Hungarian Meatballs

Traditional Hungarian flavours come together in these deliciously tender and succulent meatballs that are drenched in a lusciously rich and silky paprika sauce!

Enjoy them over hot buttered noodles, rice, Spätzle, or potatoes. A great make ahead-meal and the meatballs can also be frozen so you can simply thaw them when you’re ready and make the sauce!

Friends, you simply have to make these Hungarian meatballs! Your taste buds will thank you over and over again. They may not state it verbally, but trust me, they’ll say it in a way that you’ll understand. These luscious meatballs are inspired by the flavours of Hungarian cuisine, one of my favourites. They are easy to make and ready for the table in about 30 minutes. The rich flavours of this comfort dish are an absolute feast for the palate!

The smooth and creamy sauce is vibrantly red from sweet paprika with the wonderfully deep flavour of caramelized onions and mushrooms (yes, you can omit them if you don’t like them) with the zesty touch of dill and freshened up with the tangy taste of sour cream. Simply put, they’re irresistible.

This dish also makes a nice time-saver: Make and freeze the meatballs in advance and then plop them in the simmering sauce at the appropriate stage. These meatballs are also great as leftovers: Simply thin the sauce out a bit with some broth, milk or cream if it’s become too thickened. The flavours will be even better once they’ve had time to meld.

Ingredients

• 12 oz (350 g) lean minced beef

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• 2 tablespoons olive oil

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• salt and freshly milled black pepper

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• 12 oz (350 g) minced turkey

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• ½ medium red pepper, de-seeded and finely chopped

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• 1 small onion, very finely chopped

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• 4 fat clove garlic, crushed

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• 2 level tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

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• 2 oz (50 g) fresh breadcrumbs

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• 1 large egg, beaten

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• 1 rounded tablespoon seasoned flour

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• For the sauce: 1 lb (450 g) ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or 1 x 14 oz (400 g) tin Italian chopped tomatoes

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• 1 rounded tablespoon hot Hungarian paprika, plus a little extra

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• 1 tablespoon olive oil

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• 1 medium onion, chopped

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• ½ medium red pepper, de-seeded and finely chopped

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• 1 clove garlic, crushed

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• about half 200 ml tub crème fraîche

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• salt and freshly milled black pepper

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Method

Cooking Mode

Shape the meatballs

Place all the meatball ingredients in a medium-sized bowl except the flour and knead to thoroughly combine. Shape the mixture into 1-inch balls or whatever size you prefer. approximately 24 meatballs.

Heat the oil

Cover the meatballs in seasoned flour lightly, ensure that there isn't too much flour on each meatball. Heat some oil in a skillet and once hot add the meatballs, browning on all sides. Transfer the meatballs to a plate on top of a paper towel, you may have to do this in batches.

Add Onions

Add the onions to the skillet and fry until translucent and golden brown. Add the garlic and fry for another minute (don't fry garlic too long or it becomes bitter). Add the mushrooms and fry until they've released their juices and they're mostly evaporated. Transfer the mushroom mixture to a bowl and set aside.

Make the sauce

Next, make the sauce in the same pan. Heat the oil, add the onion and the red pepper together and cook for about 5 minutes, then add the garlic, cook for another minute and stir in the paprika and any remaining bits of seasoned flour. Stir to soak up the juices, then add the tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, then bring it all up to simmering point, stirring all the time.

Add the meatballs

Now add the meatballs to the sauce, bring back to simmering point, cover with a tight-fitting lid and transfer it to the middle shelf of the oven for 1½ hours. Just before serving.

Lightly stir in the crème fraîche

lightly stir in the crème fraîche to give a marbled effect. Spoon the meatballs on to freshly cooked noodles and sprinkle a little extra paprika on as a garnish as they go to the table.