Greek Meatballs In Tomato Sauce - Soutzoukakia

Soutzoukakia Smurneika, as we call the recipe for meatballs in tomato sauce in Greek, have more spices and a different shape compared to the usual meatballs. This is a traditional Greek recipe that you should definitely try. The meatballs are so aromatic, full of flavor and cooked in a rich tomato sauce. It does take a little bit of time and effort to make them but believe me, you will be awarded by the end result.

If you are looking for more traditional Greek recipes to impress your family or friends, I recommend trying this giouvetsi (beef and orzo pasta) casserole dish or a pork and cabbage stew to warm up your belly.

Why you should try my recipe

• Hearty, delicious dish.
• Big hit with adults and children.
• Freezable for up to 2 months.
• Step-by-step instructions on how to make the most soft and juice meatballs.

Ingredients & How-to

The ingredients you are going to need for the meatballs are ground meat, bread, garlic, wine, olive oil, cumin, salt and pepper. I use only ground beef in my recipe but you could also use half beef and half pork if you prefer to mix it up.

Making the meatballs

01. To prepare the meatballs mixture, I start by soaking the bread in red wine. Bread and wine help the meatballs to be more soft and add to the flavor. I use toast bread and remove the brown crust first before soaking it in the wine. You could use any kind of bread and you will find that it works better if it’s one day old bread.

Then I combine all the ingredients and then leave the mixture to rest for 10-15 minutes in the fridge. That helps all the aromas from the spices to mix with the minced meat and also it’s easier to shape the meatballs after. When the meatballs mixture is ready, I start shaping them into an oval shape like small barrels with a length similar to my index finger.

02. The recipe yields around 15-20 meatballs, after shaping all the mixture it’s time to shallow fry them. Some people like to coat the meatballs in flour before frying them but I prefer not to, as they will absorb more oil and they are a bit heavier.

I place a little bit of oil in a nonstick frying pan, around 1’‘/2cm and fry them in 2-3 batches. Just a couple of minutes, one minute on each side, will do the job. All you want is a nice color on the outside, they will be fully cooked later on in the tomato sauce.

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Making the sauce

The ingredients for the tomato sauce are tomato purée or passata, onion, garlic, tomato paste, cinnamon, salt, bay leaves and allspice kernels.

01. For the tomato sauce, I first like to sauté the onion and garlic for 3-4 minutes to soften up and get all that sweetness out. Then, I add a little bit of tomato paste, ground cumin, bay leaf, salt and pepper, give it a good stir with a wooden spoon and cook for one-two minutes. This helps to release all the aromatic flavor of the spices and the tomato paste that will make our tomato sauce taste amazing! The next step is adding the tomato puree or chopped tomatoes if you prefer, with a little bit of water. I let it simmer for 5 more minutes before adding the soutzoukakia meatballs in.

02. The final step is to add the soutzoukakia meatballs to the tomato sauce. Simply, using a tong or just a fork, place the meatballs on top of the tomato sauce all around. If your sauce is too thick, add half a cup of water, cover the pot with a lid and let it simmer over low heat for around 30 minutes until the sauce is nice and thick. Do check occasionally and if the water has evaporated you might need to add a bit more.

Serving suggestions

We usually serve these Greek meatballs with rice or mashed potatoes. They also go well with fries or wedges and salad.

Storage

You can store any leftover Greek meatballs in the fridge and have them the next day warmed up. These can also go in the freezer for a couple of months. Just defrost them and warm them up in a pot or microwave for a few minutes before serving.

FAQ

• What seasoning do the Greek meatballs in tomato sauce have? Greek meatballs in tomato sauce have cumin and garlic in them that gives them a very nice and unique flavor.

• What can I serve the Greek meatballs in tomato sauce with? Usually, you will find that the Greek meatballs in tomato sauce are served with rice or mashed potatoes but you could also serve them with fries or steamed vegetables for a healthier side.

• Can little children have meatballs in tomato sauce? Yes, of course. They contain lots of protein and are a great dish for little children especially if you combine them with veggies on the side. If you are concerned about the salt intake, or you are sharing with a baby under 12 months, then I recommend not adding any salt.

• Are meatballs in tomato sauce freezable? If you have any leftover Greek meatballs in tomato sauce you could store them in the freezer for up to 2 months.