Soutzoukakia (Greek Meatballs in Red Sauce) with Rice
Soutzoukakia is a traditional Greek dish consisting of oblong-shaped meatballs made from ground beef mixed with various spices such as cumin and garlic, served in a rich and flavorful tomato sauce made with tomatoes, onions, garlic, and spices.
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 500 gr ground beef
- 100 ml whole milk
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp cumin ground
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- olive oil
- salt
- pepper
For the sauce:
- 50 ml olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 clove garlic chopped
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 500 gr crushed tomato
- 2 whole spices
- 200 ml water
- salt
- pepper
For serving:
- rice
Instructions
- Place all the meatballs ingredients in a bowl and combine them by hand. Cover the bowl with transparent film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Shape the minced meat into balls about 60 gr each and place them on a large plate.
- Heat a frying pan over medium to high heat, pour in the olive oil, and cook the soutzoukakia meatballs until golden all over. Once ready, transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Using the same pan, reduce the heat to medium. Add the olive oil, onion, and garlic, and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste with cumin and sauté for an additional 1-2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, spices, water, salt, and pepper and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the soutzoukakia meatballs to the sauce and continue cooking for another 5 minutes until they are well-cooked, and the sauce thickens.
- Serve hot, accompanied by rice.
Notes
Chef’s tip: Use milk along with soda to make the meatballs even fluffier.
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