MeaningIn EveryMacro

Meal Prep

Mexican Meatballs

Name: Mexican Meatballs
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 2 lbs 93% lean ground beef; ½ cup breadcrumbs; 2 large eggs; 3 cloves garlic minced; 1 tbsp ground cumin; 1 tbsp chili powder; 1 tsp smoked paprika; ½ tsp dried oregano; ½ tsp salt; ½ tsp black pepper; 1 cup dry jasmine rice; 1 limes zested and juiced; ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped; 1 cup cherry tomatoes quartered; 1 can corn 15 oz; ¼ cup red onion finely diced; 1/2 limes juiced; ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped; ½ tsp salt; ¼ tsp black pepper; ½ cup greek yogurt; ¼ cup fresh cilantro finely chopped; 1 clove garlic minced; 1/2 limes juiced; ½ tsp salt; ¼ cup crumbled queso fresco; limes cut into wedges

Mexican Meatballs are what happens when taco night and meal prep decide to lock in together - smoky chipotle-spiced beef meatballs, cilantro lime rice, juicy tomato corn salsa, and a garlic cilantro crema that makes the whole bowl hit way harder than it has any business hitting. It’s bold, saucy, colorful, and brings a completely unserious 62.8 grams of protein per serving to the table.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 30 min
Makes: 4 servings

724Calories

62.8gProtein

65.5gCarbs

23gFat

Prep Time: 25 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 55 mins

Servings

Ingredient unitsSwitch every measurable amount on this recipe.

Equipment

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Instructions

Prep the Meatballs:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.

In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, eggs, garlic, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Mix until just combined- avoid overmixing.

2 lb 93% lean ground beef, ½ cup breadcrumbs, 2 large eggs, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp ground cumin, 1 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp smoked paprika, ½ tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp black pepper

Roll the mixture into 1.5-inch meatballs and place them on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 18- 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are browned and cooked through.

Cook the Cilantro Lime Rice:

Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Cook rice according to your preferred method (I love my rice cooker!)

1 cup dry jasmine rice

Once cooked, fluff the rice with a fork and stir in lime zest, lime juice, chopped cilantro, and salt.

1 limes, ¼ cup fresh cilantro

Make the Tomato Corn Salsa:

In a small bowl, combine diced tomatoes, corn, red onion, lime juice, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Mix well and let sit for at least 10 minutes.

1 cup cherry tomatoes, 1 can corn, ¼ cup red onion, ½ limes, ¼ cup fresh cilantro, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper

Whip Up the Garlic Cilantro Crema:

In a bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt (or sour cream), minced garlic, lime juice, chopped cilantro, and salt. Refrigerate until serving.

½ cup greek yogurt, ¼ cup fresh cilantro, 1 clove garlic, ½ limes, ½ tsp salt

Assemble & Serve:

Divide the cilantro lime rice among individual meal prep containers, topping with meatballs & corn salsa! Drizzle with garlic cilantro crema and sprinkle with crumbled queso fresco, garnishing with lime wedges.

¼ cup crumbled queso fresco, limes

Nutrition

Per serving

Estimates for one serving.

Calories: 724 kcal
Protein: 62.8 g
Fat: 23 g
Carbs: 65.5 g

Full nutrition and how it’s calculated

All values are per serving. Changing the recipe yield scales the ingredients and keeps these per-serving amounts the same.

Saturated Fat: 8.86 g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.21 g
Monounsaturated Fat: 8.68 g
Trans Fat: 0.87 g
Cholesterol: 252 mg
Sodium: 1,418 mg
Potassium: 1,255 mg
Fiber: 5.2 g
Sugar: 7.1 g
Added Sugar: 0.8 g
Vitamin A: 144 mcg RAE
Vitamin C: 14.86 mg
Vitamin D: 1.05 mcg
Calcium: 196 mg
Iron: 10.53 mg

Nutrition updated September 2026. We now calculate nutrition using our ingredient library, with USDA data, product labels, and documented estimates. Older Pinterest graphics and MyFitnessPal entries may show different numbers. Use the per-serving values above when tracking this recipe.

