Greek Meatballs (Soutzoukakia)
Soutzoukakia are spicy sausage-shaped meatballs that are lightly fried and then cooked in a red wine sauce. This dish comes from the once Greek part of Asia Minor, Smyrna, and was brought to Greece by refugees from Asia Minor.
Soutzoukakia are very filling and are perfect on cold winter days. They can be served with rice on the side or mashed potatoes as a main dish.
They are one of the most popular Greek dishes and can be made any type of ground meat, served alone, or with tzatziki on a mezze spread or with rice.
Greek Meatballs (Soutzoukakia)
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 3 thick slices bread
- 500 gr minced beef
- 1 egg
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- salt and pepper
- 2 small glasses white wine
- 30 gr flour
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- chopped parsley
Instructions
- Soak the bread in water for about 10 minutes, then remove and discard the crust.
- Squeeze out any excess water from the bread and combine it with the minced meat, egg, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, salt, pepper, and one small glass of wine. For the best results, it’s most effective to mix these ingredients using your hands.
- Once thoroughly combined, shape the mixture into long, slender forms resembling fat cigars, each roughly the length of your finger (approximately 15 in total).
- Roll these shapes in flour and fry them in vegetable oil over medium heat until they are crispy all around.
- Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a saucepan, and when it reaches a warm temperature, add the tomatoes and the remainder of the wine. Allow them to cook slowly for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly to prevent sticking.
- As the Soutzoukakia finish frying in the pan, transfer them into the saucepan, covering them with the tomato sauce. If necessary, add a bit more water to the mixture. Cover the saucepan and continue to cook on low heat for approximately 10 minutes.
- Sprinkle chopped parsley over the dish for garnish. Thanks to its flavorful sauce, you can serve it as a main course with plain white rice or mashed potatoes. These Soutzoukakia also make excellent appetizers for a dinner party!
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