Chipotle meatballs (Albondigas al chipotle) from Mexican Everyday: Easy, Full-Flavored, Tradition-Packed (page 287) by Rick Bayless and Deann Groen Bayless

Where’s the full recipe - why can I only see the ingredients?

Always check the publication for a full list of ingredients. An Eat Your Books index lists the main ingredients and does not include 'store-cupboard ingredients' (salt, pepper, oil, flour, etc.) - unless called for in significant quantity.

Notes about this recipe

  • Eat Your Books

    Can substitute canned tomatoes for fire-roasted canned tomatoes; oregano for Mexican oregano; and chicken broth for beef broth. See recipe for variations.

  • ShayLRoss on April 10, 2026

    Excellent results! I used turkey as that is what I had on hand, and will love to try pork next time.

  • averythingcooks on January 25, 2023

    We loved these! I cut it in 1/2 (using 8 oz of pork + 2 oz of fresh chorizo) and I have raw bacon crumbles stashed in the freezer. I used a combo of knife work & gentle mixing to avoid the food processor (wary of his "paste" warning) and I was leery of the mint so I used a mix of basil & parsley (given as suggested subs). I left the sauce a little chunky, did not use any broth at the end and topped the dish with grated Monterey jack & cheddar for a quick run under the broiler to finish. Delicious with a little sour cream beside a black bean, corn & rice combo.

  • billcranecos on January 23, 2023

    A new household favorite. as of this note I've now cooked this three times over two months.

  • hirsheys on January 08, 2023

    I really enjoyed these meatballs! They are quite easy to put together, especially using the food processor as recommended (though I didn’t process the pork with the rest of the meatball ingredients - I folded it in at the end). I also found that the sauce was still quite saucy even after baking for the full time, so I didn’t need to add any broth. I served the meatballs on the rice pilaf from the book and was very satisfied with the meal, even though I usually don’t love mint! Two chipotles deseeded was just mildly spicy for me. Would definitely make these again.

  • aeader on January 08, 2022

    We loved these - a definite repeat. Used 1lb beef/pork/veal ("meatball mix"), 1 chile and 1.5 Tbsp adobo sauce, did not add the broth based on previous reviews. The prep was easy, and it was doable on a weeknight. The meatballs were perfectly cooked, tender and moist. The sauce was delicious and had good depth of flavor with not too much heat (may use 2 chiles or more adobo sauce next time). Served these on toasted buns as an open-faced meatball sandwich and husband loved them. I think they would also be good with potatoes.

  • ashallen on September 04, 2021

    These are very tasty meatballs with a garlicky sauce that's flavorful but a bit sharp for my taste. The bacon and mint flavors in the meatballs are particularly good. I stuck with one chipotle for the sauce since that's about as much heat as we can handle, but the full amount of adobo sauce adds good flavor. Recipe was easy and straightforward except for where it says to cook meatballs until the sauce looks like tomato paste. That's really thick and the sauce definitely wasn't that consistency after the stated cooking time. At that point, I removed the meatballs from the sauce (their centers were already 190F+ and I was worried they'd get rubbery if they cooked more) and returned the sauce to the oven for an extra 15-20 minutes. It got thicker and more flavorful but never did get to tomato paste consistency. Since it tasted good at that point, I stopped worrying about it. I experimented with adding chicken stock to a bit of the sauce but liked the flavor of the undiluted sauce better.

  • Delys77 on March 10, 2021

    We were feeling like meatballs but wanted something different so gave these a try. We are trying to cut back on fat so we did these with turkey and about half the bacon called for. I also found i only needed about 1/4 cup of stock at the end. Overall nice flavour on these. The relatively high percentage of breadcrumbs and eggs make for a nice light meatball and the mint is a nice touch. I do think you need the full amount of chipotle as otherwise it is a bit too tomatoey. On the whole pretty good.

  • TrishaCP on July 05, 2018

    We really liked these too, though next time I will definitely use two chipotles instead of the one that I used this time. I only have a small food processor at the moment, so I blended the bacon, garlic, and mint together, and then mixed that into the pork and other ingredients with my hands. I also used pureed fire-roasted tomatoes, and just added the rest of the ingredients to that mixture in the saucepan- came out fine. (No stock used or needed.) I served them with rice, but I think they will be best in a sandwich.

  • sosayi on November 08, 2017

    My first time making these last night and I thoroughly enjoyed them. Very easy! Initial prep in the food processor helped with that (I added the mint leaves to the initial bacon/ garlic/ etc. processing), but I'll mix that by hand with the ground pork next time for a bit better texture, I think. I'd be interested in trying this as meatloaf, too, as per DKennedy's suggestion. I used the meatballs in a Mexican "torta" (with avocado, pickled red onions, cotija, shredded cabbage) and I think the meatloaf would be easier to eat that way.

  • wcassity on December 20, 2016

    We love these - a big family favorite. Less than hour from beginning to end. I don't add the broth at the end - already plenty saucy.

  • DKennedy on March 29, 2014

    The recipe for the meatballs can also be used to make a very moist, flavorful meatloaf. I prepared as described in the recipe, then baked it free form for 15 minutes at 450. After 15 minutes, I submerged it in the sauce and cooked for an additional 20 minutes at 450. I then sliced the meatloaf, set aside the sauce, and added the chicken stock and the meatloaf back to the pan. The chicken stock melded with the remaining chipolte sauce that clung to the outside of the meatloaf resulting in a wonderful broth. Sauce was served on the side. My family loved this meatloaf and I will definitely make it again, but I might play with the sauce, which was too spicy and not perfectly balanced as written.

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