Rustic potato dish with meatballs and smoked sausage
I often find myself making this dish when I need something hearty and uncomplicated. If I have ground meat and some smoked sausages in the fridge, plus a few larger potatoes, the rest comes naturally. I usually prepare it in a wide pot, as it’s easier to turn the meatballs and spacious enough for everything that needs to be boiled. It’s one of those recipes you remember exactly because it doesn’t require any special preparations. It pairs very well with pickles, but it’s definitely not a diet recipe.
Quick Info
Total time: about 1 hour and 30 minutes
Preparation time: 20-25 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Servings: 6
Difficulty: easy to medium
Recipe type: rustic dish, homemade stew
Ingredients
750-800 g ground meat (turkey medallions)
7 large potatoes
1/2 jar of tomato paste
1 medium smoked sausage, sliced
2 large red onions
1 egg
4 tablespoons water
3-4 tablespoons oil (palm oil, but other types can be used too)
1 bay leaf
salt to taste
1 pinch of white pepper
1 pinch of sweet paprika
1 pinch of turmeric (optional)
parsley or dill, to taste
water to cover the mixture
Preparation method
1. Cut the ground meat into suitable pieces and put it in the meat grinder along with a peeled onion.
2. Place the ground meat in a bowl. Add two tablespoons of oil, an egg, two tablespoons of water, and salt to taste. Mix everything well by hand to bind it.
3. Peel and finely chop the remaining onion. Rub it a little with salt, then sauté it in a wide pot with the remaining oil (about 2 tablespoons) and two tablespoons of water. Sauté just enough to soften it slightly.
4. Form the meatballs from the meat mixture and place them over the sautéed onion directly in the pot.
5. Add the slices of smoked sausage over the meatballs.
6. Let the meatballs sit for a few minutes, gently turning them with a spatula as they change color, without frying them hard, just enough to whiten.
7. Pour in enough water to cover all the ingredients well in the pot.
8. Peel the potatoes, cut them into suitable pieces, and place them over the meat and sausages. Add the bay leaf. Put the lid on and let everything boil on low to medium heat until the meat and potatoes are almost done.
9. Towards the end, adjust the salt. Sprinkle in the white pepper, sweet paprika, and if desired, a little turmeric. Add the tomato paste. Let it simmer for a few more minutes, checking the taste and texture of the potatoes.
10. Remove the pot from the heat. Add fresh herbs (parsley or dill) to taste just before serving.
Why I make this recipe often
It’s one of those dishes that fills you up quickly, uses basic ingredients, and doesn’t require complicated techniques. The meatballs and potatoes absorb the flavor of the smoked sausage, so no additional seasonings are needed to make it tasty. It’s also quite adaptable if you have other types of meat or sausages on hand.
Tips and variations
Tips
Don’t let the meatballs fry hard, just let them change color before adding the water.
Use a wide pot so you can turn the meatballs without crushing them.
If you want it thicker, let the liquid reduce a bit at the end without the lid.
Substitutions
Turkey meat can be replaced with chicken or pork.
The smoked sausage can be replaced with any other smoked meat, to taste.
Red onion can be replaced with yellow onion if you don’t have anything else at home.
Palm oil can be replaced with sunflower oil or another neutral oil.
Variations
You can add half a grated carrot sautéed with the onion if you want a sweeter flavor.
Without turmeric, the taste remains classic. If you use it, don’t add much, just change the color a little.
It also goes well with diced bell pepper for those who want something more vegetable-based.
Serving ideas
It pairs best with pickles of any kind.
Fresh herbs (parsley, dill) are sprinkled only at the end.
It can also be served with bread, especially if you want to soak up the sauce.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can I use another type of meat instead of turkey?
Yes, you can also use chicken or pork. It’s important that it’s ground meat without bones.
2. Do I need to fry the meatballs separately?
No. They are placed raw over the onion and turned just enough to change color before adding water.
3. Can I use new potatoes?
You can use them, but they will cook faster and may lose their shape if they are very tender.
4. Can I make the recipe without sausages/smoked meat?
Yes, but the flavor will be less intense. You can supplement with more herbs or spices.
5. Can I add other vegetables?
You can add carrot or bell pepper, but not more than half, so it doesn’t change the main flavor.
Nutritional values (estimated)
One serving has about 350-400 kcal, depending on the type of meat and the amount of oil used.
Proteins: approx. 20-25 g
Carbohydrates: 30-35 g
Fats: 18-25 g
Calories may vary if you use other types of meat or cut the sausages and potatoes smaller/larger. It’s a filling dish, with plenty of protein and some fat, not very dietetic.
Storage and reheating
It can be stored in the fridge, in a covered pot, for up to 3 days. When reheating, I recommend using low heat, stirring gently so the potatoes don’t break apart. I do not recommend freezing, as the potatoes will not have the same texture after thawing.
