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Juicy Mexican meatballs covered in an addicting roasted tomato and smoky chipotle sauce. Ready from start to finish in only 40 minutes, they make a delicious weeknight dinner served over rice, veggies, or in a sandwich!

Mexican meatballs in a skillet with chipotle tomato sauce.

This recipe is sponsored by my friends at The National Pork Board. All opinions expressed here are my own.

These Mexican meatballs have been a weeknight dinner staple in my house for a few weeks now, and there’s no signs of stopping.

Not only are they easy to make and ready to eat in only 40 minutes, but they’re also some of the most flavorful pork meatballs I’ve ever eaten in my entire life!

The meatballs are juicy on the inside with a touch of crispy-seared goodness on the outside, and the roasted tomato and the chipotle sauce adds a smoky garlicky flavor without being spicy.

No boring, soggy, and flavorless meatballs here! Just juicy, flavor-packed, exciting, and satisfying Mexican meatballs the whole family will love.

Mexican pork meatballs in a skillet ready to be eaten.

So many of us have been spending more time at home over these last couple of months, and I’ve been searching for ways to keep dinner exciting and interesting. That’s where pork comes in!

As a lifelong eater of Mexican foods like chorizo and carnitas, cooking with pork has always been a way for me to connect with my Mexican culture. Not only does it add so much flavor, but it truly transports me into my mom and grandma’s kitchen in Mexico where the smell of pork empanadas being made is one of my favorite food memories!

And I know I’m not alone because pork is the most popular protein around the world! So if you’re looking to for an escape from your usual dinner and want to experience unique and delicious flavors from around the world, then pork is where it’s at!

Ingredients used to make Mexican Meatballs

Ingredients You’ll Need

You’ll be surprised at just how much flavor can come out of these simple ingredients! Here’s what you need to make this recipe:

  • Ground Pork: I’ve grown up eating pork my entire life, and let me tell you there is no better ground meat for making meatballs than ground pork! It’s juicy, easy to cook with, and makes the most tender meatballs ever. I’ve made this recipe using lean and extra-lean ground pork and they both turned out great, so feel free to use whichever you prefer.
  • Plain Breadcrumbs: Acts as a binder along with the egg that helps hold the meatballs together.
  • Egg: Acts as a binding agent along with the breadcrumbs that help the meatballs hold their shape.
  • Onion: Adds flavor and moisture to the meatballs, ensuring that they don’t become dry and tough.
  • Roma Tomatoes: These are roasted under an oven broiler or over an open flame on a gas stove to get that delicious fire-roasted flavor that brings out a sweet and smoky flavor. (If you don’t feel like roasting your own tomatoes, see the Substitutions section below)
  • Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce: Adds a perfect smoky Mexican flavor element to the tomato sauce that’s just right. It’s not spicy but pairs perfectly with the tomatoes.
  • Seasonings: Salt, ground cumin, and ground coriander are used to season the meatball mixture, and salt, garlic cloves, and dried oregano are used to season the chipotle tomato sauce.

How to Make Mexican Meatballs

First, make the tomato and chipotle sauce. You’ll need to roast the tomatoes under the broiler until the skin is blackened and blistered on both sides, about 8 minutes total.

Then, add the roasted tomatoes in a large blender along with some chipotle peppers in an adobo sauce, garlic, salt, and dried oregano. Blend until smooth.

Ingredients in a blender to make sauce for Mexican meatballs.

For the meatballs, you’ll need to combine the ground pork, breadcrumbs, a beaten egg, onion, garlic, salt, ground cumin, and ground coriander in a large bowl.

Mix the meatball mixture with your hands until just combined. Be careful to not overmix or else the meatballs could turn out tough.

Mexican meatballs ingredients in a bowl and mixed together.

Roll the mixture into 16 even-sized balls.

Rolled Mexican meatballs on plate ready to be cooked.

Place the meatballs in a large oven-safe skillet (preferably cast-iron) with some olive oil and sear one side until golden-brown, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Then flip them over and bake them in a 450ยฐF oven for 8 minutes, or until the internal temperature reads 160ยฐF on a digital meat thermometer.

Mexican meatballs in a skillet with sauce being poured on top.

Remove the skillet from the oven, and carefully pour the tomato and chipotle sauce on top. The skillet will be very hot and the sauce will splatter at first, so be careful!

Mix the meatballs with the sauce and let it sit in the skillet for 2 more minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve!

Mexican meatballs topped with sauce and cilantro.

Helpful Tips and Substitutions

  • To save some time, you can use 1 (28-ounce) can of fire-roasted tomatoes instead of roasting your own under the broiler. Just skip the roasting step and blend the canned roasted tomatoes with the rest of the sauce ingredients.
  • Don’t overmix the meat mixture. Make sure to mix the ground meat mixture until it just comes together. Overmixing can cause the meatballs to be tough, which is no bueno!
  • Use a cast-iron skillet if you have one. I love using a cast-iron skillet for this recipe because it retains heat really well. When you take out the meatballs and pour the sauce on top, the heat of the skillet will continue to cook the sauce a bit and give it some extra depth of flavor.

Storing and Freezing

The meatballs can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

To freeze any leftovers, simply place the meatballs along with all the sauce in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Let the meatballs thaw in the fridge overnight, and then reheat in the microwave or on the stove until warmed through.

Mexican meatballs in a bowl with a fork.

