Home Cook Together. Celebrate Life.

PersianAuthentic Cuisine

Persian Meatball Pot 2

Serves 4 to 6 Entree meat

Persian Meatball Pot 2

Persian Meatball Pot 2 embodies the essence of home-cooked Persian meals, where every ingredient is measured by intuition rather than rigid recipe. Hand-judged salt and generous use of fat mark the dish as a staple found on Persian family tables, shared and savored in warm company. This version captures the spirit of a dish passed down through generations, each cook adding their own touch.

Expect a hearty, comforting dish where tender meatballs, seasoned with the warmth of black pepper and aromatic onions, meld with the rich juices of ripe tomatoes. The textures are soft yet substantial, a satisfying embrace of flavors that invites communal enjoyment.

Ingredients

  • 700 gground beef
  • 1onion
  • 1egg
  • 2 tbspbreadcrumbs
  • 2tomatoes
  • to tastefine sea salt and black pepper

Method

  1. Begin by finely chopping 1 onion. In a large mixing bowl, combine 700 g ground beef, the chopped onion, 1 egg, and 2 tbsp breadcrumbs. Season this mixture generously with fine sea salt and black pepper to taste. Mix everything together using your hands until well combined, ensuring the breadcrumbs and egg are evenly distributed to bind the meat.
  2. Shape the mixture into meatballs, each about the size of a golf ball. This should yield approximately 12 to 14 meatballs. Ensure they are compact and smooth, which will help them hold their shape during cooking.
  3. Heat a generous amount of oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the meatballs in batches, ensuring not to overcrowd the pot. Brown the meatballs on all sides until they develop a deep, golden-brown crust. This should take about 3 to 4 minutes per side, and the aroma should be rich and savory.
  4. While the meatballs are browning, dice 2 tomatoes. Once all the meatballs are browned, remove them from the pot and set aside. Add the diced tomatoes to the pot, using the residual oil and meat juices to sauté them. Stir occasionally until the tomatoes break down into a thick sauce, which should take about 5 minutes.
  5. Return the browned meatballs to the pot, nestling them into the tomato sauce. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer, cover the pot, and allow the meatballs to braise in the sauce. Cook until the meatballs are tender and the sauce has thickened slightly, about 15 to 20 minutes. The meatballs should be firm yet yielding to the touch, and the sauce should have a rich, concentrated flavor.
  6. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if necessary. The flavors should be balanced, with the meatballs infused with the savory tomato sauce. Serve the Persian Meatball Pot 2 with rice, bread, or salad, encouraging diners to share and enjoy the communal nature of this dish.
Cover of Authentic Persian Cuisine
From the cookbook

Authentic Persian Cuisine

This recipe is from Authentic Persian Cuisine by Yassine Sbiti — the Persian volume in the ComidaTime International Cuisines series.

Available soon on Amazon…

Explore Persian cuisine