ENCHILADA MEATBALLS

Make ENCHILADA MEATBALLS for a fun twist to a favorite family dinner. Juicy meatballs swimming in enchilada sauce then smothered in melty cheese.

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These Enchilada Meatballs are great served with pasta, rice or salad. They can also be served as a filling appetizer – especially if you make them a bit smaller.

Ingredient Options:

• You can use canned enchilada sauce if preferred. It will not be nearly as fresh and flavorful – but it works.
• Freshly grated cheese works best.
• Feel free to adjust the amount of jalapeño to fit your tastes.
• Ground chicken or turkey can be used instead of beef. Adjust coking times if needed.

Recipe Tips:

• Be sure to small dice the jalapeno, tomato, and onion before adding to the meatball mixture. 
• You may opt to keep the seeds in the jalapeños for a more heat.
• Place meatballs into the fridge before browning. This helps them to maintain their shape. You may also prepare the meatball mix in the morning and place into the fridge until the evening to make dinner a breeze.
• Use a cookie scoop to form uniform sized meatballs. I use a 1” scoop to form slightly larger meatballs. If serving as an appetizer, use a smaller cookie scoop for bite sized meatballs.
• You may substitute the tortilla chip crumbs for panko bread crumbs if needed.
• Do not drain the drippings after browning the meatballs. This provides a delicious savory flavor to the enchilada sauce. 
• Whisk often while preparing the enchilada sauce to prevent clumping
• Do not use pre-shredded cheese. Use block cheese and a cheese grater to shred right before using.
• Store for up to 4 days in the fridge

What To Serve With These Meatballs:

Cilantro Lime Slaw – Mexican Street Corn Salad – Black Bean Corn Salad

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ENCHILADA MEATBALLS

Yield: 12

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Make ENCHILADA MEATBALLS for a fun twist to a favorite family dinner. Juicy meatballs swimming in enchilada sauce then smothered in melty cheese.

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Ingredients

• MEATBALLS:
• 1.5 lb ground beef
• ½ cup tortilla bread crumbs
• 2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
• ½ white onion, diced (about ½ cup)
• 2 roma tomatos, diced
• 2 eggs
• ½ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp oregano
• 6 oz monterey jack cheese block
• ENCHILADA SAUCE:
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp ancho chili powder
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp oregano
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 lime, juiced
• GARNISH:
• Cilantro
• limes

Instructions

1. Tortilla Crumbs: Place 3 cups tortilla chips into a food processor or blender and pulse into a crumb. Alternatively, add to a ziplock and smash into crumbs.
2. Combine ground beef, bread crumbs, jalapeno, onion, tomato, egg, cumin, pepper, paprika, and oregano in a bowl and thoroughly mix.
   Use a 1” cookie scoop to form uniform meatballs. Roll between your palms and place onto a baking sheet as you work. Place meatballs into the fridge for 20-30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 375ºF
4. Heat a frying pan over high heat. Add olive oil to the pan and swirl to coat. Brown the meatballs. Turn often to evenly brown. (meatballs do not need to be completely cooked as they will go into the oven to finish)
5. Remove meatballs from the pan, set aside. Do not drain the pan. Reduce heat to medium.
6. Prepare the enchilada sauce: Add vegetable oil to the pan and let heat for 1-2 minutes. Combine flour, chili powder, paprika, oregano, and salt. Add to the oil and whisk until smooth. Next, add in the tomato paste and whisk until smooth. Cook for 2 minutes, then pour in the vegetable broth and lime juice. Whisk well and cook for 10 minutes.
7. Add the meatballs to the sauce. Cover with cheese and place into the oven on the center rack. Bake for 15 minutes.
   Garnish with chopped cilantro and lime wedges.
   

Recommended Products

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  Knives
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  Mini Processor
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  Cast Iron Pan

Nutrition Information

Yield 6 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 607Total Fat 36gSaturated Fat 15gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 17gCholesterol 194mgSodium 841mgCarbohydrates 25gFiber 3gSugar 3gProtein 45g

Nutritional information on WonkyWonderful is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.