Haitian Meatballs

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These Haitian meatballs are seriously the best! Known as Boulèt or boulette, they are seasoned to perfection with a distinct spiciness. To finish off, they are simmered in a heavenly tomato sauce to serve with your favorite Haitian Rice dish. 

This Haitian meatball recipe will soon be your favorite weeknight dinner side dish.

They are seasoned with our homemade Haitian Epis and they are molded with soaked bread so they can retain their moisture, fried then simmered in a delicious quick Sauce Tomate or Sos Ti-Malice.

Boulèt – Traditional Haitian Side Dish!

Any Haitian food lover will have a lenthy list of Haitian dishes to try, and boulet will most certainly be on top of the list. 

The meatballs are often prepared with ground beef but ground turkey can also be used. In addition to the meat, aromatic herbs such as parsley and thyme are often included. 

In our recipes, these ingredients are included in the Haitian Epis. In addition, it is spiced with additional garlic, dried parsley, and salt to further enhance the flavor. 

How To Make Haitian Meatballs (Boulet / Boulette)

You’ll love how easy and simple it is to make these Haitian meatballs. They first deep fried then simmered in a tomato sauce.  

The full recipe with the exact measurements is listed below in the recipe card. For now, here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe with ease. 

• Ground meat – we used 93% lean and 7% fat
• Large Eggs – beaten – best to use room temperature eggs. Used as a combining agent.
• Haitian Epis
• Minced garlic cloves (dry or fresh)
• Parsley (dry or fresh)
• Fresh bread – the bread will not only provide substance to the meat but will also help it to retain moisture. Bread and rice are common methods used in Haiti to make meatballs.  
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Diced onions
• All-purpose flour for coating
• Oil for frying; canola or vegetable oil. 

Optional additional ingredients: 

Bell peppers- Mixed bell peppers are often used and provides a little sweetness to the meat. Since it is already added in the Epis, this is optional. 

Scotch Bonnet or Habanero Peppers: To add a small amount of heat to the meatballs, add about 1 teaspoon chopped habanero or scotch bonnet pepper to the mixture. 

Cooking Method

Meatballs

Combine the meat and the ingredients (minus the oil for frying) together in a large bowl. 

Using your desired cookie scoop size, scoop the meat mixture and place it on the palm of your hands to roll the meat in a circular motion to shape into a ball. 

Then coat the meat with all-purpose flour on all sides. Set aside and repeat the steps until all the meatballs are coated. 

Heat the oil to 350 degrees but no more than 400 degrees. Carefully add 5 to 7 meatballs at a time. Cook for 6 minutes per side or until golden brown and cook through. 

Place the meatballs in a paper toweled plate and repeat the process until all the meatballs are cooked. 

Haitian Sos Tomat (Haitian Tomato Sauce)

These meatballs are simmered in a delicious rich tomato sauce. The sauce is perfect when serving your Haitian meatballs with rice.

Over medium – low heat, add the diced onions. Cook for about 30 to 45 seconds then add the Haitian Epis. Stir well then add 1 tablespoon table paste.

Next, add in the lemon juice to deglaze then add the minced dried or fresh garlic and the water. Stir well to combined and reduce the heat to low.

Add in the meatballs followed by fresh or dried parsley and additional peppers (dried red pepper flakes, Scotch Bonnet peppers or Habanero Peppers).

Stir well to combine and allow to simmer for an additional 5 to 8 minutes.

How To Air Fry Your Haitian Boulette?

In a large bowl mix all the ingredients together. 

Then roll the meat in the all-purpose flour and place the meatballs in the air fryer basket. Spray with olive oil. Air fry for 15 minutes on 400 degrees, flipping in between cooking to allow all sides to cook. Spray the meat with oil between each flip. 

Essential Sides to Serve with This Dish 

These meatballs are served with Haitian sauce (see recipe card below) to develop a richer flavor. You can also serve them with Haitian Sos Pwa Nwa (bean puree) and white rice. 

These meatballs are eaten with red beans and rice or regular white rice. 

There are different recipes for these meatballs, depending on the cuisine – it ranges from vegetable dumplings to fish balls. On top of everything, the meatballs are economical to make. 

Without adding them in the sauce, they serve well with noodles or spaghetti. 

They pair well with fresh vegetables like this sauteed bok choy, air fryer carrots, roasted vegetables in air fryer, this watercress salad, and bannann peze (fried plantains).

To further enhance the flavor of these Haitian Meatballs, although not commonly serve together, consider serving them with fresh herbs such as fresh parsley leaves, mint, cilantro and you can also serve them with bean sprout.

Pro Tips to Consider 

Many people add bread, eggs, and onions, which increases the amount of meat. These meatballs are cooked in frying oil, but many people bread them with all-purpose flour before frying. 

To add heat, add about 1 teaspoon chopped scotch bonnet or habanero peppers.

Ideally, you should prepare the Haitian meatballs in advance. For this purpose, once you’ve soaked and mushed the bread, and when it’s added to the meatballs, it will add a lot of softness to the meatballs. 

Consider adding about 2 teaspoon distilled vinegar. Many people object to the idea of vinegar but it adds slight acidity to the meatballs, which helps balance the fatty part of the meatballs.  Again, this is completely optional.

Vinegar is already added to the epis. lightly wet your hand when rolling the meat into a ball, this will prevent the meat from sticking to your hands. 

Add more water if the tomato sauce is too thick for your liking.

How To Keep Your Meatballs from Breaking Part?

Many beginners complain about the meatballs breaking apart, and to help you eliminate such possibilities, consider these tips;

• Always purchase high-quality and premium meat to make the meatballs. Ideally, you should use freshly ground meat, and for that, you can visit the local butcher.
• If possible, try to use a mixture of beef and turkey as it adds a depth of flavor. 
• Always mix your meat with smashed bread. This will soften the meat and as well as keep it moist. If you must use the breadcrumbs before frying the meatballs, it’s recommended that you use homemade breadcrumbs because the store-bought breadcrumbs aren’t crispy enough. To make breadcrumbs at home, heat the bread slices until they are light brown and ground them in a food processor.
• Always be aggressive while seasoning because herbs and spices will flavor the meat. Keep in mind that using less seasoning and salt will only lead to a bland flavor.
• Always use a frying pan or a skillet to fry the meatballs as it helps achieve the right level of brownness.
• Let the meatballs simmer in the sauce for enhanced flavor.  

After trying these Haitian meatballs, consider trying these slow cooker meatballs and these Swedish meatballs next.

More Haitian Food Recipes You’ll Love

Labouyi Bannann (Plantain Porridge)

Watercress Salad

Haitian Tablet

Tasso Cabrit

Haitian Fritay

Poulet Aux Noix 

Haitian Bouillon 

Haitian Tasso

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