I often find myself making this dish when I need something hearty and uncomplicated. If I have ground meat and some smoked sausages in the fridge, plus a few larger potatoes, the rest comes naturally. I usually prepare it in a wide pot, as it’s easier to turn the meatballs and spacious enough for everything that needs to be boiled. It’s one of those recipes you remember exactly because it doesn’t require any special preparations. It pairs very well with pickles, but it’s definitely not a diet recipe.
Quick Info
Total time: about 1 hour and 30 minutes
Preparation time: 20-25 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Servings: 6
Difficulty: easy to medium
Recipe type: rustic dish, homemade stew
Ingredients
750-800 g ground meat (turkey medallions)
7 large potatoes
1/2 jar of tomato paste
1 medium smoked sausage, sliced
2 large red onions
1 egg
4 tablespoons water
3-4 tablespoons oil (palm oil, but other types can be used too)
1 bay leaf
salt to taste
1 pinch of white pepper
1 pinch of sweet paprika
1 pinch of turmeric (optional)
parsley or dill, to taste
water to cover the mixture
Preparation method
1. Cut the ground meat into suitable pieces and put it in the meat grinder along with a peeled onion.
2. Place the ground meat in a bowl. Add two tablespoons of oil, an egg, two tablespoons of water, and salt to taste. Mix everything well by hand to bind it.
3. Peel and finely chop the remaining onion. Rub it a little with salt, then sauté it in a wide pot with the remaining oil (about 2 tablespoons) and two tablespoons of water. Sauté just enough to soften it slightly.
4. Form the meatballs from the meat mixture and place them over the sautéed onion directly in the pot.
5. Add the slices of smoked sausage over the meatballs.
6. Let the meatballs sit for a few minutes, gently turning them with a spatula as they change color, without frying them hard, just enough to whiten.
7. Pour in enough water to cover all the ingredients well in the pot.
8. Peel the potatoes, cut them into suitable pieces, and place them over the meat and sausages. Add the bay leaf. Put the lid on and let everything boil on low to medium heat until the meat and potatoes are almost done.
9. Towards the end, adjust the salt. Sprinkle in the white pepper, sweet paprika, and if desired, a little turmeric. Add the tomato paste. Let it simmer for a few more minutes, checking the taste and texture of the potatoes.
10. Remove the pot from the heat. Add fresh herbs (parsley or dill) to taste just before serving.
Why I make this recipe often
It’s one of those dishes that fills you up quickly, uses basic ingredients, and doesn’t require complicated techniques. The meatballs and potatoes absorb the flavor of the smoked sausage, so no additional seasonings are needed to make it tasty. It’s also quite adaptable if you have other types of meat or sausages on hand.
Tips and variations
Tips
Don’t let the meatballs fry hard, just let them change color before adding the water.
Use a wide pot so you can turn the meatballs without crushing them.
If you want it thicker, let the liquid reduce a bit at the end without the lid.
Substitutions
Turkey meat can be replaced with chicken or pork.
The smoked sausage can be replaced with any other smoked meat, to taste.
Red onion can be replaced with yellow onion if you don’t have anything else at home.
Palm oil can be replaced with sunflower oil or another neutral oil.
Variations
You can add half a grated carrot sautéed with the onion if you want a sweeter flavor.
Without turmeric, the taste remains classic. If you use it, don’t add much, just change the color a little.
It also goes well with diced bell pepper for those who want something more vegetable-based.
Serving ideas
It pairs best with pickles of any kind.
Fresh herbs (parsley, dill) are sprinkled only at the end.
It can also be served with bread, especially if you want to soak up the sauce.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can I use another type of meat instead of turkey?
Yes, you can also use chicken or pork. It’s important that it’s ground meat without bones.
2. Do I need to fry the meatballs separately?
No. They are placed raw over the onion and turned just enough to change color before adding water.
3. Can I use new potatoes?
You can use them, but they will cook faster and may lose their shape if they are very tender.
4. Can I make the recipe without sausages/smoked meat?
Yes, but the flavor will be less intense. You can supplement with more herbs or spices.
5. Can I add other vegetables?
You can add carrot or bell pepper, but not more than half, so it doesn’t change the main flavor.
Nutritional values (estimated)
One serving has about 350-400 kcal, depending on the type of meat and the amount of oil used.
Proteins: approx. 20-25 g
Carbohydrates: 30-35 g
Fats: 18-25 g
Calories may vary if you use other types of meat or cut the sausages and potatoes smaller/larger. It’s a filling dish, with plenty of protein and some fat, not very dietetic.
Storage and reheating
It can be stored in the fridge, in a covered pot, for up to 3 days. When reheating, I recommend using low heat, stirring gently so the potatoes don’t break apart. I do not recommend freezing, as the potatoes will not have the same texture after thawing.