Soutzoukakia Recipe (Greek Baked Meatballs In Tomato Sauce)

This Greek soutzoukakia recipe is pure comfort food! You’re about to bake tender, juicy meatballs in tomato sauce, loaded with garlic, fresh herbs and bold flavours. The rich sauce wraps it all up with warm cinnamon and just the right amount of spice. Every mouthful is hearty, full of flavour, and perfect for the whole family!

If you love rich, saucy, Greek recipes like this, you’ve got to try my chicken youvetsi recipe. It is packed with tender chicken, orzo pasta, and a beautiful tomato-based sauce that soaks into every bite. Or if you want something a bit different but just as full of flavour, check out my Greek stuffed calamari recipe with herbs, rice, and tender squid. Both are true classics that always impress!

Jump to:

• Why you will love this recipe
• Overview of the key step
• Watch the short video tutorial
• Ingredients
• Preparation
• Step-by-step Cooking Instructions
• Serving suggestions
• Top Tips
• Storage
• FAQ
• 📖 Recipe

Why you will love this recipe

• Cold-weather comfort food: This is the kind of hearty dish you crave when it’s chilly outside. Warm, rich, and incredibly satisfying.
• Juicy, tender meatballs: Soaking the bread in red wine keeps every bite soft and juicy, while the fresh aromatics load them up with flavour.
• Signature Greek flavours: The perfect balance of garlic, fresh herbs, cumin and warm cinnamon give it that authentic taste that sets soutzoukakia apart.
• One-dish oven method: No frying needed unlike traditional soutzoukakia smyrneika. The full bake gives you deep flavour with less mess, all done in just over an hour.
• Leftovers taste even better: Perfect for an easy lunch or dinner the next day. The flavours only get better!

Overview of the key step

Here’s a quick look at the steps to make 16 large, juicy, delicious meatballs and have hearty Greek dish served in no time!

1. Prepare the bread and mix: Soak the white bread in red wine, then mix it with the ground beef, herbs, garlic, onions, spices and eggs in a large bowl until smooth and sticky.
2. Shape and bake the meatballs: Roll the balls into oblong shapes and bake uncovered for 30 minutes.
3. Cook the sauce: Simmer the rich tomato-based sauce with garlic, bay leaves, red wine and a touch of cinnamon until slightly thickened.
4. Combine and finish baking: Pour the hot sauce over the baked soutzoukakia, cover with foil and bake again until tender and full of flavour.

Watch the short video tutorial

Watch my full step-by-step video to see the best way how to make these tender soutzoukakia in a thick tomato sauce.

Make sure to give it a like, leave a comment, and share it with anyone who loves Greek cuisine and Mediterranean flavours.

Ingredients

Let’s take a closer look at what makes this traditional recipe so special! As always, check the recipe card below for exact quantities.

For the meatballs

• Beef mince (lean): This is your base. I like to use lean ground beef for a good balance of flavour and tenderness. You can also swap in a different type of ground meat like lamb or pork if you want to change it up.
• White bread (crusts removed): Get this soaking early so it’s nice and soft by the time you’re ready to mix everything else. It keeps the meat mixture light and tender.
• Red wine: Adds beautiful depth and warmth to the flavour. But if you prefer not to use alcohol, you can swap it for milk, water, or stock. Personally though, I love the richness you get from the wine, and it cooks off anyway!
• Red onions (grated): Grating helps the onions blend right in and keeps the meatballs juicy. Squeeze out the juice before adding.
• Garlic cloves: I never hold back on garlic! You know me, it brings the whole dish to life. Loads of fresh garlic is what makes these Greek meatballs shine.
• Eggs: Help bind everything together so the meatballs hold their shape while baking.
• Fresh mint and parsley: These fresh herbs give a bright lift to balance all the rich flavours.
• Olive oil: A splash of good extra virgin olive oil keeps the meatball mixture moist and full of flavour.
• Ground cumin: The key to that real soutzoukakia taste! The use of cumin gives that warm, spiced flavour that goes back to its Asia minor roots.
• Salt and black pepper: Season well before cooking, and always taste at the end to adjust if needed.

