Description
Delicious baked enchilada meatballs infused with bold Mexican-inspired spices and coated in a rich homemade enchilada sauce. Perfectly tender and baked with a cheesy topping, these meatballs serve as a comforting main dish that pairs wonderfully with rice or your favorite toppings such as cilantro, jalapenos, and sour cream.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 egg
- 11 Ritz or saltine crackers, crushed (may substitute scant ½ cup panko with pinch of salt)
- 3 tablespoons minced green onions
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 pound lean ground beef
Enchilada Sauce (May substitute 2 cups store-bought)
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional for spicier)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (may substitute oil)
- 2 tablespoons canola oil or other neutral oil
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 3 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- pinch of cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Toppings (Pick your favorites)
- ¾ cup shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese blend (or all cheddar)
- Cilantro
- Jalapenos
- Tomatoes
- Olives
- Sour cream
- Guacamole
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil for easier cleanup and place an oven-safe baking rack on top. Lightly spray the rack with cooking spray and set aside.
- Make Meatball Mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, crushed crackers, green onions, cilantro, milk, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Add the ground beef and mix gently with your hands until just combined to avoid tough meatballs.
- Form Meatballs: Using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop or a heaping tablespoon, scoop portions of the meat mixture and gently roll into balls without compacting too tightly. Place the meatballs on the prepared rack evenly spaced without touching, about 30 meatballs total.
- Bake Meatballs: Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake the meatballs at 400 degrees F for 12 minutes. They will not be fully cooked at this stage; additional cooking will occur later in the sauce.
- Make Enchilada Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, coriander, smoked paprika, salt, oregano, and optional cayenne pepper. In a large skillet or braiser, melt the butter with the oil over medium heat. Whisk in the flour mixture and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 more minute, whisking to combine.
- Add Liquids and Simmer: Reduce the heat to low and gradually whisk in the chicken broth until smooth with no lumps. Stir in cocoa powder, sugar, and cinnamon. Bring to a simmer, whisking frequently, and cook until sauce thickens slightly, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in apple cider vinegar.
- Combine Meatballs and Sauce: Transfer the partially baked meatballs to the skillet with the enchilada sauce and gently turn to coat every meatball. Spread the coated meatballs in an even layer in the skillet or baking dish.
- Add Cheese and Final Bake: Sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over the meatballs. Return the skillet or transfer to oven and bake for another 8 to 12 minutes, or until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees F and the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve: Serve these flavorful enchilada meatballs over plain rice, cilantro lime rice, or cauliflower rice. Top with your favorite garnishes such as cilantro, jalapenos, tomatoes, olives, sour cream, guacamole, and lime wedges for an extra burst of flavor.
Notes
- If not using homemade sauce, a 2 cup store-bought enchilada sauce can be substituted, but the homemade sauce offers rich, smoky, mole-like flavors with cinnamon and cocoa powder.
- Frozen meatballs can be used for convenience; cook according to package instructions, then transfer to enchilada sauce, top with cheese and bake until cheese melts.
- For a leaner option, ground chicken or turkey can replace beef; add 2 teaspoons beef bouillon or broth concentrate for beefy flavor and consider adding oil or sour cream to keep meatballs moist.
- Meatballs can be shaped up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerated, or baked ahead and stored in sauce inside an airtight container.
- The enchilada sauce can be prepared up to 7 days ahead and refrigerated or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Fully assembled meatballs with sauce and cheese can be refrigerated and baked when ready.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days. Freeze for 2-3 months without cheese. Reheat in microwave, stovetop, or oven at 350ºF until warm, optionally adding more cheese before reheating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
