Albóndigas
If you've got ground beef, ground pork and breadcrumbs, you're most of the way to this Spanish beef: about 65 minutes of cooking across 6 steps. You'll find the full ingredient list (with a scaler to change the servings), 6 steps of method, substitutions, and ideas for what to serve alongside.
You'll mainly reach for pan and large pot. At medium difficulty across 6 steps, it's manageable with a little attention.
What you'll need
Shopping list (6)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
🔁 Unit converter
How to make it
- Mix the beef and pork with the egg, breadcrumbs, half the chopped garlic, the parsley, salt, and pepper until evenly combined but not overworked.
- Shape into small balls, coat lightly in flour, and brown them in olive oil over medium-high heat, turning to colour all sides, then lift out and reserve.
- Soften the finely chopped onion and remaining garlic in the same pan, add the bay leaf, then pour in the wine and reduce for a couple of minutes.
- Stir in the grated or chopped tomatoes, season, and let the sauce simmer for about 10 minutes until it thickens and loses its raw edge.
- Nestle the meatballs back into the sauce, cover, and cook gently for 20 to 25 minutes until they are firm and cooked through with no pink in the centre.
- Discard the bay leaf, check the seasoning, and serve hot with bread or fried potatoes.
You'll use: Pan · Large pot · Saucepan
Ingredient substitutions
- White Wine
- chicken or vegetable stock + 1 tsp vinegar
What to serve with Albóndigas
- Seafood fideuà Seafood
- Spanish Tortilla Vegetarian
- Roast fennel and aubergine paella Vegan
- Migas Miscellaneous
Tips & common questions
How long does Albóndigas take to make?
About 65 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 6 steps and 14 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of white wine?
Try chicken or vegetable stock + 1 tsp vinegar. See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
How should I store leftovers?
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.
Related recipes
Albóndigas is an original Spanish recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Albóndigas de bacalao.jpg by Juan Emilio Prades Bel, CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top — how we source recipes.