Description
Giouvarlakia Soupa is a traditional Greek slow-cooked soup featuring tender beef and rice meatballs simmered in a flavorful vegetable broth, finished with a creamy egg-lemon sauce known as avgolemono. This comforting and hearty dish is served with crusty bread and feta cheese, perfect for a cozy meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 4 cups (960 ml) hot vegetable stock
- 4 cups (960 ml) cold tap water
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) butter
- 1 3/4 teaspoons (11 g) salt, divided
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
Meatballs
- 2 pounds (900 g) ground beef (or a mix of ground beef and pork)
- 1/2 cup (85 g) arborio rice
- 3/4 cup (140 g) minced onion (lightly packed)
- 1/4 cup (15 g) finely chopped parsley leaves (tightly packed)
- 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Egg-Lemon Sauce (Avgolemono)
- 2 eggs
- 5 tablespoons (75 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
To Serve
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Fresh crusty bread
- Feta cheese
Instructions
- Prepare the broth: Pour the hot vegetable stock and cold tap water into the slow cooker, then add the butter and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. This forms the flavorful base for the meatballs to cook in.
- Make the meatball mixture: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, arborio rice, minced onion, chopped parsley, dried tarragon, olive oil, the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly with your hands, kneading gently for a couple of minutes until well incorporated.
- Shape the meatballs: Using three level tablespoons of the mixture, form large meatballs and place them on a plate. Continue shaping the entire mixture; you should have about 22 meatballs.
- Add meatballs to the slow cooker: Gently drop all the meatballs into the slow cooker with the broth, ensuring they are submerged.
- Slow cook the soup: Cook on low for 5 to 6 hours, or until the meatballs are fully cooked through and tender. Once done, turn the slow cooker off.
- Prepare the avgolemono sauce: In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and lemon juice together until well combined. Gradually temper this mixture by slowly adding hot soup from the slow cooker, about 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking continuously. Continue adding until you have incorporated 2 to 3 cups of hot soup and the bowl becomes warm to the touch.
- Finish the soup: Pour the tempered egg-lemon mixture back into the slow cooker, stirring gently to combine and avoid curdling, creating a creamy and tangy finish.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls, and serve garnished with freshly ground black pepper, alongside fresh crusty bread and feta cheese for a traditional accompaniment.
Notes
- This recipe originates from the cookbook The Greek Slow Cooker, ideal for making traditional Greek dishes with minimal active cooking.
- Be sure to temper the egg-lemon mixture slowly to avoid scrambling the eggs and to create a smooth, silky sauce.
- Using arborio rice adds creaminess and slight texture to the meatballs as it cooks slowly.
- You can substitute ground pork partially or entirely for beef for added flavor variety.
- Serve with crusty bread to soak up the delicious broth and feta for a salty contrast.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 380 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 680 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg
