken, veal, or pork.
    • Don’t want to pan-sear the meatballs? You can bake them instead.

    Ingredient Notes

    • Ground Beef and Pork – I used 1 lb of 80/20 ground beef and 1/2 lb of ground pork.
    • Sazon – A spice blend that can be found in the Hispanic section at your local supermarket. It adds so much flavor!
    • Bread – I like to use soft bread slices because it adds a lot of moisture but feel free to use plain breadcrumbs or panko instead.
    • Whole Milk – Adds moisture.
    rolled raw meatballs on a baking sheet.

    Step-By-Step Instructions

    1. Place the bread in a food processor and pulse until you have bread crumbs. In a large bowl, combine all of the meatball ingredients and mix until well combined.
    2. Divide and shape the meat into about 10 meatballs. Use wet hands to form the meatballs, which will prevent the meat from sticking to your fingers.
    3. Heat some oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the meatballs and flip after 2-3 minutes. Once browned on all sides, remove them from the skillet and set it aside. Discard any excess oil.
    4. Add the onions to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes or until translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant.
    5. Add the remaining ingredients and season to taste. Place the meatballs back into the skillet, cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the meatballs are fully cooked through. That should take about 10 minutes.
    6. Serve immediately and enjoy!
    Albondigas with sauce in a dutch oven.

    Top Tips

    • Make sure to use fattier cuts of meat for best results. Ultra lean ground meat will make your meatballs tough and dry.
    • Allow the ground meat to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before forming the meatballs.
    • Want to bake them instead? Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
    • Place Any leftovers in an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

    More Recipes You Might Enjoy

    • Instant Pot Cuban Black Beans
    • Congri – A Cuban rice dish.
    • Arroz con Pollo Cubano – Yellow rice and chicken.
    • Cuban Shrimp Creole

    Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. And consider following me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

    Albondigas with white rice on a white plate.

    Albondigas Cubanas

    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Course: Entree
    Cuisine: Cuban
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Total Time: 40 minutes
    Servings: 10
    Calories: 226kcal
    Author: Julie Maestre
    These albondigas Cubanas are Cuban-style meatballs made with ground beef and pork. The meatballs are pan-seared and then smothered in a deliciously spiced tomato sauce.

    Ingredients

    Meatballs

    • 1 lb ground beef 80/20
    • 1/2 lb ground pork
    • 1/2 onion finely diced
    • 2 garlic cloves grated
    • 1 tbsp chopped cilantro optional
    • 1 tsp sazon
    • 1 tsp cumin
    • 1 tsp oregano
    • 2 slices white bread crusts removed
    • 1 egg
    • 1 tbsp parmesan cheese optional
    • 2 tbsp whole milk
    • salt and pepper to taste about 1 tsp of Kosher salt or more
    • oil, for frying meatballs

    Sauce

    • 24 ounces tomato sauce
    • 1/2 onion finely diced
    • 2 garlic cloves finely minced
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 1 tsp sazon
    • 1 tsp cumin
    • 1 tsp oregano
    • 2 tbsp dry white wine vino seco
    • 1/2 cup water
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Place the bread in a food processor and pulse until you have bread crumbs. In a large bowl, combine all of the meatball ingredients and mix until well combined. 
    • Divide and shape the meat into about 10 meatballs. Use wet hands to form the meatballs, which will prevent the meat from sticking to your fingers. 
    • Heat some oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the meatballs and flip after 2-3 minutes. Once browned on all sides, remove them from the skillet and set it aside. Discard any excess oil. 
    • Add the onions to the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes or until translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant. 
    • Add the remaining ingredients and season to taste. Place the meatballs back into the skillet, cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the meatballs are fully cooked through. That should take about 10 minutes. 
    • Serve immediately and enjoy! 

    Notes

    • Make sure to use fattier cuts of meat for best results. Ultra lean ground meat will make your meatballs tough and dry.
    • Allow the ground meat to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before forming the meatballs.
    • Want to bake them instead? Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
    • Place Any leftovers in an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 226kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 479mg | Potassium: 442mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 342IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @cookedbyjulie or tag #cookedbyjulie!

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    Filed Under: Cuban Recipes, Main Entrees

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    Hi, I'm Julie! I’m extremely fortunate to make a living doing what I truly love – creating and sharing my favorite “can’t live without” recipes with readers from all over the world.

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