Youvarlakia: Greek Meatball Soup
User Reviews
4.9
Youvarlakia: Greek Meatball Soup
Description
Youvarlakia: Greek Meatball Soup includes small turkey meatballs blended with glutinous rice, onion, fresh parsley and dill, smoked paprika, and finely chopped Florina pepper for mild heat. The meatballs are coated with flour and gently simmered in a broth of water, potato, carrot, celery, chicken bouillon, lemon zest, and juice, contributing to the soup's aroma and body. After simmering until the meatballs and vegetables are tender, an egg-lemon sauce is tempered with hot broth and stirred in, giving the soup a creamy, tangy finish without dairy.
The flavor profile is enhanced by smoked paprika and fresh herbs, while the lemon sauce brightens the palate. The rice in the meatballs gives a light, slightly chewy texture inside, contrasting with the tender vegetables. This soup can be served as a warm starter or a hearty main meal.
Ingredients
For the meatballs (youvarlakia):
- 0.5 kg ground turkey
- 150 g glace rice glutinous
- 1 onion finely chopped, large
- 1 egg medium
- ¼ parsley finely chopped, bunch
- ¼ dill finely chopped, bunch
- 2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 Florina pepper finely chopped, Greek red variety
- 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil Greek
- salt
- black pepper
- all-purpose flour for dredging
For the soup:
- 1 liter water
- 1 potato cut into cubes
- 1 carrot shredded, large
- 1 chicken bouillon cube
- 20 ml extra virgin olive oil + extra when serving
- 1 celery finely chopped, stick
- 1 lemon zest
- salt
- black pepper
For the egg-lemon sauce:
- 2 egg large yolks
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1 tsp corn starch
Instructions
For the meatballs:
- In a large bowl, add all of the ingredients for the meatballs apart from the flour. Mix with your hands until well combined.
- Pick up some of the ground meat mixture and shape into meatballs the size of a walnut.
- Fill a large container with all-purpose flour. Add the meatballs and dredge in the flour, until completely coated.
For the soup:
- Fill a wide pot with the 1 liter/ 4¼ cups of water and place over medium heat. Add the potatoes, carrots, bouillon cube, celery, olive oil, lemon zest and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
- Add the meatballs to the pot, cover with lid and simmer for about 30-35 minutes.
For the egg-lemon sauce:
- In a large bowl, add the 2 egg yolks, lemon juice and cornstarch. Whisk until mixture is light and frothy.
- Remove lid from pot and turn off heat. Using a ladle, pick up a ladleful of the hot soup and add it to the egg mixture, while whisking continuously. Repeat the same process, until the egg mixture is warm and thickens a little. This is done slowly in order to temper the eggs gradually so they don’t curdle.
- Turn heat on low and pour the egg-lemon mixture into the pot. Swirl the pot gently, until the sauce thickens a little.
- Transfer to deep dishes, drizzle with some Greek extra virgin olive oil and serve.
Notes
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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