Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef or beef + pork mix
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
- ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan optional but delicious
- Black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoon olive oil for browning
For the Tomato Sauce
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cans pureed tomatoes
- 2 bay leaves
To Serve (Dominican Style)
- White rice
- Ripe yellow plantains sliced and pan-fried until caramelized
Instructions
Mix the Meatballs
- In a large bowl combine ground meat, eggs, cilantro, onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.
- Mix gently. Do not overwork the meat.
- Form into even-sized balls.
Brown
- Heat olive oil in a skillet.
- Brown meatballs on all sides until golden (about 6 to 8 minutes total).
- They do not need to cook through yet.
Make the Sauce
- In another pan, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until fragrant.
- Add oregano, parsley, salt, pureed tomatoes, and bay leaves.
- Simmer 15 to 20 minutes.
- Simmer Together
- Add browned meatballs into the sauce.
- Cover and cook on low for 20 to 25 minutes until fully cooked and tender.
How to Fry Yellow Plantains
- Slice ripe yellow plantains on a diagonal.
- Heat oil over medium heat.
- Fry 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden and caramelized.
- Remove and lightly salt.
- The sweetness balances the savory sauce beautifully.
Video
Nutrition
Serving: 6Ounces | Calories: 270kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 1020mg | Potassium: 237mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 247IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 2mg
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