Portuguese Almôndegas with Piri-Piri Glaze

About This Recipe

Almôndegas are Portugal's classic meatballs, usually made from a mix of beef and pork, seasoned simply with garlic and parsley, and simmered in a tomato sauce until tender. This version leans into Portugal's signature piri-piri chili, blending its heat with a touch of honey for a glossy, sweet-spicy glaze that coats the meatballs as they finish cooking. The technique that matters is browning the meatballs first in a hot pan before they go into the sauce -- this builds a flavorful crust and renders some fat that seasons the tomato base, rather than just poaching them plain. The piri-piri sauce itself needs a proper simmer, reducing until it thickens enough to cling to the meatballs rather than staying thin and soupy. Served with crusty bread or rice, this dish reflects Portugal's historic trade connections -- piri-piri chilies arrived via Portuguese exploration of Africa and became deeply woven into Portuguese cooking, especially in dishes like this one.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 300 gground beef
• 200 gground pork
• 1egg
• 0.33 cupbreadcrumbs
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced, divided)
• 2 tbspchopped parsley
• 1 tspsalt
• 2 tbspoil
• 1onion(diced)
• 800 gcrushed tomatoes
• 2 tbsppiri-piri sauce(or to taste)
• 1 tbsphoney
• 0.5 tspblack pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the meatballs

   Combine ground beef, ground pork, egg, breadcrumbs, half the garlic, parsley, and salt. Mix gently and shape into 16 meatballs.

2. 2

   Brown the meatballs

   Heat oil in a wide pan over medium-high heat, brown the meatballs on all sides, about 5-6 minutes total. Remove and set aside.

3. 3

   Build the sauce

   In the same pan, saute onion and remaining garlic until soft, about 4 minutes.

4. 4

   Add tomatoes and spice

   Stir in crushed tomatoes, piri-piri sauce, honey, and black pepper. Simmer 10 minutes until slightly thickened.

5. 5

   Simmer the meatballs in sauce

   Return meatballs to the pan, cover partially, and simmer 15-18 minutes until cooked through and the sauce has reduced and thickened around them.

6. 6

   Serve

   Serve hot with crusty bread or rice, spooning extra sauce over the top.

Variations

• •

  Use ground chicken for a lighter version of the meatballs.

• •

  Add sliced bell peppers to the sauce for extra body and sweetness.

• •

  Reduce the piri-piri for a milder, family-friendly version.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days; the sauce and meatballs both hold up well and taste even better the next day. Freeze for up to 2 months.

Frequently Asked Questions