Meatball soup (giouvarlakia)

This satisfying Greek soup, with beef meatballs and rice, is comfort easy comfort food. With dill and lemon, the ingredients in this recipe are deliciously representative of Mediterranean cuisine.

• serves

  6

• prep

  25 minutes

• cook

  35 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 500 g minced beef 
• 1 onion, finely chopped 
• 3 eggs 
• 50 g (¼ cup) long-grain rice 
• ½ cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, plus extra, to serve 
• ¼ cup dill leaves, finely chopped 
• 2 tbsp olive oil 
• 1 tbsp salt 
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1.5 litres water
• 1 lemon, juiced

Chilling time: 20 minutes

Instructions

Place beef, onion, 1 egg, rice, herbs, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp of salt and pepper in a large bowl. Knead mixture until smooth. Using damp hands, form mixture into 30 meatballs, place on a large tray and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Place water, 3 tsp salt and remaining 1 tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to medium and gently add meatballs. Cook, covered, for 25 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through. Remove pan from heat.

Whisk remaining 2 eggs and lemon juice in a bowl. Add 60 ml hot soup and whisk until combined. Stir egg and lemon mixture back into saucepan of remaining soup, return pan over medium heat and cook for a further 3 minutes or until heated through; do not allow soup to boil. Serve scattered with extra parsley.

As seen in Feast magazine, Issue 11, pg103.

Photography by Peter Georgakopoulos

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.