Tender Brazilian beef meatballs simmered in a garlicky tomato sauce with bell pepper, served over rice with black beans.
Almondegas are Brazil's home-style meatballs, made from ground beef bound with soaked bread and egg, seasoned simply with garlic and parsley, then simmered in a tomato sauce built with sauteed onion and bell pepper. It's a Sunday family dinner dish across Brazil, almost always served over white rice alongside feijao (black or pinto beans), reflecting the classic Brazilian plate structure of rice, beans, and a protein. The technique is straightforward but relies on the same fundamentals as good meatballs everywhere: soaked bread rather than dry breadcrumbs keeps the interior tender, and browning the meatballs before simmering builds a base of flavor in the pan that carries into the tomato sauce. Bell pepper, sauteed alongside the onion, is a distinctly Brazilian addition that gives the sauce a slightly sweet, vegetal backbone not always found in Italian-style meatball sauces. Served hot over rice with beans on the side, almondegas is unpretentious, reliable comfort food -- the kind of dish most Brazilians grew up eating regularly and associate directly with home cooking.
Serves 4
Combine ground beef, soaked bread (squeezed of excess milk), egg, garlic, parsley, and salt. Mix and shape into meatballs.
Dredge meatballs lightly in flour. Heat olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat and brown on all sides, about 6-8 minutes. Remove and set aside.
In the same pan, cook onion and bell pepper 6-7 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more.
Stir in crushed tomatoes, stock, and black pepper. Bring to a simmer.
Return meatballs to the sauce, cover, and simmer 20 minutes until cooked through and the sauce has thickened.
Serve hot over rice, with black beans alongside if desired.
Soak the bread in milk rather than using dry breadcrumbs -- this Brazilian home-cooking technique keeps the meatballs noticeably more tender.
Brown the meatballs well before adding sauce; the fond in the pan builds real depth into the finished dish.
Simmer covered so the meatballs cook through gently without drying out.
Add sliced carrots or potatoes to the sauce for a heartier one-pot version.
Use a mix of beef and pork for a richer flavor.
Add a bay leaf to the simmering sauce for extra aromatic depth.
Refrigerate up to 3 days in an airtight container; the flavor deepens overnight. Reheat gently on the stovetop. Freezes well up to 3 months.
Almondegas reflect the broader Portuguese and Mediterranean meatball tradition brought to Brazil through colonization, adapted over generations into a home-cooking staple typically served as part of Brazil's classic rice-and-beans meal structure.
Soaked bread, squeezed of excess liquid, distributes more evenly through the meat mixture and keeps the meatballs noticeably softer and more tender than dry breadcrumbs.
Yes -- bake at 200C/400F for about 15 minutes until browned, then transfer to the simmering sauce to finish cooking through.
White rice and black or pinto beans (feijao) are the classic Brazilian accompaniments, forming the country's iconic everyday plate structure.
Per serving (380g / 13.4 oz) · 4 servings total
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