Best Greek Meatballs In Wine Sauce Recipes

KOFTEDES GREEK MEATBALLS

Steps:

• If serving in bowls as suggested in this post, first prepare the Greek salad according to this recipe (dress salad later, if you prefer) and Tzatziki sauce according to this recipe. Set aside or refrigerate for now.
• In a large skillet like this one, heat 2 tbsp Private Reserve olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until golden and translucent, stirring regularly. Transfer the onions and garlic mixture to a large mixing bowl to cool. Set skillet aside for later.
• Wring the excess milk out of the soaked bread. Add the bread to the mixing bowl.
• To the mixing bowl add the ground beef and lamb (or pork), 1 egg, fresh mint, spices, salt and pepper, and 1 tbsp lemon zest. Mix by hand until until mixture is fully incorporated.
• Form the meat mixture into balls (each the size of a heaping tablespoon.) Roll meatballs into the flour to lightly coat and place them on a large tray for now.
• In the large skillet you used earlier, add 1/4 cup Private Reserve olive oil. Heat over medium-high. Turn heat to medium and add the meatballs to cook (do this in batches if you need to.) Cook meatballs for 10 minutes or so, turning occasionally, until fully cooked and well-crusted on all sides.
• With a slotted spoon, remove meatballs from skillet onto paper towels to drain any excess fat. Meanwhile, carefully discard most of the cooking fat from skillet (best to dump into a tin can until cooled). Return skillet to stove-top over medium heat.
• Whisk the 1 egg yolk with the chicken broth and lemon juice. Add to cooking skillet with the remaining lemon zest, then add the meatballs back in. Cook over medium heat for another 5 minutes until the lemon sauce thickens.
• Serve hot in bowls with pita bread, Greek salad and Tzatziki sauce. Or serve in pita pockets as sandwiches, if you prefer.

GREEK BAKED MEATBALLS: SOUTZOUKAKIA

Steps:

• In a small bowl, place the toasted bread and cover with milk (or water) to soak. When bread is soft and well-soaked, squeeze the liquid out completely and discard remaining milk if any.
• Transfer the bread to a large mixing bowl. Add round beef and remaining meatball ingredients. Knead well until well-combined. Cover the meat mixture and rest in the fridge for now.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• While oven is heating, prepare the sauce. In a sauce pan or large skillet, heat 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add onions and cook for 3 minutes or so. Add garlic and cook for another minute, stirring regularly. Now add red wine and cook to reduce by about 1/2, then add tomato sauce, bay leaf and remaining sauce ingredients. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Prepare a large baking dish and lightly oil the bottom with extra virgin olive oil.
• Take the meat mixture out of the fridge. Wet your hands and scoop portions of about 2 1/2 tbsp of the meat mixture and form into large elongated meatballs (football-shaped.) You should have 15 to 16 meatballs or so. Arrange meatballs in the papered baking dish and top with the sauce (be sure to have removed the bay leaf from the sauce.)
• Place the baking dish on the middle rack of your heated oven. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the meatballs are well cooked through (check part-way through to make sure sauce is not dry, and if needed, add a little bit of water to the bottom of the baking dish.)
• Remove from oven and add another drizzle of EVOO. Garnish with parsley and serve over rice or orzo.

MEATBALLS WITH A WHITE WINE SAUCE

Steps:

• For the meatballs: In a mixing bowl, add the ground beef, ricotta cheese, egg, sun-dried tomatoes, Parmigiano cheese, salt and pepper. Mix well until the ingredients are evenly distributed. With your hands, shape the meatballs into the size of golf balls and pat them down so they can evenly cook.
• For the wine sauce: In a large frying pan, heat the extra-virgin olive oil and add the garlic. Lightly dredge the meatballs in flour and add to the meatballs to the pan. Add the sun-dried tomatoes. Fry the meatballs until golden on the outside. Add the wine to deglaze the pan and let the wine reduce by 1/2 and thicken up. Let cook for an additional 5 minutes.

