Ktzitzot: 🇮🇱Israeli Meatballs Recipe
Low Carb + Gluten Free 🥩
This spiced meatball recipe is made with ground beef or lamb and served with a rich tomato sauce, creating a delightful fusion of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flavors. It’s been a weekly staple in our house since early June 2024, I’ve served it for Shabbat dinner and I am make in Maine with my Mom too!
In Hebrew, the word "קציצות" (pronounced "ktzitzot") refers to meatballs or patties, and it can be used to describe a wide variety of small, round portions of ground meat, fish, or vegetables that are mixed with various seasonings and ingredients, and then cooked by frying, baking, or boiling. Alongside flavor, texture adds to the appeal of perennial favorite meatballs, with a crispy exterior giving way to a juicy, flavorful interior. For many people, meatballs are full of nostalgia and memories of family-style meals.
White the idea of meatballs may conjure up an image of oily indulgence, this recipe is a healthy dish, a great source of protein and balanced with acidic tomato. With a prep time of just 10 minutes, they combine ground meat, coconut flour, minced shallots and garlic, and warm spices like cinnamon, cumin, coriander, and nutmeg. For a touch of heat, cayenne pepper can be added. Fresh parsley and a binding egg complete the mix, which is then shaped into 19 meatballs. While the recipe suggests cooking them in an air fryer at 200°C for 5 minutes for convenience, they can also be seared on the stove, baked in the oven or cooked directly in the sauce for a more integrated flavor.
The accompanying tomato sauce is simple and its tangy acidic taste compliments the richness of the beef or lamb in the meatballs. Starting with sautéed onions and garlic, the sauce builds its base with canned chopped tomatoes and tomato paste, enriched with bay leaves for depth. The sauce is simmered to meld the flavors, and then the meatballs are added to cook gently for 30 minutes, allowing them to soak up the rich tomato essence.
If you want to simplify the recipe, you can use a tablespoon of Baharat spice mix instead of all the separate ones indicated in the recipe. Additionally, to spice up the tomato sauce, you can add 1 teaspoon of Baharat spice mix or 1 teaspoon of ground cumin and a sprinkling of cayenne pepper.
This recipe is perfect for batch cooking, so double the recipe! You can freeze cooked portions to have later, or even freeze the meatballs raw so they are ready on hand when you need a meal in a pinch. I recommend doubling (or even tripling) the tomato sauce recipe and freezing in ice cube trays so you have a perfect tomato sauce ready for a wide range of meals.
Ktzitzot: Israeli Meatballs Recipe
1 lb ground meat (lamb or beef, 450g)
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoon coconut flour
2 shallots, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (optional for extra heat)
1 egg
¼ cup fresh parsley, loosely packed (handful)
Simple Tomato Sauce
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, grated
28 oz canned, chopped tomatoes (800g)
2 tsp tomato paste
½ cup water (125ml, or as needed)
2 bay leaves
Salt (if needed, to taste)
Sugar or stevia (if needed, to taste)
Instructions
Make the meatballs. In a large bowl, mix ground meat with all the other meatball ingredients until evenly mixed. Best to use your hands for this! With lightly oiled hands, shape into 19 balls, 30 grams each.
Cook meatballs in the air fryer (or by your preferred method) at 200°C for 5 minutes. Alternatively, set the raw meatballs aside until you’ve made the sauce and then cook them directly in it.
Make the sauce. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil on medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook for about 5-7 minutes or until translucent. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the rest of the sauce ingredients apart from the salt, and bring it up to a boil. Let it simmer for 5 minutes.
At this point, add the meatballs to the sauce, either pre-cooked or still in their raw form.
Cover and leave to simmer for 30 minutes, checking occasionally to make sure the sauce is not becoming too dry.
Taste and adjust seasonings, then serve.
This dish can be served with just tomato sauce, over a whole grain, with a side of potatoes or fresh bread, or with pasta noodles. I recommend it with a large, fresh crunchy green leaf salad to balance this dish perfectly.
Do you have a favorite Israeli recipe you want to share? I would love to hear it, please get in touch kenden@jewishfoodhero.com
Am Yisrael Chai 🕊️
Kenden