Inspired by our love of zippy chile-and-garlic-packed Cuban mojo sauce, we transformed the fun and flavor of long-cooked mojo pork into quick weeknight-able meatballs. If you’re spice sensitive, split the chiles in half lengthwise and remove the seeds; they hold much of the heat.
Ingredients
1
1
⅔
1
2
4
2½
4
2
1
2
Preparation
Step 1
Place a rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 500°. Set aside ½ cup cilantro for making the sauce; finely chop remaining ½ cup cilantro. Lightly beat egg in a medium bowl to blend. Add panko, cumin, 1 Tbsp. oil, 2 tsp. sugar, and 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt and stir until panko softens and turns pasty. Finely grate 3 garlic cloves and 1 chile into mixture, add chopped cilantro, and mix well to combine. Using your hands, mix in pork until evenly distributed.
Step 2
Toss onions with 1 Tbsp. oil on a large rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Roast until wedges are well charred underneath, about 10 minutes.
Step 3
While the onions are cooking, divide pork mixture into eight pieces and roll each into a 2”-diameter ball.
Step 4
Using a metal spatula, turn onion wedges over and scoot them toward edges of baking sheet to make room for meatballs. Arrange meatballs in the center, spacing out evenly. Return baking sheet to oven and roast until meatballs are browned and spring back when gently pressed and onions are well charred on the other side, about 10 minutes.
Step 5
Meanwhile, remove stem from remaining chile and split in half lengthwise. Place in a blender and add orange juice, lime juice, reserved ½ cup cilantro, remaining garlic clove, ⅓ cup oil, 2 tsp. sugar, and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt; blend until mostly smooth but still specked with herbs. Transfer sauce to a small bowl.
Step 6
Divide rice among bowls and top with meatballs and onions, then plantain chips and more cilantro sprigs. Serve with sauce alongside.
Leave a Review
Reviews (98)
Back to TopIt is very tasty
Abdurahim0707.
Uzbekistan
4/9/2020
Quick and easy recipe! I haven’t calibrated my oven but setting it to 500 was too high and charring the onions only took 5 minutes (and set off my smoke detector). Kept it at 450 for the meatballs and turned out great. Ended up with extra sauce and rice but they go together wonderfully on their own and I’d make the sauce again just to put on rice.
Anonymous
Minneapolis, MN
4/10/2020
One of the best recipes I've made from Bon App this year. Bright, herniations and delicious. I think I am going to just keep a bottle of this sauce in my fridge from here on out.
TheCatfish
Brooklyn
4/10/2020
Made this tonight and paired it with red wine. Absolutely amazing! The flavour profiles work so well together. The sauce is key in bringing it all together. One of my favorite recipes from bon appetite. Thanks Molly!
zoyabisht
London
4/11/2020
So tasty! I will definitely make this again in the future. Lots of different flavors, all resulting in a bright and delicious meal!
zoedweck
New York, NY
4/12/2020
Unbelievably good & easy! Whipped up for a lunch in quarantine. I don't have a blender, so just microplaned all the chilis & garlic, and gave the cilantro an ultra-fine dice for the sauce and it came together very well; more like a chimicurri than a homogenous sauce, but still nicely emulsified. Bright, spicy, & perfect with a Sylvaner pet nat I had laying around.
nice.demon
Berlin
4/12/2020
This was a really tasty, easy meal. I didn't have plantains, which would have been fantastic with the sauce. I roasted a cauliflower head and served with the rice, onions, and added avocado, as well. Super bright and a welcome departure from normally heavier, richer meatballs. Will definitely put in normal rotation.
Anonymous
Chicago
4/14/2020