GREEK MEATBALLS AND TZATZIKI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place a cooling rack over 2 baking sheets for roasting the meatballs and toasting the pita.
• Soak the bread in the milk. Peel the cucumber and grate into a strainer. Salt it and let it drain for 20 minutes.
• Pour the EVOO into a bowl, then add the meat and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Squeeze out the bread and crumble between your fingers as you add it to the meat. Add the mint, onions, oregano, cinnamon, 2 of the garlic cloves, egg and 1/2 of the lemon juice, and mix to combine.
• Using a small ice cream scoop, form the meat mixture into about 24 balls and place on the baking sheet. Roast to golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove the meatballs from the oven and place the broiler on high. Char the pita under the broiler, 30 seconds to 1 minute on each side.
• Press the cucumber in the strainer to get out the excess water and add to a food processor. Then add the yogurt, dill, remaining 1 clove garlic, zest and remaining juice of the lemon. Season the sauce with cumin and salt and process until smooth.
• Serve the meatballs with the sauce and pitas.

GREEK MEATBALLS

Steps:

• In a medium skillet, sweat onion and garlic in 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat until translucent, about 2 minutes. Let cool and set aside.
• Wring the excess milk out of the soaked bread cubes.
• Place all ingredients, except flour and garnishes, in a large mixing bowl and combine by hand until fully incorporated. Form into little meatballs (about 1-ounce each).
• In a large skillet, heat remaining oil over medium heat. Dredge, or roll the meatballs in flour, and fry in the skillet until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and place on paper towels to drain the excess fat.
• Place on platter and garnish with lemon wedges and torn mint leaves.

MEATBALLS IN TOMATO-WINE SAUCE

Steps:

• To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over med-high heat.
• Add in the onion and garlic; stir/saute for a few minutes or until well softened but not browned.
• Add in the wine; bring to a boil; continue boiling 1-2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.
• Transfer mixture to the slow cooker.
• Add in tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, pepper, basil, oregano, parsley, allspice, and bay leaf; stir to combine.
• Cover and cook on HIGH while you prepare the meatballs.
• To make the meatballs: add the ground beef to a large mixing bowl, breaking it up a bit with your fingers or a large fork.
• Add in the breadcrumbs, eggs, Parmesan, salt, pepper, basil, oregano, parsley, and allspice.
• Gently but thoroughly blend the ingredients, using your hands or a large fork.
• Be careful not to compact the meat, which will make your meatballs tough.
• Gently shape the mixture into 12 meatballs, each a little bigger than a golf ball.
• Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over med-high heat; add in the meatballs and brown on all sides, 6-10 minutes, turning carefully.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer meatballs to the slowcooker.
• Pour off any fat from the skillet, return to the stove and add the wine.
• Cover over high heat for 2-3 minutes, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the pan.
• Pour over the meatballs.
• If the meatballs are not covered by tomato sauce, carefully spoon some sauce over them.
• Cover and cook on LOW for 5-6 hours.
• Remove the bay leaf and serve meatballs and sauce over pasta.

SOUTZOUKAKIA (GREEK MEATBALLS IN A TOMATO SAUCE)

Steps:

• Soak the bread in the wine for about 5 minutes, or until thoroughly softened.
• Then, squeeze out and reserve the excess wine.
• In a large bowl, combine the ground meat with the wine soaked bread, onion, garlic, egg, parsley, grated cheese, cumin, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Mix the ingredients until thoroughly blended.
• Cover and chill for 1 to 2 hours.
• Dampen your hands, pinch off small portions of meat mixture, about the quantity of a teaspoon or just over, and shape into approximately 20 oval rolls (looks sort of like an elongated, slightly flattened, meatball).
• Dredge them in flour.
• Heat olive oil in a large frying pan.
• Add the meatballs and fry until browned all over, turning occasionally and allowing time for the meat to cook thoroughly. (alternatively, if you want a 'lighter' recipe, you could just brown in a non-stick pan or bake them in the oven - not as flavourful, but still good).
• Remove from the pan using a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Strain the oil you fried the meatballs in through a fine sieve into a cooking pan.
• Add all the sauce ingredients, and the reserved wine.
• Bring to a boil and simmer until the sauce is thick.
• Drop in the meatballs, stir to cover all over with the sauce, and simmer covered for 15 minutes.
• Serve hot with rice, french fries, or mashed potatoes.

GREEK MEATBALLS IN WINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat a skillet over medium heat.
• Combine meats, onion, parsley, salt and pepper.
• Add margarine or butter and oil to pan and begin rolling small balls, adding them to the pan ans you roll them.
• Cook meat balls for 10 to 12 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally to brown on all sides.
• When the meatballs are browned, deglaze the pan with the wine and allow it to reduce by half.
• Remove the pan from the heat and squeeze the lemon over the meat balls.
• Garnish with parsley, if desired, and serve alone or over rice.