Gehaktballen Recipe (Dutch Meatballs)

Name: Gehaktballen Recipe (Dutch Meatballs)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 lb (about 450–500 g) lean ground beef; 1 large egg; 2 onions, grated or very finely chopped; 1 tsp salt; 1 1/2 tsp curry powder; 1/2 tsp mace (or a small pinch of ground nutmeg); 1/2 tsp black pepper; 1/2 cup butter (about 100 g); 3 cups water; 1/2 cup sweet soy sauce (ketjap manis style)

25 min

Cook Time

Meatballs

Cuisine

4 Servings

Serving

Medium

Difficulty

İyi Bir Yemek

Recipe Author

Ingredients

4 Servings

For the meatball mixture:
For cooking:

Directions

Mix the meatball base

Add the ground beef, egg, onion, salt, curry powder, mace, and black pepper to a bowl. Mix with your hands for 2–3 minutes until the mixture looks even and cohesive.

Shape and chill briefly

Form the mixture into 8–10 meatballs. If you have time, chill them for 10 minutes so they hold their shape better in the pan.

Brown in butter

Melt the butter in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs and brown them on all sides, turning gently, for about 6–8 minutes.

Simmer to cook through

Carefully pour in the water. Lower the heat, cover, and let the meatballs simmer gently for 10–12 minutes, turning once or twice.

Finish with sweet soy sauce

Drizzle in the sweet soy sauce. Let it bubble on low for 2–3 minutes, turning the meatballs so they’re lightly coated. Serve hot; mashed potatoes or rice works well alongside.

This Gehaktballen recipe is a Dutch-style meatball made with lean ground beef, onion, and warm spices. You brown the meatballs in butter, then let them gently simmer with a little water, finishing with a sweet soy sauce (ketjap manis style) for a lightly caramel-like glaze. Follow these “how to make” steps for juicy, tender meatballs.