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Meat, European

Soutzoukakia with rice

Soutzoukakia are oblong beef meatballs, seasoned with cumin and garlic, simmered in a red wine tomato sauce. This recipe serves 4, takes 55 minutes, is rated easy, and costs €2.80 per serving. The key to getting it right is a well bound meat mixture and a sauce that simmers long enough for the cumin to come through.

Tonight, we're having soutzoukakia, these cumin spiced beef logs simmered in tomato sauce, served over rice.

Soutzoukakia with rice
Total time
55 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.80
Calories per person
690 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Cumin sets the tone right away, warm and slightly earthy, a nice change from everyday meatballs. The soaked bread keeps the meat tender, and the red wine tomato sauce coats every meatball with a flavor that deepens as it simmers. The oblong, log like shape isn't just for looks, it gives the meatballs more surface to brown and more area to soak up the sauce.

This is a weeknight dish that doesn't call for anything hard to find, and it works just as well on a Sunday with a few more people at the table. Kids usually eat it without complaint, the cumin mellows out once it's simmered into the tomato. Mon Chou suggests it for nights when you want something comforting without spending the whole evening in the kitchen.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Ground beef 600 g

Bakery

  • Sandwich bread 2 slices

Dairy

  • Egg 1

Fruits and vegetables

  • Garlic 3 cloves
  • Parsley 6 sprigs

Pantry

  • Ground cuminoften in the pantry 2 tsp
  • Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 500 g
  • Red wineoften in the pantry 10 cl
  • Riceoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Flouroften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Gluten, Eggs

The step by step recipe

  1. Crumble the bread after soaking it in a little water and squeezing it out, then mix it with the meat, the egg, 2 pressed garlic cloves, the cumin, the parsley, the salt, and the pepper.

    Mix with your hands, the mixture should feel well bound.

  2. Shape the mixture into oblong, log shaped meatballs, then roll them in the flour.

    Wet your hands first, the meat won't stick as much.

  3. Brown the meatballs in the oil on all sides, then set them aside.

    Only flip them once they release easily from the pan.

  4. In the same pan, add the remaining garlic, the wine, the tomatoes, season with salt, and let it reduce. Put the meatballs back into the sauce. 20 min

    Add a small piece of sugar if the tomatoes taste too acidic.

  5. Meanwhile, cook the rice in salted water. Serve the soutzoukakia with their sauce over the rice. 11 min

    The cumin comes through better once the meatballs have rested a few minutes in the sauce.

Our tips to get it right

  • Squeeze the soaked bread crumb well before mixing it into the meat, otherwise the mixture gets too wet and the meatballs won't hold together as well while cooking.
  • Shape the meatballs to the same size so they brown and cook evenly, with no raw center left in the bigger ones.
  • Let the sauce simmer gently, partly covered, it reduces better that way and the meatballs stay tender instead of drying out.

The variations

  • Swap the beef for ground lamb, closer to the traditional Greek version, cumin pairs especially well with its stronger flavor.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the meat with cooked, mashed green lentils mixed with a little breadcrumb, the patties will be more delicate but keep the same spices.
  • For a faster version with kids in mind, shape small round meatballs instead of logs, they cook quicker and are easy to eat with a fork.

What to serve it with

  • A Greek salad with cucumber and feta
  • Warm pita bread
  • Plain yogurt on the side

Storage

Soutzoukakia keep for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, ideally with the sauce and rice stored separately. They freeze well in their sauce for up to 2 months. Reheat gently in a pan or saucepan, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.

Questions about this dish

Can you make the meat mixture ahead of time?

Yes, you can mix it the day before and keep it in the fridge in a sealed container. Shape the meatballs just before cooking, they hold together better when the mixture is cold.

Can you replace the red wine in the sauce?

You can use beef broth or water with a spoon of vinegar instead, the flavor will be a bit milder. The sauce still gets plenty of character from the cumin and garlic.

Why are the meatballs shaped like logs instead of balls?

The oblong shape, typical of soutzoukakia, cooks more evenly and picks up more sauce. You can still shape them round if that's easier for you.

Is cumin essential to this dish?

It's the spice that defines this dish, hard to replace without changing its character. If you're out of it, a pinch of ground coriander can work in a pinch, though it won't taste quite the same.

How long does it take to make soutzoukakia with rice?

Count 55 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in soutzoukakia with rice?

About 690 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 soutzoukakia with rice 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 gluten, eggs. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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