Any time I want to pretend I’m back in Spain, I make a batch of these Spanish meatballs, open a bottle of sidra, and invite my friends over for a little tapas party! The meatballs are tender and juicy, tossed with a garlicky tomato sauce, and amazing with other snacks like artichoke bruschetta or a bowl of blue cheese olives. The recipe also makes around 70 meatballs, so they’re an amazing toothpick app for a crowd!

A red bowl of Spanish meatballs tapas next to a red bowl of peppers, a wood board of bread, a wood bowl of olives, a tan bowl of almonds, and glasses of white wine on a red tile counter.

Friends! I just found out that I will be going back to Spain later this year, and I’m so excited. Marc’s cousin is getting married in Portugal, so naturally, I’m going to bring him to some of my favorite places right next door in Spain. San Sebastian, Barcelona, Valencia, yay!

So to get in the spirit, I whipped up a batch of albóndigas, which were definitely one of my favorites at the tapas bars. Trust me, I got really good at eating meatballs in between choruses of “una sidra por favor“. Luckily, I’ve been taking Spanish classes, so I’ll be able to expand my horizons a little this trip lol.

These meatballs are based on my family’s recipe, but I have made some adjustments based on some meatball tricks I learned in culinary school. And just like my air fryer chicken meatballs, this recipe makes a lot, so you’ll get lots of servings for a crowd. Serve them with other Mediterranean-inspired snacks like prosciutto melon skewers or these glazed bacon-wrapped dates!

Bake the meatballs

A white pan of sauteed onions on a beige counter.
Start by sautéing the onions in olive oil until they’re softened and golden brown.
A white bowl of breadcrumbs and milk on a white counter.
Meanwhile, combine the breadcrumbs and milk. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes.
A white bowl of ingredients for Spanish meatballs on a beige table.
Then, add the ground beef, ground pork, onions, garlic, eggs, parsley, salt, & pepper.
A white bowl of meat mixture for tapas-style Spanish meatballs.
Combine the mixture just until it’s well combined. Don’t over-mix or the meatballs will be dense.
Rows of raw Spanish meatballs on a sheet pan.
Use a scoop to divide the meat mixture into small balls. Gently roll each portion into a round shape.
A sheet pan of baked Spanish meatballs.
Bake the meatballs at 350°F (177°C) for 13-15 minutes, until they reach 165°F (74°C).

The key to juicy and tender meatballs is to keep the meat mixture somewhat loose. You want to roll the meatballs just until they’re round, but don’t pack them in too much, or they’ll come out dense.

Tomato sauce

A white pot of sauteed onions and carrots.
Heat the olive oil. Then, sauté the carrots and onions until they’re softened & golden brown.
A white pot of onions, carrots, garlic, spices, and tomato sauce on a beige table.
Add the tomato paste, garlic, and paprika. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until the mixture is fragrant.
A white pot of tomato sauce with a bay leaf on a tan counter.
Then, mix in the crushed tomatoes, white wine, chicken broth, bay leaf, salt, & pepper.
A white pot of tomato sauce for Spanish meatballs.
Cover the sauce and let it simmer for 30-60 minutes, until it’s dark red and super flavorful.
A white pot of Spanish meatballs for tapas.
Toss the warm meatballs and sauce. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.
Red bowls of Spanish meatballs and peppers next to a wood board of bread, wood bowl of olives, brown bowl of almonds, and glass of white wine on a terracotta tiled table.
Lastly, top the meatballs with some fresh parsley. Enjoy with other tapas and drinks!

Feel free to make the sauce and meatballs the night before. They get even more flavorful overnight in the fridge!

Meatball size

Two cookie scoops on a tan counter.

To divide the meat mixture, I always use a cookie scoop to make sure the meatballs are all the same size! My favorite scoop is a #60 (1 Tablespoon), which makes smaller meatballs (around 1-inch). This is the perfect size for 1-2 bites.

But, if you like bigger meatballs, or if you want to make them as a meal, you can use a bigger scoop! The next best option is a #40 (1 1/2 Tablespoon) scoop, which is a nice size for eating with a knife and fork.

Red bowls of tapas-style Spanish meatballs and peppers on a terracotta tiled counter next to wood bowls of bread and olives, glasses of white wine, and a brown bowl of almonds.

