Youvarlakia (Greek Meatball Soup) Recipe
Youvarlakia is a traditional Greek meatball soup featuring tender ground beef meatballs cooked in a flavorful broth and finished with a tangy avgolemono (egg-lemon) sauce. This comforting dish combines aromatic herbs, rice, and a bright, creamy lemon sauce for a delicious and hearty meal.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Greek
- Diet: Halal
Ingredients
Scale
Broth
- 2 quarts (8 cups) water
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Meatballs
- 1 pound ground beef (preferably 80/20)
- 1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
- 1 large onion, grated
- 1 egg
- ½ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- ½ cup finely chopped mint
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Avgolemono Sauce
- 2 eggs
- 2 large lemons, juiced
To Serve
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Lemon wedges
- Crusty bread or pita bread (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the broth: In a large pot, combine 2 quarts of water, 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil to create the broth base for the soup.
- Mix the meatball ingredients: In a large bowl, combine ground beef, uncooked Arborio rice, grated onion, 1 egg, finely chopped flat-leaf parsley and mint, 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil. Mix until all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Form the meatballs: Shape the mixture into small meatballs approximately 1 inch in diameter, ensuring they are compact enough to hold together while cooking.
- Cook the meatballs: Carefully drop the meatballs into the simmering broth. Reduce the heat to low and let them cook gently for 25 to 30 minutes until both the meat and rice are fully cooked through.
- Prepare the avgolemono sauce: In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 eggs and the juice of 2 large lemons until smooth.
- Temper the eggs: Slowly add a ladleful of hot broth into the egg-lemon mixture while whisking constantly to raise the temperature and prevent curdling.
- Incorporate the sauce into the soup: Gradually stir the tempered egg-lemon mixture back into the pot with the soup. Heat gently for a few minutes but do not allow it to boil to avoid curdling the sauce.
- Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Season with freshly ground black pepper and garnish with lemon wedges. Optionally, serve alongside crusty bread or pita bread for a complete meal.
Notes
- Use Arborio rice for its short grain and ability to hold shape during cooking.
- Be careful to temper the egg-lemon sauce slowly to prevent it from scrambling when added to the hot broth.
- This soup is traditionally served with crusty bread or pita to soak up the flavorful broth.
- You can substitute beef with lamb for a richer flavor, common in some Greek regions.
- Adjust lemon juice to taste for desired tanginess.
Keywords: Greek meatball soup, youvarlakia, avgolemono soup, lemon meatballs, Greek cuisine, traditional Greek soup
