Game Day Tapas: Keto Albondigas in Tomato Sauce
These Spanish inspired meatballs are made without fillers such as bread and are Keto friendly. To combat dryness, we’ve added shredded zucchini and Manchego to the meatballs. Delish.
Servings 8
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 1/2 Tbsp Spanish Olive Oil, divided EVOO is good
- 1/2 Med Spanish Onion Minced
- 2 Cloves Garlic Minced
- 1 Tsp Smoked Paprika Sweet is okay
- 1 Tbsp Aleppo Pepper Flakes Substitute or leave out
- 1 Tbsp Cumin, ground
- 1 Lbs Ground Turkey Organic
- 1 Link Spicy Sausage Organic, local
- 2 Tbsp Manchego, grated
- 1 Lrg Egg Organic, local
- 2 Tbsp Cilantro, chopped
- 2 Tbsp Parsley, chopped
- 2 Tsp Kosher Salt, divided If using table salt, cut amount in half
- 1 Tsp Pepper, coarsly ground, divided
For the Tomato Sauce
- 2 Tbsp Spanish Olive Oil
- 1 Med Spanish Onion
- 1 Tbsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 Tbsp Cumin, ground
- 6 Oz Red Wine Spanish origin if possible, like a rioja or Navarro
Instructions
Meatballs
- Heat olive oil in skillet on med-low heat until shimmering. Add paprika, cumin, and pepper flakes to bloom. Stir frequently. Dump onion and garlic all at once with salt and pepper to taste. Sauté until onion is translucent. Set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl combine remaining indredients along with cooled onion mixture. Mix thoroughly with a fork making sure pork and turkey are evenly incorporated. Form into 1” balls by hand, or using a small ice cream scoop. Use some olive oil on your hands to prevent sticking. Place on parchment paper lined baking sheet into a 450 degree preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove and set aside. You’ll add these to the sauce later.
Tomato Sauce
- Heat olive oil in large sauce pan on medium low heat until shimmering. Add onion, paprika, and cumin. Stir frequently to toast the spices. Add garlic, saute for 1 minute. Next pour the red wine into the skillet, stir to scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the skillet. Cook for a few minutes. Add the tomato, stir to combine. Raise heat to medium and add chopped basil. Season to taste. Immediately add meatballs to sauce, rolling them around to get coated. Place lid on sauce pan, lower heat to simmer for 1 hour.
Plate and Finish
- Place meatballs on a serving platter and cover with the sauce. Sprinkle with ribbons of manchego cheese. Drizzle a little EVOO on top to make it a little prettier. Take it one step further and add some chiffonade of basil.
