Soutzoukakia Chiou
Spiced meatballs in rich tomato sauce — the soul food of Chios
⏱
30 min
Prep
🍳
40 min
Cook
👥
4
Serves
📊
Medium
Difficulty
Soutzoukakia are elongated, cumin-spiced meatballs simmered in a deeply flavored tomato sauce. Every Greek family has their version, but the Chian preparation distinguishes itself with the addition of a small amount of crushed mastic resin, which adds a subtle, haunting complexity to the sauce. Serve with rice pilaf or crusty bread.
Ingredients
- For the meatballs:
- 500g ground beef (or half beef, half lamb)
- 1 slice stale bread, soaked in water and squeezed dry
- 1 egg
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1.5 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- Salt and black pepper
- Olive oil for frying
- For the sauce:
- 1 x 400g can crushed tomatoes
- 1 medium onion, grated
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp Chios mastic powder (grind 3-4 crystals with a pinch of sugar)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- Handful fresh flat-leaf parsley
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
Method
- Combine all meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well with your hands until completely uniform. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes — this helps the meatballs hold their shape.
- With wet hands, shape the meat mixture into elongated ovals, about the size of a large date. You should get about 16-18 meatballs.
- Heat olive oil in a wide, heavy pan over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs on all sides — about 3-4 minutes — until they have a deep golden crust. Work in batches; do not crowd the pan. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, reduce heat to medium and saute the grated onion in olive oil until soft and golden, about 8 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook another minute. Add the crushed tomatoes, sugar, cinnamon, mastic powder, salt and pepper.
- Simmer the sauce for 10 minutes, then return the meatballs to the pan. Partially cover and simmer gently for 20-25 minutes, turning the meatballs occasionally.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Finish with fresh parsley and a drizzle of good olive oil.
- Serve with steamed rice, orzo, or crusty bread to soak up the extraordinary sauce.