SPICED MEATBALLS SIMMERED IN A RICH TOMATO SAUCE

Soutzoukakia are spiced meatballs cooked in tomato sauce. It’s a simple dish, but the flavor comes from the spices and the way everything cooks together.

This dish comes from the Greek community of Smyrna (now Izmir). It was brought to Greece when people left the area in the early 20th century, and it stayed in the kitchen from there.

They look like regular meatballs, but the flavor comes from the spices. Cumin and a little cinnamon give them a distinct taste. The mix is similar to kofta.

The meatballs are mixed and shaped into an oblong form, which is typical for this dish. They’re browned first, just enough to get some color.

Then they go into a tomato sauce with garlic, onion, and warm spices. As they cook, they absorb the sauce and become soft and full of flavor.

They’re usually served with rice or just bread to soak up the sauce.

This is one of those dishes that connects back to where it came from, but it also just feels like everyday home cooking.

I made this a few times before settling on this version. There are a lot of variations. For me, cumin in the meat works best, and keeping the cinnamon more in the sauce balances it out. The sauce ended up close to how I season kima.

RECIPE

Soutzoukakia Smyrna

Greek Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Servings: 6

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Greek

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

MEATBALLS

• 1 1/2 lb ground beef
• 2 slices white bread toasted and crusts cut off
• 1 egg
• 2 cloves garlic chopped
• 3-4 oz red wine
• 3/4 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• salt pinch
• flour to coat meatballs

SAUCE

• 1 24 oz jar of tomato passata or tomato puree
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 5 oz wine white or red
• 1/2 onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tsp cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 cloves
• 3 allspice berries
• 1 tbsp butter
• salt
• pepper
• sugar if needed

Method

 

MAKE SAUCE

1. In a large skillet, melt the butter and saute the onion until it just starts to brown on the edges. Add the garlic and cook for about 10 seconds. Then add the cinnamon, cloves, and allspice berries and cook for about 20 more seconds to bloom the spice flavor. Add the tomato paste and cook for about a minute and changes color. We always should toast the tomato paste for a few seconds to let the flavors bloom, much like the spices. Then add the tomato passata and wine. Also, add salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar. These ingredients help cut any bitterness if you use crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce. Bring to a low simmer while you begin making the meatballs.
   1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1 24 oz jar of tomato passata, 1 tbsp tomato paste, 5 oz wine, 1/2 onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp cinnamon, 4 cloves, 3 allspice berries, 1 tbsp butter, salt, pepper, sugar

MAKE MEATBALLS

1. For the meatballs, soak the bread in the wine. Squeeze out the excess so you don’t make the meat too runny. Add to the meat in a large bowl. Then add the beaten egg, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, salt, and pepper.
   1 1/2 lb ground beef, 2 slices white bread, 1 egg, 2 cloves garlic, 3-4 oz red wine, 3/4 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp pepper, salt pinch
2. Take a spoon and scoop out some of the meat mixture. Roll it into an elongated meatball shape that’s about 2 inches long.
3. Melt some butter or put some olive oil in a fry pan on medium high heat. Roll the meatballs in the flour. Lightly brown them up just for a minute or so on all sides. Continue until you get some browning.
   flour to coat meatballs

FINISHING

1. Add the oblong meatballs VERY CAREFULLY into the sauce. Try to put them in one layer in the pan. If you cooked them in butter, add the butter from the skillet you cooked the meatballs in. That stuff is all flavor
2. Cover and simmer over a low fire for about 30 minutes. This allows the meatballs to soak up some of that amazing sauce. Check and shake gently so the meat does not stick to the pan

You can serve a few meatballs with bread as a meze, or make it a full meal with rice or even buttered noodles.

It’s simple, but it’s one you’ll come back to.

OPA!