Meatballs with gravy: 4 cooking secrets

Meatballs are a dish from childhood; they are tasty, hearty, and quick to prepare. In summer, you can make them vegetable-based if you don't eat meat, without rice, and with the most delicious gravy.
Today, FoodOboz shares with you 4 secrets of making soft, juicy, yet elastic meatballs.
- Always choose fresh beef or chicken meat, turkey and pork will also be delicious, but the dish will be greasy.
- Do not "clog" the minced meat with seasonings, as the taste of meat and rice will not be felt at all.
- Do not cook the rice completely, otherwise you will get tasteless meatballs in the form of rice porridge with meat. It should be halfway done.
- Gravy: take only high-quality tomato paste, as it gives the final flavor to the dish.
1. Meatballs with gravy as in childhood
Ingredients:
- minced meat – 500 g
- rice – 1/3 cup
- onion – 1 pc
- vegetable oil – 1-3 tbsp
- salt – 1 tsp
- pepper – a pinch
For the gravy:
- water – 1.5 cups
- sour cream – 1 tbsp
- flour – 1 tbsp
- tomato paste – 1 tsp
- bay leaf – 1 pc
Method of preparation:
- Boil the rice until half cooked.
- Add the chopped onion to the minced meat, salt, and pepper, and mix well.
- Form meatballs by hand, roll in flour and fry in a hot frying pan in vegetable oil on each side for about 3 minutes.
- Be sure to cover it with a lid to prevent the meatballs from falling apart.
- Afterward, mix water, tomato paste, sour cream, and flour in a glass and pour it over the meatballs, simmer well for about 10 minutes over low heat. Add the bay leaf.
2. Meatballs without rice with gravy
Ingredients:
- minced beef – 400 g
- onion – 1 pc
- breadcrumbs – 2-3 tbsp
- chicken egg – 1 pc
- tomato sauce – 4-5 tbsp
- soy sauce – 1 tbsp
- vegetable oil – 2 tbsp
- flour for breading – 2-3 tbsp
- salt and pepper – to taste
- fresh herbs – a few sprigs
Method of preparation:
- Put the minced meat in a bowl, add chopped onion, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, pepper, and mix thoroughly.
- Form meatballs with your hands, roll in flour, put in a hot frying pan, and fry well on both sides.
- Gravy: mix tomato juice, soy sauce, pepper, stir, and pour over the meatballs, leave to simmer for 15 minutes over low heat.
Sprinkle with chopped herbs before serving.













































