As the etymology of the word suggests, meatballs are a recipe of Arabic origin that has been passed down from generation to generation for centuries (al-bunduqa, 'the ball'). Anyone who loves meat will find homemade meatball recipes with Iberian ham very appealing because each of them is finger-licking good!

Meatballs are part of our most traditional and varied recipe book because there are a thousand ways to make them: with tomato sauce, marinara, with ratatouille, with peas, with cuttlefish... and, of course, with Iberian ham from Enrique Tomás to ensure the best flavor.

It's a visually appealing, budget-friendly, filling, and easy-to-make dish. With minced meat to your liking: chicken, beef, pork, or a mix of several, a little flour or bread, an egg, pepper, and you'll have the base for a great meat stew. At Enrique Tomás, we love them best, of course, with the finest Iberian ham. From here, there are as many recipes as there are tastes and desires to try. Let's take a look at a few!

Iberian Ham Meatballs

Ingredients for the mixture: (4-5 servings)

• 500g Minced lean meat of your choice

• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped (optional)

• 80g Iberian ham (cut into small cubes)

• 1 egg Bread crumbs (as needed)

• 1 glass of milk (for soaking the bread crumbs)

• Some finely chopped parsley Salt (be cautious due to the presence of ham)

• Pepper
  
  
  

Preparation

Place the minced meat in a bowl, add the small ham cubes, one egg, breadcrumbs previously soaked in milk, finely chopped parsley, pepper, and a pinch of salt. Stir everything until it forms a unified mixture and start making the meatballs; the size can be adjusted according to preference, but it's advised not to make them too large so that they cook well and don't easily fall apart.


From here, we can make various types of sauce:

Iberian Ham Meatballs in Vegetable Sauce

The vegetables will enrich the nutritional value of the meatballs. It could simply be with tomato, onion, peas, and garlic, in a tasty stir-fry. Or in a ratatouille with eggplant, zucchini, tomato, onion, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and a bay leaf. With all the diced vegetables and a bit of olive oil in a pot until they are well cooked and juicy. Then add the meatballs and let everything simmer for about 10 more minutes.

And it's ready!

Iberian Ham Meatballs in Spicy Sauce

The sauce can include the ingredients you desire the most, for example, a carrot, a leek, a tomato, two diced potatoes, and a chili pepper. Slowly cook the ingredients in a pot with a little oil and sauté them with some vegetable broth if available (optional), blend everything, and you'll have a very nutritious and flavorful dish!