Best 4 Greek Meatball Soup Giouvarlakia With Avgolemono Broth Recipes

Tuck into a hearty bowl of Greek meatball soup with succulent homemade meatballs wrapped in fluffy rice, infused in a flavorful broth. This traditional soup, known as giouvarlakia, is a celebration of Greek culture and cuisine. The meatballs, crafted with a combination of ground meat, herbs, and spices, are meticulously shaped and cooked to perfection. They are then nestled in a rich broth, where they soak up the aromatic flavors of vegetables, herbs, and a hint of lemon. Giouvarlakia is the perfect meal to warm your soul on a chilly day or to share with loved ones during a special occasion.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

TRADITIONAL GREEK MEATBALL SOUP (GIOUVARLAKIA/ YOUVARLAKIA) IN EGG-LEMON SAUCE RECIPE

Traditional Greek Meatball Soup (Giouvarlakia/ Youvarlakia) in Egg-lemon sauce recipe image

Want to make a traditional Greek Meatball Soup in Egg-lemon sauce (Youvarlakia Avgolemono)? This is a hearty and delicious dish, perfect for a cold winter's day!

Provided by Eli K. Giannopoulos

Categories Soups

Time 1h

Number Of Ingredients 13

Ingredients

500g lean minced beef (18 ounces)
¼ of a cup long-grain rice (not boiled)
½ cup parsley, finely chopped
1 medium sized onion, finely chopped
1 egg
2 tbsps olive oil
½ carrot, grated (optional)
3 tbsps fresh dill, finely chopped (optional)
1 tsp salt
a pinch of coriander
freshly ground pepper
2 eggs
juice of 2 lemons

Steps:

To prepare this Greek meatball soup, start by making the meatballs (youvarlakia). Place all the meatball ingredients into a large bowl, knead the mixture squeezing the ingredients with your hand until smooth. Leave the mixture to rest in the fridge for 15 minutes. This will prevent the youvarlakia to break up when boiled. Form the meatballs (youvarlakia) and set them aside.
Pour into a large pan 2 ½ cups of water and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and gently add the meatballs (youvarlakia) in the water, put the lid back on and cook for 20-25 minutes. (The water should be enough to cover the meatballs, so add some more warm water if needed)
To prepare the egg lemon sauce for the Greek meatball soup, crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk. Add the lemon juice and whisk well. Add into the bowl a ladle of hot soup and whisk quickly. Add one more ladle and whisk again until combined.
Stir in the egg lemon sauce into the youvarlakia soup and cook for 2-3 minutes over medium heat, until warm but not boiling.
Serve this extra warming Greek meatball soup, while still hot with a sprinkle of chopped parsley.
Make sure that you do not cover any left overs until they have cooled; the sauce may curdle otherwise!!

Nutrition Facts : ServingSize 1 bowl, Calories 337kcal, Sugar 2.3g, Sodium 734.1mg, Fat 14.6g, SaturatedFat 4.1g, UnsaturatedFat 9.6g, TransFat 0.1g, Carbohydrate 16.7g, Fiber 1.4g, Protein 33.9g, Cholesterol 214.5mg

YOUVARLAKIA AVGOLEMONO (LEMONY GREEK MEATBALL SOUP)

Youvarlakia Avgolemono (Lemony Greek Meatball Soup) image

Avgolemono is a Greek egg and lemon mixture that's tangy and silky, and used to thicken sauces and soups. In the United States, most versions of avgolemono soup brim with grains of rice and chunks of chicken. In this recipe, a riff on youvarlakia avgolemono, ground chicken and rice are rolled into meatballs, then simmered in the broth, making the whole thing heartier without losing the soup's characteristic brightness. Many recipes for youvarlakia call for ground beef, and, if you like you can substitute that here. Note that because of the eggs in the broth, leftovers do not freeze well.

Provided by Melissa Clark

Time 1h

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 13

Ingredients

1 pound ground chicken (or ground turkey or beef), very cold
3/4 cup chopped fresh dill or parsley, plus more for garnish
1/2 cup grated yellow onion (from about 1 small onion)
1/4 cup grated carrot (from about 1 carrot)
1/4 cup uncooked long-grain rice, such as basmati or Carolina, well rinsed and drained
1 garlic clove, finely grated, pushed through a garlic press, or minced
1 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more as needed
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
6 cups chicken stock
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
Freshly grated nutmeg, for serving (optional)

Steps:

In a large mixing bowl, combine ground chicken, 1/4 cup dill, onion, carrot, rice, garlic, salt, pepper and lemon zest. Gently mix with your hands until well combined.
Gently form the mixture into 24 meatballs, each about 1 1/4 inches in diameter, placing them on a plate or baking pan. Cover and chill for at least 20 minutes or up to 24 hours. This helps the meatballs keep their shape while cooking.
In a large pot, bring stock to a boil over high heat. Reduce to medium and use a slotted spoon to carefully add meatballs to the pot. The broth should cover the tops of the meatballs by about 1/2 inch. If not, add a little water. Simmer gently, adjusting the heat so the broth doesn't boil, until meatballs are cooked through and rice is tender, 25 to 35 minutes. (Break open a meatball to test it.) Remove pot from heat.
In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and lemon juice until just mixed. Slowly add a ladle of warm broth to egg-lemon mixture, whisking constantly. Whisk in another two ladles of broth to temper the egg mixture.
Slowly drizzle the egg-lemon mixture back into the pot with the meatballs, stirring gently so you don't break apart the meatballs. Return the pot to medium-low heat until it just starts to simmer. (Wait for a bubble or two to appear, but don't let the pot boil.) The broth should be silky. Remove from heat, stir in remaining 1/2 cup dill. Taste and add salt and pepper, if needed. (It may need quite a bit of salt if you are starting with unsalted broth.) Garnish with nutmeg, if you like, and dill, and serve.