For the tomato sauce

• Brown onion (grated): Builds a sweet base for the sauce. Keep the juices in this one, no need to strain it.
• Garlic cloves: More garlic to layer up that rich tomato sauce.
• Tomato paste: Intensifies the tomato flavour and adds a rich, savoury depth to the sauce.
• Tomato passata: The main base of the tomato-based sauce. You can also use fresh tomatoes if you’ve got some ripe ones on hand.
• Water: You’ll need a bit of water here to loosen the sauce and help everything simmer nicely. Plus, rinse out the passata jar to get every last bit of sauce in. That’s why my sauce looks extra rich and red in the photo!
• Dry red wine: Adds depth and richness. If you don’t want to use alcohol, you can easily substitute with beef stock.
• Bay leaves: Give a nice earthy note that works perfectly with the tomatoes and spices.
• Cinnamon stick: A little cinnamon brings warmth without being too strong.
• Salt and black pepper: Season early, then taste once it’s cooked and adjust if needed.

Preparation

• Grate the onions: Get both the red and brown onions grated early. Squeeze the juice out of the red onions for the meatballs but keep the juice in the onion for the sauce.
• Mince the garlic: Fresh minced garlic makes all the difference, so get it done upfront, to save time!
• Chop the herbs: Finely chop your fresh mint and parsley so they’re ready to go when you mix everything together.
• Soak the bread: Start soaking the white bread in red wine while you prep the rest so it’s fully softened by the time you need it.
• Gather your pots and pans: You’ll need a large mixing bowl for the meatball mixture, a saucepan for cooking the sauce, and a baking dish. The baking dish I use is 34 cm by 23 cm, which fits this batch perfectly.
• Get your foil ready: You’ll need it later to cover the dish for the final bake.

Step-by-step Cooking Instructions

Follow these simple steps using the images with their corresponding step. If you get stuck, watch my video for extra help!

Prepare the meatball mixture

1. In a large bowl, add the ground beef, grated red onions (juice squeezed out), minced garlic, eggs, chopped mint, chopped parsley, olive oil, ground cumin, salt, black pepper, and the soaked bread.
2. Mix everything together well with your hands until smooth and sticky. The mixture should hold its shape easily.

Shape and bake the meatballs

1. Preheat your preheated oven to 170°C (340°F) fan-forced.
2. Lightly oil your baking dish (I use a 34 cm by 23 cm dish for this batch).
3. Shape the mixture into oval meatballs, around 100 grams each, and place them straight into the prepared baking dish as you go.
4. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

Cook the tomato sauce

1. While the meatballs are baking, heat a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat, then add the grated brown onion (with its juice) and minced garlic. Sauté until soft and fragrant.
2. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for about 1 minute.
3. Add the tomato passata, water, dry red wine, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, salt, and black pepper.
4. Mix well, bring it to a gentle simmer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until slightly thickened.

Finish baking and serve

1. Carefully remove the soutzoukakia from the oven.
2. Pour the hot tomato-based sauce over the meatballs, making sure everything is fully covered.
3. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminium foil to lock in the moisture.
4. Place it back in the oven and bake for another 30 minutes until the meatballs are tender and the sauce has thickened beautifully.

Serving suggestions

• Plain rice: My favourite pairing. The rice soaks up that rich tomato-based sauce without taking anything away from the flavours of the main dish.
• Mashed potatoes or cauliflower mash: Both are perfect if you want something creamy to go alongside. We’ve been enjoying cauliflower mash at home lately and it works really well.
• Simple roast potatoes: Crispy roast potatoes on the side always work. Keep them simple so they don’t compete with the sauce.
• Greek salad: A classic Greek salad with cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, red onion, Kalamata olives, and feta tossed in olive oil gives a fresh contrast to the warm, rich meatballs. You can also check out my other Greek salad recipes for more ideas.
• Fresh bread: Serve with my easy crusty bread recipe, or try my Greek pita bread or Cypriot pita bread. Perfect for soaking up every bit of that sauce and even the salad juices.
• Desserts to finish: After the main course, why not treat yourself to something sweet? My karidopita, kataifi rolls, and baklava recipe are all classic warm desserts. Or check out my full collection of Greek desserts for even more options to enjoy at the end.

Top Tips

• Squeeze the red onions well: Make sure you squeeze out as much liquid from the grated red onions before adding them to the meatball mixture. This keeps the mixture firm and easy to shape.
• Weigh your meatballs: I like to use a scale and roll them at around 100 grams each. This keeps them even in size, juicy, and cooking evenly in the oven.
• Simmer the sauce gently: Let it quietly bubble while the meatballs bake. The longer it simmers, the richer and thicker your sauce will get.
• Taste and adjust seasoning: Once everything is cooked, give it a taste and adjust the salt or pepper if needed. 

Storage

• You can store any leftovers in the fridge for up to three days. When you’re ready to reheat, just pop the soutzoukakia into an oven-safe dish, cover them, and warm them gently in the oven until heated through. The flavour is just as good, if not better, the next day.

FAQ

📖 Recipe