Russian Meatballs With Rice (Ezhiki)
These authentic Russian meatballs, known as "Ezhiki," are made with ground beef, cooked rice, and a creamy sour cream sauce. The rice gives the meatballs a unique texture, and the recipe is budget-friendly while still being absolutely delicious. Enjoy these hearty meatballs as a comforting main dish that pairs perfectly with stewed cabbage or mashed potatoes!
Servings: 4
Calories: 379kcal
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Non-stick Frying pan
- Pot with lid
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 cup cooked rice
- 1 egg
- 1/2 onion finely chopped or grated
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tbsp oil
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, cooked rice, egg, grated onion, salt, and pepper. Mix until evenly blended.
- Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Shape the meat mixture into meatballs and place them in the pan, ensuring they don’t touch each other.
- Cook meatballs for about 3 minutes on one side until browned. Flip carefully and cook for another 3 minutes on the other side.
- Remove the browned meatballs from the pan and transfer them to a pot.
- In a small bowl, mix sour cream with water. Pour the mixture over the meatballs in the pot.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes.
- Serve hot with your favorite side dish like mashed potatoes or stewed cabbage.
Notes
- Feel free to add tomato sauce for a flavorful variation, though it’s not part of the traditional recipe.
- You can stretch this recipe by increasing the cooked rice to 1 cup for a budget-friendly twist without compromising the taste.
Nutrition
Calories: 379kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 130mg | Sodium: 684mg | Potassium: 367mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 150IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 2mg