Meatballs in green garlic sauce
Meatballs in Green Garlic Sauce I usually prepare these meatballs when I'm in the mood for something hearty, but also with a sauce that's different from what I typically make. I'm drawn to the combination of green garlic with sour cream and onion, which comes out somewhere between a stew and a classic white sauce. I tend to make my meatballs quite large – that’s how I’ve gotten used to it, I don’t have the patience to roll them small and prefer to see them well on the plate. If you have leftover broth from boiling, don’t throw it away; it makes a great soup. Quick Info Total time: about 1 hour 30 minutes Preparation time: 30-35 minutes (depending on how quickly you shape the meatballs) Cooking time: 30-40 minutes, depending on the meat and rice Servings: 6-8 Difficulty: medium, requires a bit of attention to the sauce Recipe type: main dish, suitable for family meals Ingredients For the meatballs: 1.5 kg ground meat (a mix of beef and pork) 2 yellow onions 1 cup rice (about 120 ml) 1/2 bunch fresh parsley 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper 1/2 teaspoon thyme 1/2 teaspoon oregano 2 eggs 2 liters water for boiling the meatballs 1 teaspoon salt (for the water) For the sauce: 1 tablespoon oil 2 yellow onions 2 large green garlic stalks 2 bay leaves A pinch of ground white pepper 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg Salt to taste 4-5 tablespoons flour 2 tablespoons sour cream Instructions 1. Prepare the meatball mixture. Place the ground meat in a large bowl. Add the finely chopped or minced onion, chopped parsley, rice, salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, and eggs. Mix well until everything is homogeneous. If it seems too soft, you can add another tablespoon of rice. 2. Shape the meatballs. With a wet hand, take some of the mixture and shape it into balls the size of walnuts or larger, depending on your preference. I prefer to make them quite large; fewer meatballs come out, but they look nice on the plate. 3. In a large pot, bring 2 liters of water with a teaspoon of salt to a boil. Once it starts boiling, carefully place the meatballs in the water one by one to prevent them from sticking together. Reduce the heat and let them simmer. As foam appears on the surface, remove it with a slotted spoon. They should cook for about 30 minutes, sometimes a bit longer, depending on the meat and rice. Check if the rice in the meatballs is cooked – this is a good indicator that they are ready. 4. While the meatballs are boiling, start on the sauce. In a large pan or pot, heat the oil. Add the sliced or diced onion and sauté over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Gradually add a little hot broth from the meatballs, which helps prevent the onion from sticking to the pan and softens it evenly. 5. Add the finely chopped green garlic and let it soften for another 1-2 minutes. Then add the bay leaves. Don’t leave the bay leaves in the sauce for more than 10-15 minutes, as they can make it bitter. 6. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the flour with a little cold water until it forms a smooth paste. Add the sour cream to the flour and mix until well combined. Gradually pour in a little hot broth from the meatballs while stirring constantly to temper the mixture. Then, gradually pour this mixture over the onion and garlic in the pan, stirring continuously. 7. Season the sauce with salt, white pepper, sweet paprika, and nutmeg. Continue to dilute the sauce with broth until you reach the desired consistency: it should be slightly thinner than sour cream. Simmer the sauce over low heat for a few minutes, being careful not to let it thicken too much. Remove the bay leaves after 10-15 minutes of simmering. 8. Drain the meatballs (save the liquid if you want to make a soup or cream with it) and place them in a large dish or directly in the pot with the sauce. Pour the sauce over the meatballs on low heat and let the flavors meld for another 5-10 minutes. 9. Finally, taste and adjust the salt and spices if needed. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley just before serving. Why I Make This Recipe Often It’s hearty, with a sauce that pairs well with various types of meat or even mushrooms, and it’s not hard to adapt once you get used to the steps. The meatballs can be made larger or smaller, depending on your preference, and they taste great even the next day. Tips and Variations Tips - Remove the foam that forms while boiling; otherwise, the broth will become cloudy. - Don’t forget to take out the bay leaves after 10-15 minutes to avoid a bitter taste. - If you make larger meatballs, check that the rice is cooked through in the center. Substitutions - If you don’t have mixed meat, you can use only pork or only beef, keeping in mind that they will be denser with just beef. - Sour cream can be replaced with a creamier yogurt, but the taste will be slightly more sour. - If you can’t find green garlic, use a small amount of dried garlic, but the result won’t be as fresh. Variations - For a meatless version, finely chopped mushrooms can be used instead of meat. The sauce works just as well with rice. - If you want a thinner sauce, add more broth from the meatballs. - For more flavorful meatballs, you can add fresh dill if you like. Serving Ideas - Serve with a fresh vegetable salad, tomatoes, or cucumbers. - The sauce also pairs well with a simple side of boiled or mashed potatoes. - The leftover broth from the meatballs is excellent for a creamy tomato or vegetable soup, with croutons. Frequently Asked Questions 1. Can I make the meatballs in advance and keep them in the fridge? Yes, you can shape them a day ahead and keep them covered in the fridge. Boil them the next day straight from the fridge. 2. If I don’t have green garlic, how much dried garlic should I use? For two stalks of green garlic, use about 2-3 cloves of dried garlic, finely chopped. 3. Can I freeze the already cooked meatballs? Yes, cooked meatballs can be frozen. However, the sauce with flour and sour cream doesn’t freeze as well, so add it only when serving. 4. Can I use pre-cooked rice? Yes, but you’ll need to adjust the cooking time so the meatballs don’t fall apart. 5. Can I make the sauce without flour? Without flour, the sauce will be thinner but still tasty. It can be left as is or thickened with a spoonful of cornstarch. Nutritional Values Approximately, one serving (out of 8) contains about 380-420 kcal, with 24-28 g of protein, 21-25 g of fat, and 22-26 g of carbohydrates (from rice, sour cream, flour). The values vary depending on the type of meat and the amount of sauce. Storage and Reheating Meatballs with sauce can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days in a covered container. When reheating, add a little water or milk to prevent the sauce from thickening too much. I do not recommend freezing the sauce with sour cream, but plain meatballs can be frozen and reheated later.
Preparation
For the meatballs, we mix the meat with the minced onion, finely chopped parsley, spices, rice, and eggs, thoroughly homogenizing the mixture before starting to form the meatballs the size of a walnut. I make them a bit larger, about XXL, due to impatience, but I like to see them big on the plate. :)) We put water to boil in a pot with a teaspoon of coarse salt, and when it reaches boiling point, we immerse the meatballs in it. We remove the foam that forms on the surface and let the meatballs simmer for about 30 minutes, or depending on the meat and rice used. It is important to ensure the rice is cooked as well. Meanwhile, we prepare the sauce. We heat oil in a pan and sauté the chopped onion until it becomes translucent, stirring continuously, but we take care to occasionally drizzle a bit of the broth from the boiling meatballs. We also add the finely chopped garlic. In a bowl, we dilute the flour with a little cold water, add the sour cream, then drizzle a bit of hot broth from the meatballs, mix well, and pour it in a thin stream over the onion and garlic in the pan. We stir continuously, season with spices and salt, and gradually add broth until we achieve a sauce slightly thinner than sour cream. We drain the broth from the meatballs and add the sauce over them. We taste and adjust the salt and spices, let the pot simmer for another 5-10 minutes, after which we set it aside and add the finely chopped parsley. It is very good and can be served alongside a vegetable salad or fresh tomatoes! With the leftover broth from the meatballs (if any), a creamy tomato or vegetable soup can be prepared, which will be a delight served with croutons! Do not leave the bay leaves until the end of the preparation, they will become bitter; remove them after 10-15 minutes!
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