Portuguese-Type Meatballs Recipe

Consider these Portuguese-style meatballs as your ticket to both a weeknight-dinner house run or a streamlined banquet in a pan. Deeply browned oversize meatballs settle right into a shiny pool of tomato sauce for a dish that’s easy and fast sufficient for the household and chic sufficient for a small gathering. The seasonings are acquainted but a bit sudden, with floor coriander and nutmeg providing cozy heat and a success of lemon zest brightening the meat. A heady quantity of garlic lends further oomph and anchors the meat combination with savory notes. The meatballs’ texture stays gentle as a result of they’re certain along with solely sufficient panko to carry them collectively — a lightweight hand when mixing and shaping additional ensures their texture stays tender. And as a substitute of frying, you’ll bake after which broil to develop a stunning crust with far much less fuss and mess.

The sauce balances the richness of the meatballs with loads of gentle touches. After onion and garlic soften in olive oil, tomato paste, candy paprika, and dry white wine elevate with acidity. Crushed entire tomatoes and somewhat rooster broth end the sauce with simply sufficient physique to coat the meatballs with out feeling thick or heavy. A closing scatter of cilantro wakes up your complete dish with a contemporary, herby punch.

That is beneficiant meals meant for sharing, and it pairs completely with easy sides — crusty bread for dipping into the sauce or rice to take in all its goodness. A easy inexperienced salad with nuts and cheese would supply the right complement.

The secrets and techniques to tender, juicy meatballs

All of it begins with the meat. Make sure that to succeed in for floor beef that’s 85% lean and 15% fats (usually labeled “floor spherical”). Floor beef that’s leaner tends to dry out, whereas fattier choices can shrink an excessive amount of. When combining the meat combination, use your palms (they’re gentler than a spatula), and blend calmly utilizing a tossing movement, stopping simply when the seasonings and panko look evenly dispersed. Overmixing could make the combination too dense, resulting in powerful meatballs. Lastly, ensure you don’t compact the combination when shaping the meatballs, as doing so makes them rubbery.

If you’d like smaller meatballs

These meatballs are splendidly supersized, however for those who’d moderately make smaller ones, they’ll nonetheless be simply as scrumptious. For every meatball, use about two tablespoons of the meat combination, and roll gently to form. Organize the meatballs on an aluminum foil–lined baking sheet, and bake at 425°F till simply browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Broil for simply a few minutes till deep golden brown earlier than simmering within the sauce till a thermometer inserted into the middle of a meatball registers 165°F. 

Notes from the Meals & Wine Take a look at Kitchen

• You need to use a 50/50 mixture of floor beef and floor pork for a barely richer take. 
• In case you sometimes line your pans with parchment paper, skip it right here and use foil as a substitute. The paper can simply catch hearth when it’s below the broiler.
• For a extra impactful herby punch within the sauce, toss in cilantro stems whereas it cooks. Take away them simply earlier than serving.
• In case your sauce appears somewhat skinny, simmer for the previous couple of minutes uncovered to permit a few of the liquid to evaporate. 

Recommended pairing

A strong, dark-fruited Portuguese purple, resembling Prats & Symington Submit Scriptum, pairs fantastically with these meatballs’ wealthy, spiced flavors.

This recipe was developed by Nicole Hopper; the textual content was written by Ann Taylor Pittman.