Southwest Meatball Supper

Think of this as a taco salad built on meatballs instead of seasoned ground beef. Onion gets cooked with chili powder first so the spice blooms in the oil and coats every bit of onion, then it’s mixed into the ground beef with breadcrumbs and egg before shaping into small balls. That pre-cooked, chili-coated onion means the spice is already activated and distributed through every meatball.

The meatballs brown in the skillet for about 12 minutes, building a crust on all sides, then taco sauce and chunked fresh tomato go in for a quick 5-minute simmer. The sauce thickens around the meatballs and creates a saucy, spiced coating.

Everything gets spooned over a bed of shredded iceberg lettuce, then topped with grated Monterey Jack, sliced avocado, and served with taco chips for scooping. Hot meatballs on cold, crunchy lettuce is a contrast that works just as well as any taco.

Kitchen Tips

• Cook the onion with the chili powder before adding to the meat. Raw chili powder tastes dusty and flat; bloomed chili powder tastes warm and complex
• Shape the meatballs to a uniform 1 inch for even cooking. Bigger balls will still be raw inside when the outside is browned
• Brown the meatballs without moving them for the first few minutes. Let the crust form before rolling them
• Serve immediately so the lettuce stays cold and crisp under the hot meatball mixture

Variations

• Use ground turkey or chicken for lighter meatballs
• Add a can of black beans to the taco sauce for a heartier Southwest stew
• Top with sour cream and pickled jalapeños for the full taco bar treatment