Soutzoukakia (Greek cumin meatballs in tomato sauce)
42 min · 39 g protein · 394 cals / serving
The meatballs of Smyrna that every Greek grandmother makes: oblong, garlicky beef meatballs warm with cumin and a hint of cinnamon, baked and then simmered in a deep red tomato and wine sauce. Serve them with rice, orzo or potatoes and plenty of sauce; they are even better the next day.
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 1/3 lb ground beef (95% lean)
- 1 small onion, finely grated
- 1 large egg
- 3 cloves garlic, finely grated
- 1 tbsp ground cumin, divided
Meatballs
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped, divided
- 1 tsp salt, divided
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Tomato sauce
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 small white onion, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup red wine, dry, or more water
- 3 cups tomato puree, passata
- 2/3 cup water
- 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 bay leaf
Steps
- Heat the oven to 425°F and line a baking tray with parchment. In a large bowl, stir the breadcrumbs into the water and leave 2 minutes, then add the beef, grated onion, egg, garlic, 2 teaspoons of the cumin, the cinnamon, oregano, half the parsley, 3/4 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. Mix with your hands until it turns sticky.
- With wet hands, shape 16 oblong meatballs, like fat fingers about 3 inch long, and lay them on the tray. Bake 12 minutes, until browned on top.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a wide pan over medium heat and cook the chopped onion 5 minutes, until soft. Stir in the tomato paste and the last teaspoon of cumin for 1 minute, pour in the wine and let it bubble 2 minutes, then add the passata, water, sugar, bay leaf and the last 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Simmer gently, partly covered, while the meatballs bake.
- Slide the meatballs and their tray juices into the sauce, cover and simmer 10 minutes, turning them once, until cooked through (160°F). If the sauce gets thick, loosen it with a splash of water.
- Scatter with the rest of the parsley and serve with rice, orzo, mash or roast potatoes. They keep 4 days in the fridge in their sauce and freeze for 3 months; reheat gently, covered.
Good to know
Why oblong?
That is the dish: soutzoukakia means little sausages. The shape also bakes faster and evenly, and it holds more sauce on each forkful than a round meatball.
Can I use lamb?
Yes, or half lamb and half beef, which is common in Greece. All lamb is richer and fattier, at about 50 instead of 66; half and half lands in between.
Can I leave out the wine?
Yes. Use water and add a teaspoon of red wine vinegar with the passata for the same depth.
Per
- Calories
- 95
- Protein
- (41%)
- 9 g
- Fat
- (29%)
- 3 g
- Carbohydrates
- (30%)
- 7 g
- of which sugar
- 3 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 268 mg
About 40% of the alcohol remains after cooking; the label counts only that.
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Computed from the ingredients with our published formula, not yet kitchen-tested. General guidance, not medical advice. Talk to your prescriber. How
As written, 1578 kcal goes into the pot and 1963 g of ingredients comes out as about 1660 g of food: 95 kcal per 100 g. Cooking moves water and energy density is the score's biggest lever, so the dish is scored as cooked, not as an average of its parts. Every ingredient links to its food page, with the same data and score. The label's percentages are each macronutrient's share of the calories. The full formula.