Mushroom giouvarlakia

Giouvarlakia (sometimes spelled yiouvarlakia) is a classic Greek comfort food traditionally. It’s both a Greek soup and a Greek meatball recipe in one! In this version, mushrooms and avocado replace the meat and egg that are traditionally used and the result is a vegan masterpiece. Nikos Gaitanos, a Greek vegan chef, shared this “vegan meatball” recipe, which has quickly become a family favourite, with me.

Mushroom giouvarlakia. Credit: My Greek Table

• serves

  4

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  1:15 hour

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

Giouvarlakia (mushroom balls)

• 500 g (1 lb) white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 75-90 ml (about 4-4½ tablespoons) extra virgin Greek olive oil
• ½ tsp fresh or dried thyme
• ¼ cup Arborio rice, cooked
• 4½ tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

Soup

• 4 ½ tbsp extra virgin Greek olive oil
• 2 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
• 2 medium-sized carrots, peeled and cut into small cubes
• 2 medium-sized zucchini, and cut into small cubes
• 1 large red onion, finely chopped
• 1 small celery, finely chopped
• 1 cup dry white wine
• ½ cup water

Avocado “avgolemono”

• 2 ripe avocados
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 3 cups soup
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180° (350°F).
2. Mix the mushrooms with olive oil and thyme. Spread the mixture on a baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes.
3. Let the mushrooms cool for 10 minutes, then finely chop them. In a bowl, mix mushrooms, cooked rice, flour, salt and pepper. Knead well until the mixture holds together. Shape into small balls about 1 ½ inch in diameter and bake at 180° (350°F) for about 15 minutes or until firm and the exterior is crusty and slightly charred.
4. Let the mushroom-rice balls cool for 10 minutes, and set aside until ready to incorporate into the rest of the recipe.
5. Meanwhile, make the broth: Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and sauté the vegetables for a few minutes. Then pour in the wine and wait until the alcohol has cooked off. Add enough water to cover the vegetables and cook over low heat until the vegetables are soft, about 40 minutes.
6. When the broth is ready, make the avocado lemon sauce: Place the avocado pulp, lemon juice, and 3 cups of the hot soup In a blender or food processor and process on high speed until creamy. Transfer the avocado-lemon mixture to the soup, stir and simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, and add the mushroom-rice balls and the herbs. Leave for 5 minutes before serving, so the flavors meld.

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.