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.

1. Always choose fresh beef or chicken meat, turkey and pork will also be delicious, but the dish will be greasy.
2. Do not "clog" the minced meat with seasonings, as the taste of meat and rice will not be felt at all.
3. 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.
4. 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:

1. Boil the rice until half cooked.
2. Add the chopped onion to the minced meat, salt, and pepper, and mix well.
3. Form meatballs by hand, roll in flour and fry in a hot frying pan in vegetable oil on each side for about 3 minutes.
4. Be sure to cover it with a lid to prevent the meatballs from falling apart.
5. 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:

1. Put the minced meat in a bowl, add chopped onion, breadcrumbs, egg, salt, pepper, and mix thoroughly.
2. Form meatballs with your hands, roll in flour, put in a hot frying pan, and fry well on both sides.
3. 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.