Soutzoukakia are traditional Greek meatballs seasoned with cumin and served with a thick tomato sauce. This is a hearty dish, perfect for a big family meal. You can serve these meatballs with basmati rice, mashed potatoes, fries, or a big Greek salad (we recommend the salad because it balances the rich meatballs and sauce beautifully).
On the Ingredients
Cumin is a spice that comes from the seeds of a flowering plant native to the Middle East and India. Ancient Syrian, Egyptian, and Minoan peoples have been flavoring their food with it since the second millennium BCE. The spice was introduced to the Americas by the Spanish and Portuguese. It is now commonly used in Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine. Cumin can be used ground or in whole seeds and has a warming, earthy flavor.
Tomatoes originated in Mexico and South America. They were enjoyed by indigenous people long before the Spanish came to the continent and were soon brought to Europe, where they became very popular. Most people now know that the tomato is a fruit, not a vegetable, but even more technically, it’s actually a berry. Tomatoes are 95% water, the rest being carbohydrates and fiber. They’re a good source of vitamin C, potassium, vitamin K1, and folate. (Read more about tomatoes.)
Recipe Notes and Substitutions
If you want a smoother, less chunky sauce, you can use tomato juice or pureed tomatoes instead of chopped tomatoes. You can also fried the meatballs in oil until golden brown instead of baking them.
Greek Meatballs (Soutzoukakia)
6
servings15
minutes40
minutes1
hour1
hour55
minutesSoutzoukakia are traditional Greek meatballs seasoned with cumin and served with a thick tomato sauce. This is a hearty dish, perfect for a big family meal. You can serve these meatballs with basmati rice, mashed potatoes, fries, or a big Greek salad (we recommend the salad because it balances the rich meatballs and sauce beautifully).
Ingredients
- Meatball Ingredients
2 lb ground beef
4 cloves of garlic (minced)
2 eggs
3 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup bread crumbs OR gluten-free breadcrumbs
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
- Tomato Sauce Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion (grated)
1/2 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp cumin
28 oz can chopped tomatoes
1 cup red wine
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp sugar OR monk fruit sweetener
1 bay leaf
- Serving Options
Basmati rice
Mashed potatoes
Fries
Greek salad
Directions
- Combine all the meatball ingredients and mix them together thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 400° F.
- Shape 1/3 cup of the meat into an oblong meatball and place on a baking tray. Repeat with remaining meat (you should have around 18 meatballs).
- Bake until golden brown on the outside. Meanwhile, start the sauce.
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium-low flame. Add the grated onion and sauté until it starts to turn translucent.
- Stir in the tomato paste, salt, and cumin. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring regularly. Add the garlic and cook until the garlic becomes fragrant.
- Add the chopped tomato, wine, black pepper, sugar, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook for five minutes.
- Add the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Serve with fresh rice, mashed potatoes, fries, or Greek salad. Enjoy!
