Chimichurri Meatballs

Meatballs built around the half of the chimichurri that survives heat, with the fresh half spooned over at the table.

Why You'll Love Chimichurri Meatballs

• The sauce gets split in two. The garlic, chile, paprika and oregano are warmed in oil and go inside, because they get better with heat. The herbs, onion and vinegar stay raw and go on top, because heat kills them.
• A real panade. The panko soaks in milk before it ever meets the beef, which is what keeps them tender.
• Browned in cast iron rather than broiled, so the crust comes from contact with the pan instead of one tanned face under an element.
• The salt is a number, not "to taste." It is what makes them bind.

Tips and Tricks

• Let the spiced oil cool completely before it meets the beef. Warm fat starts melting the meat's own fat and the mix goes greasy.
• Chill the shaped meatballs for 20 minutes. It is the difference between a sphere and a slump.
• Do not crowd the pan. Meatballs that touch steam instead of browning, and you lose the crust you came for.
• They release from the pan on their own when the crust has set. If one sticks, it is not ready to turn.
• Stir the chimichurri before every spoonful. Left alone it separates into oil on top and paste at the bottom.

Variations

• Swap the ground beef for lamb or pork.
• Add finely chopped fresh red chili to the chimichurri for heat that stays bright.
• Use gluten-free panko or crushed pork rinds.
• Serve them in a roll with the chimichurri as a sandwich.

Substitutions

• Dried oregano is the one herb here built to survive the oven, so keep it in the spiced oil. Fresh oregano belongs in the chimichurri instead, not in the meat.
• Red wine vinegar can be sherry or apple cider vinegar.
• Olive oil can be avocado or grapeseed, though you lose some flavor in the raw half.
• Whole milk can be buttermilk or plain yogurt thinned with a little water.

Best Served With

• Grilled vegetables or roasted potatoes
• Crusty bread or warm pita
• A fresh green salad or slaw
• Over creamy polenta or mashed potatoes

How to Store Leftovers

Store the meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a low oven or a skillet. Chimichurri keeps in a sealed jar in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. It has raw garlic in oil, so do not push it past that, and never leave it out on the counter.

Common Questions

Why is the sauce split into two parts?
Because chimichurri is two different things in one jar. The garlic, chile, paprika and oregano dissolve in fat and hold up to heat, so they belong inside where they can flavor every bite. The chopped herbs, the raw onion and the vinegar are the opposite: they are at their best cold and raw, and twenty minutes in an oven flattens them. Putting the whole jar in the meat wastes half of it and dilutes the other half.

Can I make the chimichurri ahead?
Yes. It is better after a few hours, and it will keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Make the spiced oil ahead too; it keeps just as long.

What can I substitute for panko breadcrumbs?
Regular breadcrumbs, crushed crackers, or oats. Whatever you use, soak it in the milk first. The soaking is the part that matters, not the crumb.

Do I have to brown them in a pan?
You can bake them at 400°F instead, but you will not get the same crust. Browning happens where the meatball touches hot metal, and an oven only surrounds them with hot air.

Chimichurri Meatballs

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Meatballs built around the half of the chimichurri that survives heat, with the fresh half spooned over at the table.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Course: Dinner, Main Course, Meat

Cuisine: Argentinian

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

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Spiced Oil (this goes in the meatballs)

• 3 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic grated
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

Chimichurri (this goes on top)

• ¾ cup parsley finely chopped
• ½ cup cilantro finely chopped
• ½ onion finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 3 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• ¾ cup olive oil
• Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Meatballs

• 2 lbs ground beef 80/20
• ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup whole milk
• 2 eggs
• 4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt

Equipment

• Mixing bowl
• Whisk
• Mortar and pestle (optional)
• Baking Sheet

Method

 

Make the Spiced Oil

1. Warm the olive oil in a small pan over low heat with the grated garlic, red pepper flakes, smoked paprika and dried oregano. About 2 minutes, until it smells like all four and the garlic is barely sizzling. Do not let anything brown.
2. Take it off the heat and let it cool completely. This is the half of the chimichurri that survives an oven. Chile, paprika and oregano are fat-soluble and heat-stable, so they get better in the meat, and warming them in oil is what pulls the flavor out of them.

Make the Chimichurri

1. Combine the parsley, cilantro, onion, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl or jar. Stir in the red wine vinegar and leave it a minute, until the salt has dissolved and the onion has lost its raw edge.
2. Stir in the olive oil. It will pull together and then settle back out within a few minutes, which is what chimichurri does and is not a mistake. Stir it every time before you spoon it, or you get oil off the top and paste off the bottom. This half only works cold and raw, which is why none of it goes in the meat.

Mix the Meatballs

1. Stir the panko, milk and eggs together in a large bowl and leave it 5 minutes. The crumbs go from dry and sharp to soft and swollen. That is the panade, and it is the whole reason the meatballs stay tender: it holds water while the beef contracts and squeezes its own out.
2. Add the ground beef, the cooled spiced oil and the kosher salt. Mix thoroughly with your hands. The salt is doing structural work here rather than just seasoning, so the amount matters. Cook a small test piece in a skillet to check the seasoning and adjust.
3. Form 1.5-inch meatballs and chill them 20 minutes. Cold meatballs hold their shape going into a hot pan.

Cook

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Film a cast iron skillet with oil over medium-high and brown the meatballs in batches, turning to get color on most sides. Do not crowd the pan. They will release on their own once the crust has set, so do not nudge them before they let go.
2. Transfer to the oven and finish 10 to 12 minutes, until the center reads 160°F.

To Serve

1. Stir the chimichurri, then spoon it over at the table.

Notes

Storage: Meatballs and extra chimichurri both keep in separate airtight containers in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat the meatballs in a 350°F oven until warmed through so the crust does not go soggy, then spoon fresh sauce over before serving.

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