Brands, substitutions, and preparation can change these estimates.

View ingredient standards & nutrition methods

Estimated ingredient cost

$6.17 per serving · $24.69 for this batch

Ingredient costs and assumptions

Estimated US grocery prices for the amounts used, including purchase waste and discarded marinade. Your store, brands, and package sizes may cost differently. Buying full packages can cost more. Price sources and methodology.

Quantities without exact weights use the nutrition library’s portion estimates. Purchase yields are estimates. Separate citrus ingredients are costed independently; reusing the same fruit for juice and zest can lower your cost. Labor, utilities, and delivery are excluded.

93% lean ground beef: $17.15
907.2 g purchased · Uses the reviewed ingredient quantity before cooking or marinade losses.
Authored ingredient weight. BLS lean/extra-lean category average; not an exact 93% lean product quote.
BLS: Ground beef, lean and extra lean · Price checked 2026-09-21
breadcrumbs: $0.16
54 g purchased · Uses the reviewed ingredient quantity before cooking or marinade losses.
1 cup = 108 g Representative product for this ingredient; your brand and package size may differ.
Walmart: Great Value Plain Bread Crumbs, 15 oz · Price checked 2026-09-21
large eggs: $0.28
114 g purchased · Whole purchased item: 57 g each (estimated); includes shell, peel, or seeds.
1 egg (large) = 50 g; Large shell-free egg: 50 g, from King Arthur's ingredient weight chart. Large shell eggs; estimated 57 g purchased weight per egg includes shell.
Walmart: Great Value Large White Eggs, 12 Count · Price checked 2026-09-21
garlic: $0.16
9 g purchased · Uses the reviewed ingredient quantity before cooking or marinade losses.
3 clove = 9 g; USDA SR Legacy household weights used as an approximate physical conversion for the current ingredient profile; nutrition remains from its own mapped record. Representative product for this ingredient; your brand and package size may differ.
Walmart: Spice World Fresh Peeled Garlic, 6 oz, Pouch · Price checked 2026-09-21
ground cumin: $0.12
6.3 g purchased · Uses the reviewed ingredient quantity before cooking or marinade losses.
1 tsp (ground) = 2.1 g; Editorial ground-cumin estimate: 2.1 g/tsp. Grinding/packing varies; this is not a USDA ground-cumin portion. Representative product for this ingredient; your brand and package size may differ.
Walmart: Great Value Ground Cumin, 2.5 oz · Price checked 2026-09-21
chili powder: $0.10
8 g purchased · Uses the reviewed ingredient quantity before cooking or marinade losses.
1 tbsp = 8 g Representative product for this ingredient; your brand and package size may differ.
Walmart: Great Value Chili Powder, 3 oz · Price checked 2026-09-21
smoked paprika: $0.09
2.3 g purchased · Uses the reviewed ingredient quantity before cooking or marinade losses.
1 tsp = 2.3 g Four 2 oz jars; full multipack weight is 8 oz.
Walmart: (4 pack) Great Value Smoked Paprika, 2 oz · Price checked 2026-09-21
dried oregano: $0.02
0.5 g purchased · Uses the reviewed ingredient quantity before cooking or marinade losses.
1 tsp (leaves) = 1 g; texture=leaves Representative product for this ingredient; your brand and package size may differ.
Walmart: Great Value Oregano Leaves, 0.87 oz · Price checked 2026-09-21
salt: $0.00
3 g purchased · Uses the reviewed ingredient quantity before cooking or marinade losses.
1 tsp = 6 g Iodized table salt reference; not a kosher salt price.
Walmart: Great Value Iodized Salt · Price checked 2026-09-21
black pepper: $0.05
1.2 g purchased · Uses the reviewed ingredient quantity before cooking or marinade losses.
1 tsp (ground) = 2.3 g; texture=ground Ground black pepper reference; cracked pepper may cost differently.
Walmart: Great Value Ground Black Pepper · Price checked 2026-09-21
dry jasmine rice: $0.59
185 g purchased · Uses the reviewed ingredient quantity before cooking or marinade losses.
1 cup = 185 g Representative product; brand and package size may differ.
Walmart: Great Value Jasmine Rice · Price checked 2026-09-21
limes: $0.25
70 g purchased · Whole purchased item: 70 g each (estimated); includes shell, peel, or seeds.
Editorial medium/large edible fruit and juice-yield estimates. Juiced fruit uses 30 g each; the whole-fruit nutrition profile remains an approximate proxy. Representative product for this ingredient; your brand and package size may differ.
Walmart: Fresh Lime, Each · Price checked 2026-09-21
fresh cilantro: $0.54
4 g purchased · Uses the reviewed ingredient quantity before cooking or marinade losses.
0.25 cup = 4 g Representative product for this ingredient; your brand and package size may differ.
Walmart: Fresh Cut Cilantro, 0.5 oz Clamshell · Price checked 2026-09-21
cherry tomatoes: $1.56
