Haitian Meatballs Recipe

Learn to make the best Haitian Meatballs Recipe. Paired with a homemade Haitian tomato sauce, these meatballs are ready to be served in minutes.

Course Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Caribbean, Haitian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 26

Total Time 36

Servings Servings

Calories 273kcal

Author Savory Thoughts

Equipment

Non-stick Skillet
Sauce Pan

Ingredients

Haitian Meatballs

2 lbs. Ground Meat; We used 93% Lean and 7% Fat
⅓ Cup Diced Onion
2 Large Eggs; Beaten
¼ cup Haitian Epis
3 Garlic Cloves; Minced (or 1 ½ tsp. dried minced garlic)
1 tablespoon Fresh Chopped Parsley; Or 2 Tbsp. Dried Parsley
2 Slices Bread
⅓ Cup Water To Mix With The Bread
1 tsp. Kosher Salt
½ Tsp. Black Pepper
Olive Oil Spray
½ Cup All-Purpose Flour
1 ½ Cup Oil For Frying; We used Canola Oil

Tomato Paste Sauce

2 tbsp. Olive Oil
⅓ cup Onions; Diced
1 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
3 Tbsp. Haitian Epis
Juice From 1 Lemon
1 cup Water; More if needed
2 Chopped Garlic Cloves; Or 1 Tsp. Dried Minced Garlic
1 Tbsp. Chopped Fresh Parsley; Or 2 tsp. parsley flakes
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Haitian 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.
Air Fryer Version:
Mix the meat and the remaining ingredients together in a large bowl.Roll the meatball into desired size.Place the meatballs in the basket.
Spray with olive oil spray.Air fry for 15 minutes on 400 degrees, flipping in between cooking to allow all sides to cook.

Tomato Paste Sauce

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.

Video

Notes

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.

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***Calories are estimated per serving***

Nutrition