Youvarlakia (Greek Meatball Soup)

4.77 from 13 votes

Youvarlakia, also spelled giouvarlakia, is a Greek meatball and rice soup with a tangy, lemony broth. An egg and lemon emulsion called avgolemono imparts an irresistible velvety quality and deliciously bright flavor to complement the rich, herbaceous meatballs. This hearty and comforting soup is a sure-fire hit with the whole family!

Prep Time20

Cook Time40

Total Time1

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: Greek

Diet: Gluten Free, Low Lactose

Servings:

Author: Ruth Bardis

Ingredients

For the Broth

2 quarts (8 cups) water
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the Meatballs

1 pound ground beef (preferably 80/20)
1 cup Arborio rice ,uncooked
1 large onion, grated
1 egg
1/2 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup finely chopped mint
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

For the Avgolemono

2 eggs
2 large lemons, juiced

To Serve

Freshly ground black pepper
Lemon wedges
Crusty bread or pita bread (optional)

Instructions

Make the broth. Into a large soup pot or Dutch oven, add the water, two tablespoons of olive oil, and one teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low to allow the water to simmer while you roll the meatballs.
Make the meatballs. In a large bowl, combine the beef, rice, onion, egg, parsley, mint, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Mix the ingredients well, then roll approximately 40 small meatballs with your palms (they should each be a little smaller than a golf ball).
Cook the meatballs. Carefully transfer the meatballs to the simmering water, you may need to push the meatballs aside with a spoon as you go to make room. Adjust the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook until the meatballs are cooked through, about 30 minutes.
Make the Avgolemono. While the meatballs cook, separate the eggs, placing the whites in a medium bowl and the yolks in a small bowl. Whisk the whites until they are thick and fluffy but not too stiff. Add the yolks and lemon juice to the egg whites and whisk until fully incorporated. It will look very thick and yellow, whisk vigorously to fully incorporate.
Temper the eggs. When the meatballs have cooked through, take one large ladle of broth from the pot of meatballs and slowly drizzle the liquid into the egg and lemon mixture while whisking continuously. Repeat with a second ladleful of broth. Pour the egg and lemon mixture into the soup, while stirring. At this point, it should be foamy, still watery, and light yellow in color. Turn the burner off, cover the pot with a lid and let the soup sit for about 10 minutes to thicken.
Serve. Divide the soup among bowls and finish with freshly cracked black pepper. Serve with lemon wedges and, optionally, bread on the side.

Notes

This soup is at its best immediately after it’s cooked, as it loses some of its fluffiness once it’s reheated. You can store the leftovers, covered in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days and reheat over the stovetop. Just keep in mind your leftovers won’t have the luxurious fluffy texture of the first serving.
Be sure to use small or medium-grain white rice like arborio or carnaroli, which cooks in unison with the meatballs to be perfectly tender yet toothsome. Avoid long-grain, like basmati, or precooked, or instant rice as it will become mushy. I don’t recommend brown rice as it takes far longer to cook and will result in overcooked meatballs.
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Nutrition

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