Makes 14-16 1 oz. meatballs
20-30 minutes cook time
1 slice sandwich bread (sub 1/4 cup almond flour for keto or whole 30 preparation)
1 lb. ground beef or turkey
1 egg
1 tsp. onion powder
1 crushed garlic clove
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. chili powder
2 cups prepared enchilada sauce (recipe below)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (as garnish)*
Pulse bread in the bowl of your food processor to make a fine crumb. In a bowl, combine meatball ingredients with bread crumbs and mix well with a fork. Shape meat into balls a bit larger than a tablespoon. Sauté in olive oil over medium heat in a large non-stick frying pan. Once the balls are set but not cooked through, add 2 cups of sauce and simmer for 5-10 minutes over low. When meatballs are ready, cover in cheese and serve with rice or veggies.
*Cheese is not included on the whole 30 diet plan and may be omitted from recipe.
Yields 2 quarts of sauce
30 minutes cook time
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large yellow onion
6 dried Ancho chilies
6 dried California chilies
6 dried Guajillo chilies
2-3 Arbol chilies (optional, these chilies add heat)
2 cloves fresh garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
5 cups low sodium chicken stock
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
Water (optional, for thinning)
In a large sauce pan, sauté onion in olive oil over medium heat until it begins to caramelize. Add dried chilies with seeds and stems removed. Sauté 2-3 minutes and add garlic. Continue cooking until garlic becomes fragrant. Season with salt and pepper. Add chicken stock and tomatoes, and bring to a boil. Turn off heat, cover pot with a lid and allow chilies to steep for 20 minutes. Blend the mixture with a stick blender or in your standard blender. Bring enchilada sauce to a boil again and taste for seasoning. Add salt and pepper. If the sauce is thicker than you’d like, add a bit more chicken stock or water to thin. This sauce packs a mild heat and has a rich smoky flavor.