149 g purchased · Uses the reviewed ingredient quantity before cooking or marinade losses.
1 cup (cherry tomatoes) = 149 g Grape tomatoes used as a price proxy for cherry tomatoes.
Walmart: NatureSweet Cherubs Heavenly Grape Tomatoes, 10oz Package, Fresh · Price checked 2026-09-21
corn: $1.22
425.2 g purchased · Charges the full authored package or bone-in weight, including discarded material.
Editorial drained-can yield: 60% of the stated net can weight for beans/corn/chickpeas. Applies only to a can unit or a mass explicitly identified as a can; a weighed drained mass stays unchanged. Frozen whole-kernel corn used as a price reference for loose corn kernels.
Walmart: Great Value Frozen Whole Kernel Corn · Price checked 2026-09-21
red onion: $0.12
44.4 g purchased · Editorial purchase-yield estimate: 90% usable; includes discarded peel, shell, or core.
1 cup (chopped) = 160 g; USDA SR Legacy household weights used as an approximate physical conversion for the current ingredient profile; nutrition remains from its own mapped record. Representative product for this ingredient; your brand and package size may differ.
Walmart: Fresh Red Onions, 3 lb, Bag · Price checked 2026-09-21
limes: $0.13
35 g purchased · Whole purchased item: 70 g each (estimated); includes shell, peel, or seeds.
Editorial medium/large edible fruit and juice-yield estimates. Juiced fruit uses 30 g each; the whole-fruit nutrition profile remains an approximate proxy. Representative product for this ingredient; your brand and package size may differ.
Walmart: Fresh Lime, Each · Price checked 2026-09-21
fresh cilantro: $0.54
4 g purchased · Uses the reviewed ingredient quantity before cooking or marinade losses.
0.25 cup = 4 g Representative product for this ingredient; your brand and package size may differ.
Walmart: Fresh Cut Cilantro, 0.5 oz Clamshell · Price checked 2026-09-21
salt: $0.00
3 g purchased · Uses the reviewed ingredient quantity before cooking or marinade losses.
1 tsp = 6 g Iodized table salt reference; not a kosher salt price.
Walmart: Great Value Iodized Salt · Price checked 2026-09-21
black pepper: $0.02
0.6 g purchased · Uses the reviewed ingredient quantity before cooking or marinade losses.
1 tsp (ground) = 2.3 g; texture=ground Ground black pepper reference; cracked pepper may cost differently.
Walmart: Great Value Ground Black Pepper · Price checked 2026-09-21
greek yogurt: $0.41
113.5 g purchased · Uses the reviewed ingredient quantity before cooking or marinade losses.
1 cup = 227 g; Editorial Greek-yogurt volume proxy using King Arthur's generic yogurt weight, 227 g/cup. Plain nonfat Greek yogurt reference; unspecified-fat Greek yogurt uses this as a price estimate.
Walmart: Great Value Greek Plain Nonfat Yogurt, 32 oz Tub · Price checked 2026-09-21
fresh cilantro: $0.54
4 g purchased · Uses the reviewed ingredient quantity before cooking or marinade losses.
0.25 cup = 4 g Representative product for this ingredient; your brand and package size may differ.
Walmart: Fresh Cut Cilantro, 0.5 oz Clamshell · Price checked 2026-09-21
garlic: $0.05
3 g purchased · Uses the reviewed ingredient quantity before cooking or marinade losses.
1 clove = 3 g; USDA SR Legacy household weights used as an approximate physical conversion for the current ingredient profile; nutrition remains from its own mapped record. Representative product for this ingredient; your brand and package size may differ.
Walmart: Spice World Fresh Peeled Garlic, 6 oz, Pouch · Price checked 2026-09-21
limes: $0.13
35 g purchased · Whole purchased item: 70 g each (estimated); includes shell, peel, or seeds.
Editorial medium/large edible fruit and juice-yield estimates. Juiced fruit uses 30 g each; the whole-fruit nutrition profile remains an approximate proxy. Representative product for this ingredient; your brand and package size may differ.
Walmart: Fresh Lime, Each · Price checked 2026-09-21
salt: $0.00
3 g purchased · Uses the reviewed ingredient quantity before cooking or marinade losses.
1 tsp = 6 g Iodized table salt reference; not a kosher salt price.
Walmart: Great Value Iodized Salt · Price checked 2026-09-21
crumbled queso fresco: $0.34
30.5 g purchased · Uses the reviewed ingredient quantity before cooking or marinade losses.
1 cup (crumbled) = 122 g Representative product for this ingredient; your brand and package size may differ.
Walmart: La Morenita Queso Fresco Fresh Crumbling Cheese, 10 oz · Price checked 2026-09-21
limes: $0.11
30 g purchased · Uses the reviewed ingredient quantity before cooking or marinade losses.
Editorial estimate for the entire recipe; owner approved including garnishes, not this exact weight. Representative product for this ingredient; your brand and package size may differ.
Walmart: Fresh Lime, Each · Price checked 2026-09-21

