Chilean Meatball Sandwich — Homemade Sándwich de Albóndigas

Versión en Español

Chilean meatball sandwich, or sándwich de albóndigas, is beef and pork meatballs mixed with a sautéed sofrito of onion, garlic, celery, red pepper, oregano, cumin, and ají de color, bound with egg and bread crumbs, browned, simmered in a red wine tomato sauce, and served in toasted marraqueta or frica bread. It takes 30 minutes of preparation and 45 minutes of cooking, and serves 6.

A classic full of flavor and texture, perfect for sharing with friends or family, even at lunchtime.

How to Make a Meatball Sandwich?

Juicy homemade meatballs are browned, finished in tomato and red wine sauce, and used to fill a sturdy Chilean bread that soaks up the sauce.

Nutritional Information

Each meatball sandwich contains approximately 550 kcal, 25 g of protein, 25 g of total fat (8 g of saturated fat), 50 g of carbohydrates (6 g of sugars), and 800 mg of sodium. These values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.

Homemade Chilean Meatball Sandwich Recipe

Preparation: 30 minutes
Cooking: 45 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients

Meatballs

• 300 g of ground beef
• 200 g of ground pork
• 50 g (½ cup) of bread crumbs
• 4 tablespoons of oil
• 6 marraquetas or frica buns
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 egg
• ½ red bell pepper
• Dried oregano
• Ground cumin
• Ají de color (Chilean paprika)
• Fine salt
• Black pepper
• Chopped parsley
• Flour, for dusting

Sauce

• 300 ml (1¼ cups) of water
• 300 g of tomato sauce
• 100 ml (⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon) of red wine
• 1 garlic clove
• ½ onion, finely chopped

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the onion, garlic, celery, bell pepper, oregano, cumin, and ají de color to taste. Season with salt and pepper and sauté until caramelized, adding a splash of hot water if needed.

2. Transfer the sofrito to a large bowl and add the ground meats, parsley, egg, and bread crumbs. Mix with clean hands until even, shape 6 meatballs of the same size, dust with flour, and set aside.
3. Heat enough oil to cover the bottom of a large skillet over high heat and brown the meatballs, turning, until golden all over. In a large pot, make the sauce by sautéing the onion and garlic, seasoned with salt and pepper.

4. Add the red wine, water, and tomato sauce, stir, and cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes. Add the meatballs, bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for about 10 minutes.

5. Serve right away in toasted marraqueta, pressing lightly with a fork and spooning over the sauce, with grated cheese, tomato slices, green beans, or green chili if you like.

Additional Tips

Soak the bread crumbs

Soak the bread crumbs in milk or broth before mixing so the meatballs stay tender.

Balance the sauce

A teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce or a pinch of sugar balances the acidity of the tomato.

Make them ahead

The meatballs can be made ahead and frozen raw or cooked in sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can I make the meatballs with beef only?

Yes, though pork adds juiciness and flavor. Turkey or chicken make a lighter version.

2. Which bread is best for this sandwich?

Frica or marraqueta, which hold the filling and soak up the sauce without falling apart.

3. Can I freeze the meatballs?

Yes, raw or cooked. If cooked in sauce, cool them completely and store in an airtight container.

4. What else can I add?

Melted cheese, tomato slices, green chili, caramelized onion, or greens such as arugula or lettuce.

Benefits

This sandwich provides high quality protein, carbohydrates from the bread, and antioxidants from the tomato sauce.

Did You Know?

Meatballs appear in cuisines all over the world, with a likely influence from Arab cooking.

Recommended

• Chilean Meatballs in Tomato Sauce Recipe
• Chilean Pan Frica Burger Bun Recipe
• Chilean Chocman Recipe
• Chilean Ulte Seaweed Salad Recipe