Meatballs come in so many flavors, and these Puerto Rican Meatballs do not disappoint! They're bursting with the flavors of sofrito, and you'll be making them again and again!
I love flavorful meatballs! For more exciting flavors, try my Chicken Parmesan Meatballs, Gluten Free Lemon Chicken Meatballs, Gluten Free Swedish Meatballs, or these Curry Meatballs!
I love serving these over sweet potatoes for a full meal! Similar to how I serve my Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes!
🔍 Quick Look: Puerto Rican Meatballs
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🍳 Cook Time: 12 minutes
- 🕒 Total Time: 22 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 4
- 📊 Calories: ~304
- 🔥 Cook Method: Stove-top based
- 👩🍳 Main Ingredients: Ground chicken, sofrito.
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy, making it great for busy weeknight dinners
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Why You'll Love these Sofrito Meatballs
- The ingredients is so clean and healthy! It's made from all whole food ingredients, with no sugar, soy, or gluten added!
- It's wildly flavorful.
- It's not your traditional meatball recipe, and there aren't many recipes of this flavor available online!
Ingredients Needed for Puerto Rican Meatballs
- Adobo and Sazon-these are two spice blends frequently used in Puerto Rican cooking. They have plenty of salt in them and are delicious! If you are watching your salt intake, here are two salt free varieties.
- Cassava Flour-cassava is a grain free flour that is pretty close to a 1:1 substitute for all purpose flour!
- Sofrito-the star of the show! If you're not making your own, I'd recommend trying to find a homemade one. I've seen them sold at small bodegas or even in batches on Facebook marketplace. I also like to use sofrito in my Puerto Rican Picadillo, it's so good!
Substitutions and Variations
- Meat: This recipe is pretty versatile. I've made these meatballs with ground beef, turkey, and pork and all taste delicious! I would go for a lighter fat percentage whenever possible as it can tend to get a little too greasy.
- Milk: You can use dairy milk if you tolerate it, I've tested it and it works just as well!
- Flour: I love cassava flour since it keeps it grain free, but you can also use all purpose gluten free flour!
How to Make Puerto Rican Meatballs
- Step 1: Mix the meatball ingredients together. Form into small meatballs and set aside.
- Step 2: In a large skillet or saucepan, mix together the sauce ingredients and heat over medium heat.
- Step 3: Add the meatballs to the sauce and cook in a light simmer for 10 minutes.
- Step 4: Cook until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Puerto Rican Meatball FAQ's
Yes! Brands like Goya are widely available and work well. However, homemade sofrito delivers a much brighter, fresher flavor. If you have a blender or food processor, it's worth making a batch - it freezes beautifully in ice cube trays for easy portioning.
Yes - they actually taste better the next day as the flavors meld. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop on medium, stirring frequently.
Yes they do freeze well! Freeze with the sauce for up to 3 months. Thaw it out in the fridge at least 24 hours in advance then reheat on the stovetop. Put the heat on medium and stir frequently.
Suggested Serving Options
If you tried this Puerto Rican Meatball recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Puerto Rican Meatballs and Sauce
Equipment
- 1 large mixing bowl
- Measuring spoons
- can opener
- measuring cup
- Large Skillet or Dutch Oven
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground chicken
- ½ Tbsp. adobo
- ½ Tbsp. sazon
- 2 Tbsp. cassava flour
- 1 egg
Sauce
- 28 oz can tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes
- 3 Tbsp. sofrito
- 1 Tbsp. sazon
- 1 Tbsp. adobo
- 1 cup almond milk dairy is fine if not Whole30
- 2.5 oz. Spanish olives drained, optional
- 1 Tbsp. Tomato Paste optional, to thicken the sauce
Instructions
- In a medium size mixing bowl, mix together the meatball ingredients by hand. Divide the dough into golf ball sized pieces and roll into balls. Set aside.
- Thoroughly mix the sauce ingredients over medium heat and bring to a light simmer.
- Add in the meatballs and coat in the sauce. Cook for approximately 10 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Add the olives and tomato paste to the pan if using. Stir to mix, and let them heat through.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Garnish: Garnish this with some fresh cilantro or parsley for a touch of green.
- Sides: This is so delicious served with rice and your favorite veggies. If you'd like to keep it grain free serve it with white or sweet potatoes and veggies.
Scarlett says
My family and I loved these!! So flavorful.
Rachel Rivera says
So happy to hear that!