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The Best Tapas-Style Spanish Meatballs

Yield: 70 meatballs
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
These Spanish meatballs (albóndigas) are one of my favorite appetizers for a tapas party! They're filled with flavorful herbs, tossed in a garlicky tomato sauce, and go perfectly with other Mediterranean-inspired small bites. Even better, this recipe is super easy and makes up to 70 servings, so it's amazing for a crowd!
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Ingredients

Baked Meatballs

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil (15 milliliters)
  • 1 cup finely chopped sweet onion (150 grams)
  • 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs (70 grams)
  • 1/2 cup whole milk (120 milliliters)
  • 1 pound 80/20 ground beef (450 grams)
  • 1 pound 80/20 ground pork (450 grams)
  • 4 teaspoons minced garlic about 4 big cloves
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley (10 grams)
  • 2 teaspoons Kosher salt I use Morton
  • Freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

Tomato Sauce

  • 3 Tablespoons olive oil (45 milliliters)
  • 1 cup finely chopped sweet onion (150 grams)
  • 1/2 cup small diced carrots (80 grams)
  • 2 Tablespoons tomato paste (30 grams)
  • 4 teaspoons minced garlic about 4 big cloves
  • 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
  • 28 ounces crushed tomatoes (800 grams)
  • 1 cup dry white wine (240 milliliters)
  • 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth (120 milliliters)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste
  • Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Equipment

Instructions 

Baked Meatballs

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line one full sheet pan or two half-sheet pans with parchment paper, then set aside.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once it's shimmering, add the chopped onions. Sauté, stirring often, until the onions are softened and golden-brown, about 5-6 minutes. Transfer the onions to a small bowl and cool slightly.
  • Meanwhile, combine the Panko breadcrumbs and whole milk in a large mixing bowl. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes, until the breadcrumbs have rehydrated.
  • To the bowl of breadcrumbs, add the sautéed onions, ground beef, ground pork, garlic, eggs, parsley, Kosher salt, and black pepper to taste. Use a rubber spatula to mix the meat mixture until it's well-combined. Don't over-mix or the meatballs will come out dense.
  • Using a #60 scoop, divide the meat mixture into 1 Tablespoon portions. Then, dampen your hands with a little water, and roll each portion of meat into a ball. (This will keep the mixture from sticking to your hands.) You should have about 64-70 small meatballs.
  • Line the meatballs on the prepared sheet pan, leaving a little space in between each. Bake for 13-15 minutes, until the internal temperature of the meatballs reaches 165°F (74°C). Drain off any extra grease.

Tomato Sauce

  • While the meatballs are baking, heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once it's shimmering, add the chopped onions, diced carrots, and a pinch of Kosher salt. Sauté, stirring often, until the veggies are softened and golden-brown, about 6-8 minutes.
  • Reduce the heat to medium, and stir the tomato paste, minced garlic, and paprika into the veggies. Sauté until the garlic is fragrant and the tomato paste is dark red, about 1-2 minutes.
  • Add the crushed tomatoes, white wine, low-sodium chicken broth, bay leaf, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir until smooth. Bring the sauce to a boil, cover, and reduce to a low simmer. Simmer the sauce for 30-60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's very flavorful and dark red.
  • After 30-60 minutes, taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings, if needed. Then, stir the meatballs into the sauce and simmer for another 5-10 minutes, until they're warmed through. Garnish the meatballs with fresh parsley and enjoy!

Notes

When I made this recipe with gluten-free breadcrumbs, the milk made the breadcrumbs super gummy. So, if you’re going to make this recipe gluten-free, I recommend leaving out the milk and skipping the “soaking” step (unless you know the brand of breadcrumbs you use is ok to rehydrate)!
Feel free to swap the ground pork with an equal amount of ground beef.
The key to juicy and tender meatballs is to keep the meat mixture somewhat loose. You want to roll the meatballs just until they’re round, but don’t pack them in too much, or they’ll come out dense.
If you want larger meal-sized meatballs, use a #40 (1 1/2 Tablespoon) scoop.
Good-quality tomatoes make a big difference in the taste of the sauce. I like Cento or Bianco.
For alcohol-free sauce, use more low-sodium chicken broth. I would also add a squeeze of lemon juice for a little acidity.
You can definitely make this recipe the night before. The meatballs get even better as the flavors meld overnight in the fridge!
Cuisine: Spanish
Course: Appetizer
Author: Sara Lynn Hunt Broka
Serving: 1meatball, Calories: 58kcal, Carbohydrates: 2.2g, Protein: 3.4g, Fat: 3.7g, Saturated Fat: 1.2g, Cholesterol: 16.7mg, Sodium: 86.2mg, Potassium: 82mg, Fiber: 0.2g, Sugar: 0.9g
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