YOUVARLAKIA - GREEK MEATBALL SOUP

⏲ Prep time ⏲ Cooking time Difficulty level Portions

25 min 55 min ★★★☆☆ 10

Ingredients

Meatballs (Youvarlakia)

•             Beef mince (or half beef/half pork) — 1,200 g

•             Rice (short‑grain) — 120 g

•             Onion, very finely grated — 120 g

•             Egg — 1 large (≈ 55 g)

•             Fresh parsley, chopped — 20 g

•             Fresh dill, chopped — 10 g

•             Olive oil — 20 g

•             Salt — 14 g

•             Black pepper — 3 g

Soup Base

•             Olive oil — 20 g

•             Carrot, diced — 150 g

•             Celery, diced — 120 g

•             Onion, diced — 150 g

•             Chicken stock — 2,500 g

•             Bay leaves — 2

•             Salt — to taste (start with 6 g)

•             Black pepper — 2 g

Avgolemono (Egg–Lemon Finish)

•             Eggs — 3 large (≈ 165 g)

•             Lemon juice — 90 g

•             Hot broth (for tempering) — 200 g

Garnish

•             Fresh dill or parsley — 10 g

•             Extra lemon wedges — optional

Cooking instructions

1. Make the meatballs

• Mix mince, rice, grated onion, egg, herbs, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

• Roll into walnut‑sized balls (≈ 30–35 g each).

• Chill 10 minutes to firm up.

2. Build the soup base

• Sauté carrot, celery, and onion in olive oil for 5 minutes.

• Add stock, bay leaves, salt, and pepper; bring to a gentle boil.

3. Cook the meatballs

• Lower heat to a simmer.

• Add meatballs carefully in a single layer.

• Simmer 35–40 minutes until rice inside is tender and broth is lightly thickened.

4. Prepare the avgolemono

• Whisk eggs and lemon juice until frothy.

• Slowly add hot broth while whisking to temper.

• Pour the mixture back into the pot off the heat, stirring gently until the soup becomes creamy.

5. Finish

• Adjust seasoning, add herbs, and serve warm.

Chef ’s Notes

Youvarlakia succeeds when the meatballs stay tender and the avgolemono stays silky. Using grated onion instead of chopped keeps the mixture moist and helps bind without heaviness. Short‑grain rice is traditional because it swells and softens inside the meatballs, giving them their characteristic texture. The broth should never boil once the meatballs are added—boiling can break them apart and toughen the meat. For the avgolemono, temperature control is everything: temper slowly, add off the heat, and never let the soup boil afterward or the eggs will scramble. A little extra lemon at the table brightens the dish and keeps it from feeling too rich.