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Meat, European

Romanian mici with fries and mustard

Mici are small Romanian garlic sausages, grilled without casing, served here with fries and mustard. This recipe for 4 people takes 45 minutes, rated easy, at €2.80 per serving. The trick is baking soda and broth added little by little, which keep the meat moist as it cooks.

Tonight we're grilling mici, those casing free Romanian garlic sausages, with fries and mustard.

Romanian mici with fries and mustard
Total time
45 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.80
Calories per person
750 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Spring, Summer
The kids
They generally like it

Mici means small in Romanian, and that's exactly what these are, tightly packed rolls of ground meat, seasoned with garlic and thyme, pan grilled until they get a golden crust outside and stay juicy inside. The beef and pork mix brings flavor, while baking soda and broth added gradually keep the meat soft, far from the dry meatballs you sometimes end up with.

This is a good weeknight dinner when you want something simple but not boring, or a Sunday dish with the family gathered around a sizzling pan. Kids generally love these meat rolls dipped in mustard, and homemade fries always make the table happy, even if they need a bit of oven planning.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Ground beef 350 g
  • Ground pork 350 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Garlic 5 cloves
  • Potatoes 800 g

Pantry

  • Baking sodaoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Thymeoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Paprikaoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Hot beef brothoften in the pantry 10 cl
  • Hot mustardoften in the pantry 4 tsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Mustard

The step by step recipe

  1. Mix the meats with the crushed garlic, baking soda, thyme, paprika, salt and pepper.

    The baking soda gives this typical soft texture.

  2. Add the broth little by little while kneading by hand.

    The mixture should be very soft.

  3. Let the meat rest in the fridge, which allows the flavors to develop. 30 min

    An overnight rest is even better.

  4. Prepare the fries in the oven with a drizzle of oil, 30 minutes at 220°C.

    Flip them once.

  5. Shape rolls about 8 cm long, grill them in a hot pan until golden, and serve with the fries and mustard. 12 min

    Don't flip too often, let a nice crust form.

Our tips to get it right

  • Crush the garlic very finely, ideally with a garlic press, so it blends into the meat mixture without leaving chunks that burn during cooking.
  • Wet your hands with a little cold water before shaping the rolls, the meat sticks less and the mici keep an even shape.
  • Heat the pan well before adding the mici, so the crust forms right away and the meat doesn't release too much juice.

The variations

  • Swap the pork for ground lamb for a stronger flavor, closer to some traditional Romanian versions.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the meats with cooked red lentils and finely chopped mushrooms, keeping the same spices.
  • For quicker bites for kids, shape smaller mici, about 2 inches long, they cook faster and are easy to eat by hand with the fries.

What to serve it with

  • Homemade oven fries
  • Hot or mild mustard
  • Fresh tomato salad

Storage

Cooked mici keep for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. You can freeze the raw shaped rolls for up to 1 month. Reheat the mici in a pan for a few minutes on each side so they get their crust back.

Questions about this dish

Why don't mici have a casing?

That's the特点 of this Romanian dish, the meat is shaped into rolls by hand, with no sausage casing. This gives a texture closer to an elongated meatball than a classic sausage.

Can you make the meat mixture ahead of time?

Yes, it's actually recommended. Prepare the mixture the day before and let it rest overnight in the fridge, the garlic and thyme flavors develop further.

Can you replace the baking soda?

Baking soda helps the meat stay moist during cooking, and there isn't really a direct substitute. You can skip it if you don't have any, the texture will be a bit firmer but the dish will still work.

How do you know when the mici are done?

Cook them for about 12 minutes in the pan, flipping only occasionally so the crust can form. They should be well browned outside and no longer pink in the center.

How long does it take to make Romanian mici with fries and mustard?

Count 45 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in Romanian mici with fries and mustard?

About 750 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 Romanian mici with fries and mustard cost?

About €2.80 per serving, or €11.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains mustard. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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