Imagine a dish that combines the hearty comfort of perfectly seasoned meatballs with the bright, tangy magic of a silky lemon sauce - welcome to the world of Yovarlakia Avgolemono! This classic Greek recipe is more than just a meal; it's a culinary journey that brings the warmth of Mediterranean kitchens right to your dining table. Prepare to fall in love with a dish that's simultaneously rustic and elegant, packed with flavors that will make your family beg for seconds.
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 1 hrs
Total Time: 1 hrs 30 mins
Cuisine: Greek
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 cup rice
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 eggs
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh dill for garnish
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, finely chopped onion, uncooked rice, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly using your hands until all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Wet your hands with cold water to prevent sticking, then shape the meat mixture into small, uniform meatballs approximately 1-
- 5 inches in diameter.
- In a large pot, bring the chicken broth to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Carefully add the prepared meatballs to the broth, ensuring they are mostly submerged.
- Cover the pot and let the meatballs cook slowly for 45-50 minutes, maintaining a low simmer. The rice inside the meatballs will cook and the meat will become tender.
- While meatballs are cooking, prepare the avgolemono sauce by whisking eggs in a separate bowl until they become light and frothy.
- Gradually add fresh lemon juice to the eggs, continuing to whisk to prevent curdling.
- When meatballs are fully cooked, remove the pot from heat. Slowly temper the egg-lemon mixture by adding a few ladles of hot broth while continuously whisking.
- Pour the tempered avgolemono sauce back into the pot, gently stirring to create a creamy, silky sauce coating the meatballs.
- Let the dish rest for 5 minutes to allow the sauce to set. Garnish with freshly chopped dill before serving.
- Serve hot in deep plates, ensuring each serving has meatballs and plenty of the lemony broth.
Tips
- Use cold water when forming meatballs to prevent the meat from sticking to your hands and ensure a smoother shaping process.
- Keep the broth at a gentle simmer - boiling too vigorously can cause the meatballs to break apart or become tough.
- When tempering the egg-lemon sauce, add hot broth very slowly and whisk constantly to prevent the eggs from scrambling.
- For the most tender meatballs, use ground beef with a slightly higher fat content (around 15-20%).
- Fresh dill is key to enhancing the final flavor, so don't skip the garnish!
- If the sauce is too thick, you can thin it with a little additional broth.
- Let the dish rest for a few minutes after adding the avgolemono sauce to allow the flavors to meld and the sauce to set perfectly.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 445kcal
Carbohydrates: g
Protein: g
Fat: g
Saturated Fat: 9g
Cholesterol: 170mg
