Soutzoukakia are Greek meatballs (I used beef) flavoured with garlic and cumin that are fried and then cooked in a red wine and tomato sauce.
This dish takes around an hour to prepare and cook. Preparation will take around 20 minutes, but it can be done a couple of days in advance.
Greek Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
My site is littered with meatballs with a host of "global" flavours!
I've got everything from very British black pudding meatballs, to Thai curry chicken meatballs, and Indian influenced curried venison meatballs to Japanese teriyaki meatballs.
Just like my keftedes, these meatballs are Greek in origin, and they have a magic name that I love saying: soutzoukakia. I have no idea why, it just fills your mouth with loveliness, both in eating and saying the word out loud!
They are made from beef, and rather than being round, they are traditionally formed into "rugby ball" shapes.
The meatballs themselves are flavoured with loads of cumin, giving them a heady aroma, and red wine... strange, yes, delicious, oh gosh yes!
They are fried and then finished in a fantastic tomato sauce that rocks more red wine and cumin.
It's simple, delicious cooking, and the dish can be prepared and cooked in around 1 hour.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different type of meat?
Yes, this recipe is often made with combinations of beef and pork as well as lamb and beef.
If I were to do a combination of two meats, I would choose lamb and beef with a 50/50 ratio. It tastes fantastic.
That sounds like a lot of cumin. Is that correct?
Yes, this recipe should be "heady" with cumin; feel free to reduce it if you wish. However, if you are not a fan of cumin, I would skip this recipe.
Can I replace the red wine?
That's tricky in this recipe as it provides a rich and deep flaovur base for both the meatballs and the sauce. I have seen it made with white wine, and I have tested it, but it just doesn't taste right to me.
If you do not consume alcohol, use a non-alcoholic red wine.
Can I make this in advance?
Yes, with the caveat that I would increase the fat content of the soutzoukakia. I usually use meatballs with 5-10% fat. If I were to make this in advance, I would increase this to 20% to prevent the meatballs from drying out when they are reheated.
Serving Suggestions
I've served my Greek soutzoukakia with some potato wedges and a simple peppery side salad in the photos on this page.
The beefy meatballs in that boldly flavoured tomato sauce need something salty to bring it all together, and what better than some spuds?
Mashed potatoes are also a decent shout, but that rapidly becomes a very heavy meal, and perfect if you are feeling greedy!
Rice ticks the same "neutral carb" boxes, and I would probably go for something like spanakorizo, a Greek spinach rice.
If you wanted to go a bit lighter, then how about a nicely dressed green salad and some pita bread?
Equipment Used
I only mention specific brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/stovetop.
- 28cm or 11" frying pan with a lid.
- Kitchen tongs.
- Stirring and serving spoons.
- A mixing bowl.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- Grater.
- A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.
Greek Soutzoukakia Recipe: Beef Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
- 350 g Minced Beef 12oz (5-10% fat)
- 35 g Dried Coarse Breadcrumbs ½ Cup
- 3 tablespoon Red Wine
- 1 Small Onion 100g
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 1 Large Egg Yolk
- 1 tablespoon Ground Cumin
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 2 tablespoon Flour
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
For the Sauce:
- 250 ml Tomato Passata 1 Cup
- 250 ml Red Wine 1 Cup
- 1 Small Onion 75g
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 10 cm Cinnamon Bark 4"
- 1 Bay Leaf
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Cumin
- 1 Pinch Sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 Pinch Black Pepper
Instructions
Prepare the Meatballs:
- Pour the red wine over the dried breadcrumbs, mix and allow the to soak whilst you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- Peel the onion for the meatballs and grate it.
- Peel and mash the garlic cloves for the meatballs.
- Add the minced beef, soaked breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, egg yolk, cumin, salt, and black pepper to a mixing bowl and mix well.
- Form this mix into 10 meatballs; rather than round meatballs, you want them to be a little elongated.
Cooking the dish:
- Peel and grate the onion for the sauce.
- Peel and mash the garlic cloves for the sauce.
- Just before you are ready to cook, roll the meatballs in the flour.
- Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a 28cm or 11" frying pan, and when hot, add the meatballs and brown all over. Then remove and set aside.
- Toss the cinnamon stick into the pan and add the grated onion and mashed garlic, and cook for 5-6 minutes to drive off the moisture.
- Pour in the red wine. Increase the heat to high, and reduce by two-thirds. Scraping any residue from the base of the pan as you go.
- Add the tomato passata, bay leaf, cumin, sugar, salt and black pepper, then stir to combine.
- Bring the sauce to a boil, reduce the heat to low and add the meatballs, rolling them around in the sauce.
- Add a lid and cook gently for 15 minutes, then remove the lid and cook for a final 2-3 minutes to thicken the sauce a little (if needed).
