Albóndigas Estofadas al Tomate (Meatball and Tomato Stew)
This meatballs and tomato stew is simple, comforting, filling and full of flavor. Perfect for lunch or dinner.
- ½ pound of ground pork
- ½ pound of ground beef
- 1 beaten egg
- 1 cup of aliños sauce (see recipe here)
- Salt and pepper
- ¼ warm water
- 1/2 cup masarepa or precooked cornmeal
- 1/2 cup of aliños sauce (recipe here)
- 2 large carrots (slice crosswise)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4 cups beef stock
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- ¼ teaspoon cumin powder
- 2 large potatoes (peeled and cut into small chunks)
- In a large bowl, combine the beef, pork, egg, aliños, salt, cornmeal and water. Knead with your hands until well mixed.
- Shape the mixture into 12 meatballs, set them on a plate.
- Add the tomato sauce, beef stock, salt, pepper, cumin powder and bring to a boil, then add the meatballs. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover and let it cook for 40 minutes.
- Add the potatoes and carrots. Cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes or until the potatoes and carrots are tender. Serve with white rice.
Simple, tasty, and filling, this Meatballs and Tomato Stew (Albóndigas Estofadas) will quickly become a regular addition to your dinner lineup.
I've talked a lot about Sunday dinners at my mamita's house, where the entire family would gather and enjoy an amazing Colombian feast! However, before I left Colombia, I would often go to mamita's for lunch alone or with my sister.
If Mamita happened to be making something she knew we'd like, she would call and invite us over. One of my favorite dishes that she made was Albóndigas Estofadas al Tomate (Meatball and Tomato Stew).
Incredibly soft meatballs, potatoes and carrots, all swimming in a perfectly smooth and rich tomato sauce. Absolutely delicious! I serve Albóndigas Estofadas with rice, without exception. You can't have this stew without the rice to soak-up the flavorful tomato sauce!
Ingredients You'll Need
The printable recipe card with exact amounts and cooking directions is below.
Ground Meat: I like to use a mixture of ground beef and pork to make my meatballs.
Tomato Sauce: use your favorite brand.
Aliños: It's a sauce or paste made with onions, peppers, garlic and spices. Here is my recipe for Colombian aliños.
Vegetables: Potatoes and carrots. You can also add yuca if you want.
Spices: Cumin, salt and pepper.
Masarepa: Precooked cornmeal can be found online or your local Latin market.
Eggs: To make the meatballs.
Water: To make the meatballs
Broth: I like to use beef broth to cook the stew.
How to Make this Meatball Stew?
- In a large bowl, combine the beef, pork, egg, aliños, salt, cornmeal and water. Knead with your hands until well mixed.
- Shape the mixture into 12 meatballs, set them on a plate.
- Add the tomato sauce, beef stock, salt, pepper, cumin powder and bring to a boil, then add the meatballs. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover and let it cook for 40 minutes.
- Add the potatoes and carrots. Cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes or until the potatoes and carrots are tender. Serve with white rice.
What to Serve with This Stew
I like to serve my stews over rice to soak all the delicious sauce with avocado and a simple salad on the side.
You can make this recipe using different proteins like chicken, fish, beef or pork. I love this dish, because it's versatile and the leftovers are absolutely delicious. The perfect dish for meal planning.
Meatballs:
- ½ pound of ground pork
- ½ pound of ground beef
- 1 beaten egg
- 1 cup of aliños sauce see recipe here
- Salt and pepper
- ¼ warm water
- ½ cup masarepa or precooked cornmeal
Stew:
- ½ cup of aliños sauce recipe here
- 2 large carrots slice crosswise
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4 cups beef stock
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- ¼ teaspoon cumin powder
- 2 large potatoes peeled and cut into small chunks
