My appetite for tart flavors began early in my pregnancy and lasted throughout. It was during this time that I discovered Youvarlakia Avgolemono, a Greek Lemon Meatball soup. This soup is absolutely fantastic when I am in the mood for something fresh and tart, yet it is hearty enough to stand alone as a main course. It makes for great cooler weather fare.
Note: Although it is not traditional to have vegetables in this Greek soup, I always put some in, simply because we all need more vehicles for veggies and the addition of them tastes great! I have carrot and potato in the recipe below, but minced celery and a small zucchini would also be quite delightful, especially if making this soup in the summer or early autumn or if you are maintaining a low carbohydrate diet. You can also blend the vegetables into the broth to thicken it up or appease picky eaters.
Ingredients
-
- 1 lb (450g) ground beef
- 1 onion, minced
- 1 garlic clove, minced fine
- 6 tablespoons raw long-grain rice
- chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint ( or 2 teaspoons dried and rubbed between fingers into powder)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- salt & freshly ground black pepper
- 3 eggs
- 6 cups water plus 1 tbsp. boullion or 6 cups stock
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- 2 -3 carrots, sliced
- 1 zucchini, chopped ( about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 large potato, cubed
- 1 lemon, juice of only
Directions
In a large bowl, combine the meat, minced onion, garlic, rice, 3 tablespoons chopped parsley, the mint, oregano, salt and pepper, and 1 egg, slightly beaten. Knead for a few minutes, then shape into walnut-sized meatballs and set aside.
In a soup pot, bring the water or stock to boil and add the meatballs.
Cook for 20 minutes while chopping veggies.
Add chopped onion, celery, carrot, zucchini and potato. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Lower the heat and gently simmer, covered, for 20-25 minutes (until the vegetables are tender), then remove from the heat. If you need to puree the stock to disguise veggies, remove 1 cup of broth and meatballs and blend remaining stock until smooth.
To prepare avgolemono: beat the two remaining eggs for 2 minutes.
While beating all the while, gradually add the lemon juice.
Then add 1 cup of the reserved hot broth in a slow, steady stream (ladle), beating steadily, until nearly all the hot liquid has been added.
Add the egg/stock mixture back to the soup pot and heat, being careful not to let it boil, stirring, until thickened.
Serve hot, garnished with parsley.
If tolerable to your digestion, serve this with feta cheese on the side- goes great with the little meatballs. I use sheep milk feta, which is easier on my system than cow-based dairy.
This Youvarlakia Avgolemono recipe looks incredibly comforting and delicious, I love how you’ve combined the flavors of tender meatballs with the creamy, tangy egg-lemon sauce. It’s a wonderful dish that feels both hearty and refreshing. I can’t wait to try making this at home and experience the unique flavors.