Soutzoukakia | Greek Baked Meatballs Recipe

Mediterranean Diet 30-Day Challenge (Mediterranean Diet Meal Plan) Day 30: Soutzoukakia: Greek Baked Meatballs in Tomato Sauce! Perfectly tender baked meatballs, prepared Greek-style with onions, garlic, spices like cumin and cinnamon, and fresh herbs in a special red sauce. #bakedmeatballs #meatballs #meatballrecipe #greekrecipes #greekfood #mediterraneandiet

RECIPE:
For Meatballs
▢2 slices whole wheat bread, toast-size, toasted to a medium-brown (or use gluten free bread if you need)
▢⅓ cup whole milk
▢1.5 pounds lean ground beef
▢1 small yellow onion, chopped
▢3 garlic cloves, minced
▢2 medium eggs
▢1 teaspoon ground cumin
▢½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
▢½ teaspoon dried oregano
▢½ cup chopped fresh parsley
▢Kosher salt and black pepper
▢Extra virgin olive oil, to grease the baking dish
For Red Sauce
▢2 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
▢1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
▢2 garlic cloves, minced
▢½ cup dry red wine
▢30 ounces canned tomato sauce, that’s 2 15-ounce cans of sauce
▢1 bay leaf
▢¾ teaspoon ground cumin
▢½ teaspoon cinnamon
▢½ teaspoon sugar
▢Kosher salt and black pepper

1. In a small bowl, place the toasted bread and cover with milk (or water) to soak. When bread is soft and well-soaked, squeeze the liquid out completely and discard remaining milk if any.
Transfer the bread to a large mixing bowl. Add round beef and remaining meatball ingredients. Knead well until well-combined. Cover the meat mixture and rest in the fridge for now.
2. Preheat oven to 400°F.
3. While oven is heating, prepare the sauce. In a sauce pan or large skillet, heat 2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add onions and cook for 3 minutes or so. Add garlic and cook for another minute, stirring regularly. Now add red wine and cook to reduce by about ½, then add tomato sauce, bay leaf and remaining sauce ingredients. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Prepare a large baking dish and lightly oil the bottom with extra virgin olive oil.
5. Take the meat mixture out of the fridge. Wet your hands and scoop portions of about 2 ½ tablespoon of the meat mixture and form into large elongated meatballs (football-shaped.) You should have 15 to 16 meatballs or so. Arrange meatballs in the papered baking dish and top with the sauce (be sure to have removed the bay leaf from the sauce.)
6. Place the baking dish on the middle rack of your heated oven. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the meatballs are well cooked through (check part-way through to make sure sauce is not dry, and if needed, add a little bit of water to the bottom of the baking dish.)
7. Remove from oven and add another drizzle of EVOO. Garnish with parsley and serve over rice or orzo.

So here is the burning question so many of you have been asking can I eat red meat on the Mediterranean diet you sure can and welcome back to my 30-day Mediterranean diet Series where we have been cooking easy unfussy recipes with loads of nutrition and flavor from all

Over the Mediterranean here’s the thing eating the Mediterranean way is about an abundance mindset so it’s never about deprivation we do eat red meat but not in huge amounts and not too frequently and I wanted to show you one of my favorites suits suaka Greek style meatballs here the meat mixture is

Loaded with aromatics fresh herbs like parsley and a good blend of spices including warm ground cumin and a touch of cinnamon we cook up our meatballs in a delicious red sauce in the oven until perfectly tender and ready to devour to your joy and your health follow for more