Dairy Free Gluten & Grain Free Keto Paleo Specific Carbohydrate Diet Whole30

Mexican Meatballs

Name: Mexican Meatballs
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 80 min
Ingredients: 1 pound ground beef; 1 pound ground pork (or chicken/turkey); 1 small red onion (finely diced); 3 cloves garlic (crushed); 1 green pepper (grated); 2-3 tbsp finely diced jalapeños; 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro; 1 tbsp cumin; 1/2 tbsp paprika; 1/2 tsp chili powder; 2 eggs; 1/4 cup almond flour; 1/4 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp pepper; 1 onion (finely chopped); 2 cloves garlic; 1 tsp oil; 2 14- oz cans chopped tomatoes; 1 1/2 cups beef stock; 1 1/2 tbsp cumin; 1 dried ancho chili (or alternatively 1 tbsp chipotle paste)

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These Mexican Meatballs are packed with spices and smothered in a rich chipotle tomato sauce. They are a fun spin on meatballs and have a nice kick of spice. These meatballs are Whole30, Paleo and Keto and freeze really well too!

Mexican Meatballs
So I have to confess, I was originally on a mission to create a recipe for Mexican Meatloaf. I had all of the ingredients out on the counter and was ready to go but I was struggling to show any signs of enthusiasm. I apologize to all of the meatloaf fans out there, but I just can’t get excited about it, even when it’s Mexican inspired.

Mexican Meatballs
So instead I created something that makes me very excited, meatballs! Yes they contain all of the ingredients I had planned on putting in the meatloaf, but come on, meatballs are just so much more fun (and kid friendly too!).

Mexican Meatballs
Ok so what makes these meatballs Mexican? They contain red onion, jalapenos, cilantro and lots of cumin, paprika and chili. I find that using a combination of meats makes the meatballs much more tender and soft, so I used a 50/50 mix of ground beef and either ground pork, turkey or chicken, whichever you prefer.

Mexican Meatballs
To keep the meatballs as healthy as possible, I baked them in the oven for 30 minutes until lightly golden on the outside and perfectly cooked in the center.

Mexican Meatballs
Although the sauce is tomato based, it is also Mexican inspired with the rich spice of ancho chilli and cumin. It is cooked down for 30 minutes until it’s thick and incredibly rich in flavour. To keep this recipe SCD legal I used dried ancho chillies, which I soaked in hot water for 10 minutes and then pureed, but you could also use ancho chili paste or alternatively chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.

I served the meatballs smothered in the sauce on top of Mexican Cauliflower Rice and it was sooooo good. This recipe makes a big batch of meatballs (approx 25-30) so there will be more than enough leftover to freeze coated in the sauce, perfect for an easy mid week dinner.

Mexican Meatballs

Here are a few other meatball recipes that you might enjoy:

If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!