Make it yoursRecipe notes & meal-prep tips

Macro breakdown

Protein62.8g35%
Carbs65.5g36%
Fat23g29%

Per serving · Share of calories from macros

Calculated using 4 calories per gram of protein and carbs, and 9 for fat. Rounding and fiber can affect the listed calorie total.

Triple B's Meal Prep Notes

The corn salsa and cilantro crema are worth their own refrigerated cups. Keep the meatballs and cilantro-lime rice in the main box, then add the cold salsa, crema, and queso fresco after heating. That preserves the contrast between warm seasoned beef and fresh toppings, which is what makes these feel different from a tray of glazed meatballs.

Zest the lime before juicing it for the rice, and chop the cilantro once for all three components rather than repeating the job. Make the salsa and crema while the meatballs bake. Stir the salsa before portioning, draining excess tomato or corn liquid so it does not water down the finished bowl. Count the cooked meatballs into equal groups, then divide the rice around them.

Remove the cold cups and lime wedges before heating. For a refrigerated serving, microwave on high for 90 seconds, stir, then heat for another 45 seconds. Use that as a starting point and continue in short intervals as needed until the food reaches 165°F throughout. Turn the meatballs and stir the rice at the pause, then build the finished bowl with the fresh toppings. If you want a simpler packing day, combine the cold toppings only if you are happy with their textures mixing; keep them away from the hot base either way. More ideas for this style of meal are in the Mexican-inspired collection and bowl archive.

Notes from your kitchen

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From the community

Triple B · Creator note2025-12-14

I built this recipe because I bought 1/4 cow, and thus 80 pounds of hamburger. I didn't know what to expect going in, but I can confidently say my blog wouldn't be the same without Mexican Meatballs. Let me know if this one beat taco night for you too!

Mexican Meatballs