Instant Pot Mexican-Style Meatballs and Quinoa

South-of-the-border meatballs and quinoa stew in rich tomato sauce for an offbeat meal in about an hour, thanks to an electric pressure cooker.

Prep Time:
25 mins
Cook Time:
25 mins
Additional Time:
10 mins
Total Time:
1 hr
Servings:
4
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Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 4 servings

Meatballs:

  • 1 pound ground veal

  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten

  • ½ red onion, minced

  • 1 cup crumbled cotija cheese, divided

  • 6 tablespoons chopped cilantro, divided

  • ½ cup bread crumbs

  • 2 tablespoons milk

  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin

  • ½ teaspoon chipotle powder

  • ¼ teaspoon salt

  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Stew:

  • 1 ½ tablespoons corn oil

  • ½ red onion, sliced

  • 1 jalapeno pepper, diced

  • 1 cup quinoa, rinsed

  • 1 ¼ cups chicken broth

  • 1 (16 ounce) can Mexican-style hot tomato sauce (such as Goya®)

Directions

  1. Mix veal, eggs, minced red onion, 3/4 cup cotija cheese, 1/4 cup cilantro, bread crumbs, milk, cumin, chipotle, salt, pepper, and garlic powder together in a bowl. Form mixture into about 20 walnut-sized balls.

  2. Heat a multi-functional electric pressure cooker (such as Instant Pot) on Saute setting. Pour in oil. Saute red onion slices and jalapeno pepper until starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Add quinoa and stir. Pour in broth and 1/2 of the tomato sauce. Mix well. Add meatballs to the pot and pour remaining tomato sauce on top.

  3. Close and lock the lid. Select medium pressure on Manual mode according to manufacturer's instructions; set timer for 10 minutes. Allow 8 to 10 minutes for pressure to build.

  4. Release pressure using the natural-release method according to manufacturer's instructions, 10 to 40 minutes. Serve meatballs over the stewed tomatoes and quinoa. Top with remaining cotija cheese and cilantro.

Tips

Use any kind of broth you prefer.

If your machine does not offer a variety of manual pressure settings, choose high pressure but reduce cooking time to 8 minutes or so.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

592 Calories
27g Fat
47g Carbs
38g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Calories 592
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 27g 35%
Saturated Fat 11g 54%
Cholesterol 211mg 70%
Sodium 1621mg 70%
Total Carbohydrate 47g 17%
Dietary Fiber 4g 15%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 38g 76%
Vitamin C 4mg 5%
Calcium 316mg 24%
Iron 4mg 24%
Potassium 667mg 14%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.