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Meat, Americas

Meatball and potato stew

Meatball and potato stew is a Quebec dish for 4 people, ready in 1h15, medium difficulty, around €2.50 per serving. It's spiced pork meatballs flavored with cinnamon and cloves, simmered in a silky brown sauce, served with steamed potatoes. The key to success is toasting the flour dry, which gives the sauce its deep brown color and nutty flavor.

A Quebec grandmother's dish, spiced pork meatballs in a silky brown sauce, with potatoes on the side.

Meatball and potato stew
Total time
1 h 15
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€2.50
Calories per person
560 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

The meatballs are made with ground pork seasoned with cinnamon, ground cloves and nutmeg, spices usually saved for desserts that here give the meat a quiet warmth. Bread soaked in milk keeps the meatballs tender even after forty minutes of simmering. The sauce owes everything to the dry toasted flour, which gives it a deep brown color and a nutty flavor no other technique quite matches.

This is a Sunday winter dish, the kind you let simmer gently while you do something else, filling the house with the smell of spices and broth. Kids generally love the meatballs, and steamed potatoes are enough to round out the meal without any fuss. It's also a dish that holds up well made ahead and tastes even better reheated the next day.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Ground pork 600 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Potatoes 1 kg
  • Onion 1
  • Parsley 4 sprigs

Dairy

  • Milk 10 cl
  • Butter 20 g

Bakery

  • Breadcrumbs 40 g

Pantry

  • Flouroften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Beef brothoften in the pantry 75 cl
  • Cinnamonoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Ground clovesoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Nutmegoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Gluten, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Soak the breadcrumbs in the milk, then mix with the pork, chopped onion, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt and pepper.

    Mix well with your hands so the spices are spread evenly throughout.

  2. Shape walnut sized meatballs with damp hands.

    Wet hands keep the meat from sticking to your fingers.

  3. Toast the flour dry in a saucepan, stirring constantly, until it turns light brown. 5 min

    It burns fast, so watch it closely the whole time.

  4. Add the butter, then gradually whisk in the broth. Drop the meatballs into the sauce and let simmer. 40 min

    Don't stir them for the first few minutes, let them firm up first.

  5. Peel the potatoes and steam or boil them in salted water, then serve with the meatballs, sauce and parsley on top. 20 min

    A small spoonful of mustard in the sauce gives it more kick.

Our tips to get it right

  • Shape all the meatballs before you start the sauce, so you can drop them in as soon as it's ready without waiting around.
  • Warm the broth before whisking it into the toasted flour, the sauce thickens more evenly and without lumps.
  • If the sauce seems too thick at the end of cooking, thin it with a bit of warm broth rather than water, to keep the flavor from fading.

The variations

  • Swap the ground pork for a mix of pork and beef, for firmer meatballs and a bolder flavor.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the meat with lentil and mushroom balls, and use vegetable broth instead of beef broth.
  • For a quicker meal, shape smaller meatballs, they cook in twenty minutes and kids tend to like them better on the plate.

What to serve it with

  • Crusty bread for the sauce
  • Pickled beets on the side
  • Applesauce for dessert

Storage

The stew keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well for up to 2 months, meatballs and sauce together. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of broth or water to loosen the sauce.

Questions about this dish

Can you make the meatballs ahead of time?

Yes, you can shape the raw meatballs the day before and keep them covered in the fridge. Make the sauce the same day so the meatballs cook directly in it.

Why do you need to toast the flour dry?

Dry toasted flour turns light brown and develops a nutty flavor that gives the sauce its signature taste. It's a quick step but it really changes the final result, so watch it closely the whole time.

Can you use a different broth instead of beef broth?

Beef broth gives the sauce its brown color and depth, but chicken broth works fine in a pinch. The flavor will be a bit milder, but the dish still turns out well.

How do you know when the meatballs are done?

The meatballs are done after simmering gently for forty minutes, once they're firm to the touch and no longer pink inside. Cut one open to check if you're unsure.

How long does it take to make a meatball and potato stew?

Count 1 h 15 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a meatball and potato stew?

About 560 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a meatball and potato stew cost?

About €2.50 per serving, or €10.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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