Albóndigas en salsa
Non-vegetarian
Albóndigas en salsa de tomate
Tender beef and pork meatballs browned and simmered in a paprika-scented tomato and white wine sauce. A tapas-bar classic and family favourite.
Albóndigas en salsa is a Spanish main course from Spain, ready in about 1 hour 5 minutes and made with ground beef, ground pork and canned tomatoes. It serves 4 and is rated easy to cook.

- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 1 h 5 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Easy
- Calories
- 560
Method
Step 1
Soak the breadcrumbs (opens in a new tab) in the milk (opens in a new tab) for a few minutes, then mix with the beef, pork, egg (opens in a new tab), garlic (opens in a new tab), parsley (opens in a new tab) and salt. Roll into walnut-sized balls and dust lightly with flour.
- 15 min
Food safety: Wash hands thoroughly after handling raw meat.
Step 2
Brown the meatballs in the oil in batches in a wide pan. Set aside.
- 10 min
- medium-high heat
- Frying pan / skillet (opens in a new tab)

How it looks · Photo: Skylar Kang on Pexels Step 3
In the same pan, soften the onion (opens in a new tab) and garlic (opens in a new tab), stir in the paprika (opens in a new tab), then add the wine and let it bubble for a minute. Add the tomatoes, stock and salt.
- 10 min
- medium heat

How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels Step 4
Return the meatballs and simmer gently, covered, until cooked through and the sauce has thickened.
- 20 min
- low heat
Food safety: Meatballs should reach 71 °C in the centre.

How it looks · Photo: Bachir Mamud on Pexels
About this dish
- Origin
- Spain · Well documentedMore food from Spain
- Dish
- Lunch · Dinner · Main courses · Appetizers & starters
- Cooking method
- Pan-fried, Simmered
- Taste
- savoury, tangy, smoky, garlicky
- Diet
- No nut ingredients · Low-carb · High-proteinWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
All labels
Non-vegetarian · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Low-carb · High-protein - Good for
- Freezer-friendly · Make-ahead · Child-friendly
- Cook more with
- Ground beef · Ground pork · Canned tomatoes · Breadcrumbs · Milk · Egg
- Techniques
- Pan-frying · Simmering
Allergens
- Contains: Milkfrom breadcrumbs, milk
- Contains: Eggsfrom egg
- Contains: Wheatfrom breadcrumbs, all-purpose flour
- Contains: Glutenfrom breadcrumbs, all-purpose flour
- May contain: Soyfrom breadcrumbs
- May contain: Sesamefrom breadcrumbs
- May contain: Celeryfrom chicken stock
- Contains, can be adapted: Sulphitesfrom dry white wine
Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.
Nutrition
560 kcal per serving
Calculated1 serving ≈ 375 g · recipe makes 4
Where the energy comes from
- Protein 21%
- Carbohydrate 15%
- Fat 64%
| Nutrient | Per serving | Per 100 g* |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 560 kcal | 149 kcal |
| Protein | 28.5 g | 7.6 g |
| Carbohydrate | 20.6 g | 5.5 g |
| Net carbohydrate | 17.4 g | 4.6 g |
| Sugars | — | — |
| Added sugars | 0 g | 0 g |
| Fibre | 3.3 g | 0.9 g |
| Fat | 38.3 g | 10.2 g |
| Saturated fat | 11 g | 2.9 g |
| Trans fat | — | — |
| Cholesterol | 136 mg | 36 mg |
| Sodium | 930 mg | 248 mg |
| Salt equivalent | 2.3 g | 0.6 g |
Vitamins & minerals per serving
- Potassium
- 750 mg
- Calcium
- 113 mg
- Iron
- 4.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 51 mg
- Vitamin A (RAE)
- 72 µg
- Vitamin C
- 19 mg
- Vitamin D
- —
- Vitamin B12
- 2.2 µg
- Folate (DFE)
- 60 µg
How these numbers were made
- Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
- *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
- “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
- Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.
Good to know
Tips
- Blend the sauce smooth before returning the meatballs for a classic tapas-bar finish.
Common mistakes
- Packing the mixture tightly when rolling, which makes the meatballs dense; roll lightly with damp hands.
Serve with
- Serve with crusty bread, rice or chips.
Storage
- Keeps 3 days in the fridge or 3 months frozen.
Reheating
- Reheat gently, covered, until piping hot.
Variations
- Albóndigas en salsa de almendras (Spain): Simmered in a sauce thickened with ground almonds and saffron.
Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated
Recipe DNA
How this dish is built
Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.
What the dish is built around
For the meatballs
- Ground beef300 g
- Ground pork200 g
- Breadcrumbs40 g
- Milk50 ml · 52 g
- Egg1 piece · 50 g
- Garlic, crushed2 clove · 8 g
- Parsley, chopped2 tbsp · 7.4 g
- Salt0.75 tsp · 4.5 g
- All-purpose flour2 tbsp · 16 g
Reviews & corrections
Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.
You might also like

Croquetas de jamón
Spanish · 5 h 20 min · 487 kcalItalian wedding soup
Italian · 1 h · 420 kcal
Tortilla española
Spanish · 1 h · 272 kcal · Contains egg
Kıymalı pide
Turkish · 2 h · 699 kcal