Spanish Tapas Feast: Beef Albondigas, Garlic Shrimp and Crostini

Bring the vibrant flavors of Spain to your table with this shareable tapas spread. Juicy beef meatballs simmered in savory romesco sauce, garlicky paprika shrimp and salty prosciutto are paired with creamy ricotta, sweet fig jam and golden crostini for scooping up every delicious bite.

This recipe is perfect for parties or a fun family dinner. With a mix of textures and bold Mediterranean flavors, it’s a crowd-pleaser that feels special without being complicated.

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Ingredients

0.5 ounce Vidalia Onion PasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

12 tablespoon Romesco SauceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

20 ounce Ground BeefView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LemonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce ShrimpView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 ounce Ricotta CheeseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 clove GarlicView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Fig JamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon PaprikaView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit TomatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 ounce ProsciuttoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 cup Panko BreadcrumbsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce ParsleyView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

3 unit Demi-BaguetteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Sherry VinegarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon (tsp) Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Adjust rack to top position (top and middle positions for 4 servings) and preheat oven to 425°F. Wash and dry produce. Slice baguettes crosswise into 8-10 rounds each. Spread out on a baking sheet (two baking sheets for 4) and drizzle with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Toast on top rack (top and middle racks for 4) until golden brown, 5-10 minutes. Transfer crostini to a plate (reserve baking sheet for Step 3). Meanwhile, quarter lemon. Peel and mince or grate garlic. Roughly chop parsley.
2. Grate tomatoes on the largest holes of a box grater over a small bowl. TIP: Trim stem ends off tomatoes first to make grating easier! Stir in ½ tsp salt, juice from one lemon wedge, a pinch of garlic and a pinch of pepper. Set aside, stirring occasionally.
3. In a medium bowl, gently combine beef, panko, Vidalia onion paste, half the paprika, salt (we used ½ tsp; 1 tsp for 4 servings) and pepper. Form into 10-12 1-inch meatballs (20-24 meatballs for 4). Arrange meatballs on baking sheet used for crostini. Roast on top rack (top and middle racks for 4) until browned and cooked through, 12-15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, rinse shrimp under cold water, then pat very dry with paper towels. In a medium pan (large pan for 4 servings), combine remaining garlic, remaining paprika and 3 TBSP olive oil (6 TBSP for 4). Heat pan over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until garlic is sizzling and fragrant, 3-4 minutes. TIP: If garlic begins to brown too quickly, reduce heat to low. Add shrimp to pan; cook, stirring occasionally, until opaque and cooked through, 4-6 minutes. Turn off heat. Stir in half the parsley, 1 tsp vinegar and juice from one lemon wedge (2 tsp vinegar and juice from two lemon wedges for 4). Taste and season with salt and pepper.
5. Place romesco sauce in a second small microwave-safe bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave until warmed through, 30-60 seconds. Carefully uncover and stir.
6. Strain tomato sauce through a fine-mesh strainer; discard excess liquid and return sauce to bowl. Spread romesco sauce over the bottom of a shallow serving bowl, top with meatballs and garnish with a pinch of parsley. Place shrimp in a separate shallow serving bowl and garnish with a pinch of parsley. Separate prosciutto into slices and arrange in small bundles on a small serving platter. In a small serving bowl, combine ricotta with a pinch of salt and pepper. Drizzle ricotta with olive oil and dollop with fig jam. Serve everything with crostini and remaining lemon wedges on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use frozen shrimp?

Yes, just thaw them completely and pat dry before cooking.

What can I substitute for romesco sauce?

You can use a store-bought roasted red pepper sauce or make your own with almonds and roasted peppers.

How do I store leftovers?

Keep components separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat meatballs and shrimp gently.