Salvadoran Meatballs

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Photo Ben Gebo Photography

Ben Gebo Photography

STRATEGY SESSION: My only intervention in this recipe is the substitution of a lean protein for a fatty one.

The fat and calorie content of Doris Perez’s Salvadoran Meatballs earned them a trip to the Spa, where the prescription was simple: Substitute ground sirloin and buffalo for the ground beef, and leave the rest of Doris’s tasty recipe intact.

Doris's MeatballsDeborah's Meatballs
Calories393257
Total Fat32 g15 g
Saturated Fat13 g6 g
Cholesterol150 mg123 mg
Protein21 g25 g

As you can see, minimal interventions really can have major nutritional consequences. My meatballs have 35% fewer calories, less than 1/2 the fat, less than 1/2 the saturated fat, 18% less cholesterol, and 19% more protein. Makeover notwithstanding, son muy sabrosas!

Note: If you can’t find ground buffalo, use 1 pound ground beef sirloin instead of the sirloin-buffalo combination. You’ll still benefit from the switch. Also, one clever reader of this recipe suggested the substitution of 2 egg whites for the whole egg to reduce the cholesterol and saturated fat.  I have amended the recipe to include this very sensible alternative.


Salvadoran Meatballs

  • 1 large egg or 2 egg whites
  • ½ pound ground beef sirloin
  • ½ pound ground buffalo (bison)
  • ½ cup chopped fresh tomatoes
  • ½ cup chopped onion
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh mint
  • 1 teaspoon instant beef bouillon and seasoning
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ¼  teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Tomato sauce, optional
  1. Beat the egg or egg whites in a large bowl. Add the beef and buffalo in handfuls and then add the tomatoes, onions, garlic, mint, instant bouillon, salt, and pepper. Mix well by hand.
  2. Form the mixture into patties approximately 3″ in diameter and 2/3” thick.
  3. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet. Cook the patties approximately 5 minutes per side until nicely browned. Serve immediately, with tomato sauce, if desired.

Makes 4 servings

Per serving: Calories 257, 15 g total fat, 6 g saturated fat, 123 mg cholesterol, 5 g total carbohydrate, 1 g dietary fiber, 25 g protein, 451 mg sodium

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Comments&Trackbacks

  • November 24 2009, 8:48 PM
    Jim Tarrant

    It may be Salvadoran but it is also classic Mediterranean style (with the exception of the buffalo, of course). Which is not surprising, of course, considering the history of that country. Delicious. Greeks, Italians and Lebanese have similar recipes.
  • November 24 2009, 9:41 PM
    Deborah

    Jim,
    Of course you are correct. However, the person who submitted the original recipe that I tackled in the Spa was from El Salvador. The recipe came from her grandmother who still makes the meatballs there. I called my adaptation “Salvadoran Meatballs” to make clear that it was based on but not identical to Doris Perez’s recipe. The ground buffalo has nothing to do with El Salvador; it’s just a healthy substitute for ground beef.
    Deborah
  • December 28 2009, 5:21 AM
    Memoria

    These meatballs look absolutely beautiful and scrumptious. The best meatballs I’ve ever seen!
  • December 28 2009, 7:48 AM
    Deborah

    Thank you so much!! I have to admit, they are very tasty. Sometimes I add even more garlic and mint, but I wanted to stay as close to Doris Perez’s recipe as possible for this incarnation. If you try them, I hope you’ll let me know how you like them…and Doris will be curious too!
    Deborah
  • January 20 2010, 8:21 PM
    Smart Green Gourmet

    These look great! Why not make them even leaner by omitting the egg yolk, or using two egg whites instead of the whole egg? Wouldn’t this decrease the saturated fat by 5g while only marginally affecting the protein content?
  • January 20 2010, 8:31 PM
    Deborah

    Excellent suggestion. I think omitting the egg altogether would alter the character of the dish by making the patties more like burgers than meatballs, and I was trying to respect the traditional nature of the recipe. In that light, the 2 egg-white idea is more appealing, and I’ll definitely try it. In case anyone is interested in the details: the main difference between 2 whites and a whole egg lies in their cholesterol content (0 vs. 216 mg). The substitution reduces cholesterol/serving by over 50 mg. The differences in total fat/serving (1 g) and saturated fat/serving (trace) are negligible.

    Thanks so much for your recommendation. I’ll amend the recipe and offer 2 whites as an option.
    Deborah

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