Serving Suggestions

Need a side dish to serve with these Mexican meatballs? Here are a few ideas:

4.65 from 17 votes

Mexican Meatballs

Juicy Mexican pork meatballs covered in an addicting roasted tomato and smoky chipotle sauce. Ready from start to finish in only 40 minutes.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
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Ingredients 

For the meatballs

  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • ยผ medium onion, minced (about 1/4 cup)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

For the sauce

Instructions 

  • Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place tomatoes on top. Set the oven rack directly underneath the broiler and turn the broiler on high.
  • Broil the tomatoes for 3-4 minutes, or until the skin is blackened and blistered. Carefully flip over the tomatoes and broil for another 3-4 minutes, or until the skin is blackened and blistered on all sides. Remove from the oven and set aside.
  • Preheat the oven to 450ยฐF.
  • Add ground pork, breadcrumbs, egg, onion, garlic, salt, cumin, and coriander to a large mixing bowl. Gently combine using your hands until everything is just mixed. Be careful not to overmix or they may come out tough.
  • Shape the mixture into 16 meatballs and set aside.
  • Heat olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet (or other oven-safe skillet) over medium-high heat. Add meatballs to the skillet and sear until golden brown on one side, about 1-2 minutes.
  • Flip the meatballs over and transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake for 8 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the meatballs reach 160F.
  • While meatballs are baking, add the roasted tomatoes, garlic, chipotle peppers, adobo sauce, oregano and salt to a large blender. Blend until smooth, or pulse a few times if you prefer a chunky sauce.
  • Remove the skillet from the oven and pour the chipotle tomato sauce on top. Be careful of any splatters since the skillet will be very hot!
  • Stir the sauce in the skillet and let it sit and cook with the residual heat for 2 minutes. Garnish meatballs with chopped cilantro and serve.

Notes

  • Storage: The meatballs can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
  • Freezing: To freeze any leftovers, simply place the meatballs along with all the sauce in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag and freeze for up to 3 months.ย 
  • To save some time, you can use 1 (28-ounce) can of fire-roasted tomatoes instead of roasting your own under the broiler. Just skip the roasting step and blend the canned roasted tomatoes with the rest of the sauce ingredients.
  • Don’t overmix the meat mixture. Make sure to mix the ground meat mixture until it just comes together. Overmixing can cause the meatballs to be tough, which is no bueno!
  • Use a cast-iron skillet if you have one. I love using a cast-iron skillet for this recipe because it retains heat really well. When you take out the meatballs and pour the sauce on top, the heat of the skillet will continue to cook the sauce a bit and give it some extra depth of flavor.

Nutrition

Serving: 14th of recipe | Calories: 451kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 123mg | Sodium: 1443mg | Potassium: 680mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1467IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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14 Comments

  1. Mark Wright says:

    5 stars
    This was an enjoyable alternative to Italian style meatballs. The flavors were good and it had some heat from the Chipotles. We had some pasta to use and had it over Spaghetti. My wife doesn’t like too much garlic or heat so I used just a bit less of each and she was a happy camper.
    Thanks for the recipe!

    1. Ana @ Isabel Eats says:

      Thank you Mark! We’re glad you enjoyed this recipe ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. Tracy says:

    5 stars
    The sauce is so delicious. I bought veal meatballs and sautรฉed them and then added the sauce. Served over mashed potatoes as suggested. The whole family loved it. That sauce is the bomb! Thank you for a delicious and easy recipe.

  3. Carol says:

    5 stars
    Mexican Meat Balls! Wow! Delicious! I used them as an appetizer. Huge hit! Thank you for the delicious recipe!

  4. Carol says:

    5 stars
    Delicious!! Best ever! A huge hit!

  5. Jonni Foley says:

    4 stars
    I love all of your authentic recipes. These meatballs were so delicious. And coming originally, from Arizona, where we get wonderful mexican food, this is quite a complement.

    1. Isabel says:

      Thank you so much, Jonni! I’m so happy you loved the recipe!

  6. Sandra Hill says:

    5 stars
    I made the Mexican meatballs and they were FANTASTIC!! Served them with mashed potatoes that included butter, milk, roasted hatch peppers and a blend of cheddar and habanero cheese. Will definitely make again and again!

  7. Liz says:

    Where can we find the chipotle peppers in the adobo sauce listed in this recipe?

    1. Morgan @ Isabel Eats says:

      Hi! You can find chipotle peppers in adobo sauce at most grocery stores as well as national chains like Walmart or Target. You can also buy them on Amazon here – https://amzn.to/3hRPUNA

  8. Kevin B says:

    5 stars
    Great recipe, I did the cooking outside on the bbq and girls, great for a summer night.

  9. Jere says:

    Hi Isabel.
    I was born and reared in Texas..and I love Mexican “eats”. I was so happy to find your website..(.i can’t bring myself to say Blog) with all the delicious recipes. I found this article and thought you might like to read it..you may have already.
    https://www.texasmonthly.com/food/tex-mexplainer-the-history-behind-mexicos-most-patriotic-meal-chile-en-nogada/?ref=PRH9ABEA7CC458C&linkid=PRH9ABEA7CC458C&cdi=526B0D1EE8C44180E0534FD66B0A2D73&template_id=18090&aid=randohouseinc49886-20
    Oh my I didn’t know it was this long!
    Thank you for so many good recipes..I will be 94 his month and still love and cook new recipes.
    Jere Wineman

  10. Jack says:

    5 stars
    Isabel, this is great. I love meatballs of all varieties (proud Italian here!), and combining them with chipotle sounds so good that I might just make it today – I have meatballs in the fridge, chipotles in adobo in the pantry. I think I just convinced myself to make them. ๐Ÿ™‚