Green Chile Meatballs

(6)

File this one under: Where have you been my entire life?

green-chile-meatballs-0219foo
Photo: Jennifer Causey
Hands On Time:
15 mins
Total Time:
25 mins
Yield:
4 servings

This meatball recipe offers all the delicious flavors of tacos in a, well, meatball—we're talking Cotija cheese, tortilla chips, cilantro, canned green chiles, and beef. There's even sour cream! In a world where after-work cooking or meal prep can feel like a chore, it's refreshing to come across something that makes you excited to get in the kitchen. Tortilla chips stand in for white bread as the binder in these meatballs, so make sure to get them small enough where they'll soak up the juices (and not poke you in the roof of your mouth).

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup cotija cheese, crumbled, plus more for serving

  • ¼ cup crushed tortilla chips

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, plus more for serving

  • 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano

  • 1 large egg

  • 1 4.5-ounce. can chopped green chiles

  • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons sour cream, divided

  • 1 pound ground beef chuck

  • 1 tablespoon canola oil

  • 1 11-ounce jar salsa verde

  • 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced, for serving

  • Lime wedges, for serving

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Whisk cheese, tortilla chips, cilantro, salt, cumin, oregano, egg, green chiles, and ¼ cup of the sour cream in a large bowl. Add beef and, using a fork, stir gently until evenly combined. Shape mixture into 16 (1-inch) meatballs and place in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

  2. Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high. Add meatballs and cook until golden brown on the underside, about 3 minutes. Flip meatballs and add salsa verde, gently shaking skillet to help distribute sauce. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until meatballs are just cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.

  3. Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons sour cream and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl. Drizzle sour cream mixture over meatballs and top with cheese, cilantro, and jalapeño. Serve with lime wedges.

Related Articles