Step up your party appetizer game with a new spin on meatballs! These tender, succulent Tex-Mex meatballs come with just the right spice kick and a decadent avocado-crema sauce for your dipping pleasure.
½cupwhite sandwich bread torn into small piecescrust removed
½cupmilk or heavy cream
1eggbeaten
3garlic clovesminced or grated
½cupgrated onionusing large holes on box grater
2teaspoonsground cumin
1teaspoonchipotle chili powder
1teaspoonground coriander
1teaspoonsalt
½teaspoonpepper
A few dashes of hot sauce
1poundground beefpreferably 80 percent lean and 20 percent fat
Avocado-Crema Sauce
4garlic cloves
1avocado
1limejuiced
1jalapenoroughly chopped, stem removed, seeds left intact
½cupfresh cilantro leaves
½cupMexican crema
¾teaspoonsalt
¼teaspoonpepper
Instructions
Tex-Mex Meatballs
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place the white sandwich bread crumbs in a small bowl and pour the milk or heavy cream on top. Allow to soak while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, garlic cloves, onion, ground cumin, chipotle chili powder, ground coriander, salt, pepper and hot sauce until it becomes one cohesive mixture. Drain the bread crumbs in a fine-mesh sieve and lightly tap out excessive moisture. Stir into the egg mixture.
Add the ground beef. Using a gentle touch, either combine the egg mixture into the beef with a wooden spoon or even your hands. Mix just until combined. You don't want to excessively handle to meat, which can make it tough.
Lightly oil your hands. Form into golf ball-size meatballs. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can fry in a skillet with oil. Brown on all sides over medium heat until the meatball is cooked. Don't overcrowd the pan. You'll have to do this in batches.
Avocado-Crema Sauce
While the meatballs bake, prepare the avocado-crema sauce by adding the garlic, avocado, lime juice, jalapeno, cilantro, crema, salt and pepper to a food processor. Process until smooth.
Serve with meatballs. Enjoy!
Notes
Meatballs freeze well after baking or frying. You can also make the meat mixture up to a day in advance, cover and store in the refrigerator.
If you don't have chipotle chili powder, regular chili powder will also work. I just like the extra smokiness from the chipotle.
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.