YOUVARLAKIA AVGOLEMONO (GREEK MEATBALL-EGG/LEMON SOUP)

Youvarlakia Avgolemono (Greek Meatball-Egg/Lemon Soup) image

Hearty winter fare. Don't forget to serve feta cheese and crusty bread alongside. Note: although it is not traditional to have veggies in this soup here in Greece, I always put a couple in, simply because they taste good. I have carrot and potato on the ingredient list here, but I also often use some minced celery and maybe a smallish zucchini.

Provided by evelynathens

Categories Meat

Time 1h5m

Yield 4-6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 18

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef
1/4 lb ground pork (opt but good)
1 onion, minced
1 garlic clove, minced fine
6 tablespoons raw long-grain white rice
chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh spearmint (or 2 teaspoons dried and rubbed between fingers into powder)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
salt & freshly ground black pepper
3 eggs
6 cups water 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
2 tablespoons cornflour

Steps:

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.
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.
To prepare avgolemono: beat the two remaining eggs for 2 minutes and whisk in the corn flour.
While beating all the while, gradually add the lemon juice.
Then add 1 cup of the 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.
Serve this with feta cheese on the side- goes great with the little meatballs.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 570.1, Fat 27.3, SaturatedFat 10.2, Cholesterol 237.1, Sodium 205.6, Carbohydrate 44.5, Fiber 5.5, Sugar 6.6, Protein 35.7

GIOUVARLAKIA AVGOLEMONO (RICE MEATBALLS IN EGG-LEMON SAUCE)

Giouvarlakia Avgolemono (Rice Meatballs in Egg-Lemon Sauce) image

Greek lamb and rice meatballs in a creamy lemon sauce. Warning for leftovers: Sauce will not keep more than a day or two. The meatballs are still good on their own so I store seperately.

Provided by littleturtle

Categories Lamb/Sheep

Time 1h30m

Yield 50 meatballs, 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

2 slices whole wheat bread (crusts removed, soaked in milk & squeezed dry)
1 1/2 lbs ground lamb or 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1/2 cup rice (uncooked)
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped or 2 teaspoons dried parsley
2 tablespoons celery, chopped
1 teaspoon crushed dried mint flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 quarts water or 2 quarts chicken stock
3 eggs, separated
1 lemon, juice of
1 1/2 cups meatball broth
2 tablespoons butter

Steps:

Put bread and ground beef in a bowl, and mix and knead thoroughly.
Add rice, parsley, celery, mint, oregano, olive oil, salt, and pepper, and mix well.
In a soup kettle, bring about 2 qt water to a furious boil.
Keeping the water boiling, shape the meat into little round balls (about the size of walnuts) and gently drop them into the boiling water.
Continue boiling for about 1/2 hour, and then set aside.
Beat the whites of 3 eggs until frothy, but not stiff and shiny.
Constantly beating, add the yolks until well mixed.
Still beating add the lemon juice drop by drop.
Bring butter and broth to a boil.
Add this to the egg-lemon mixture, beating continuously.
Place over VERY low heat, stirring in a S or X pattern (stirring round& round will cause sauce to curdle) until froth is almost broken down and sauce thickens.
Serve hot.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 493.9, Fat 35.1, SaturatedFat 15.2, Cholesterol 198.9, Sodium 818.4, Carbohydrate 19, Fiber 1.1, Sugar 1.3, Protein 24.4

Tips:

Use a combination of ground beef and ground pork for a flavorful and juicy meatball.
Soak the bread in milk before adding it to the meatball mixture. This will help to keep the meatballs moist and tender.
Season the meatballs with a variety of herbs and spices, such as oregano, thyme, garlic, and cumin.
Brown the meatballs in a pan before adding them to the soup. This will help to develop their flavor and prevent them from falling apart.
Use a flavorful broth for the soup. You can use chicken broth, beef broth, or vegetable broth.
Add vegetables to the soup, such as carrots, celery, and onions. This will add flavor and nutrients to the soup.
Make the avgolemono sauce by whisking together eggs, lemon juice, and broth. Slowly add the sauce to the soup, stirring constantly. This will help to prevent the eggs from curdling.
Serve the soup hot, garnished with fresh herbs, such as parsley or dill.

Conclusion:

Greek meatball soup (giouvarlakia) with avgolemono broth is a delicious and hearty soup that is perfect for a cold winter day. The meatballs are made with a combination of ground beef and ground pork, and they are seasoned with a variety of herbs and spices. The soup is also made with a flavorful broth and a variety of vegetables. The avgolemono sauce adds a rich and creamy texture to the soup. This soup is sure to please everyone at your table.