Russia Katletis (Russian Meatballs)
Russian Katletis from my Russian grandmother to my father, to me, and now to you! I tweaked the gravy a little bit, but it’s pretty much the same recipe. Bold and delicious! I grew up on these. They have been one of my favorites my whole life!
What Is a Katleti?
Almost every culture has their version of a meatball, ground meat of some sort with spices and other fillers, and usually a sauce to go with it. Most here in the US are familiar with the Italian meatball and even the Swedish and Asian meatballs. However, your life will not be fulfilled until you have Katletis, which are the Russian version of a meatball!
Katletis are typically served with a brown gravy and have an oblong shape. I couldn’t get enough of them when I was growing up, I would devour them! I made Katelti Subs – similar to a Meatball Sub, but, you know, with Katletis! And the brown gravy instead of the tomato sauce.
After taking the photos for this, I posted them online and one of my Aunts said, “They look just like grandma (her mother) made them!” My father, who in my opinion made the best Katletis, even said they tasted ‘almost’ like his mother’s. I think he’s a little biased, though.
I just had to share these!
What Are the Ingredients for Russian Katletis?
Many Eastern European food has very basic and readily available ingredients. Many of those nations were quite poor so they used a lot of fillers like potatoes and bread since they were cheat and easy to come by. So the white bread in this recipe really is quite essential. You will not have the same taste if you use a whole grain bread or some other substitute. You will definitely get dry Katletis is you skip it altogether. Keep that in mind as you review the ingredients:
- White Bread, crust trimmed off
- Milk
- Ground Beef, 90/10 or 93/7
- Medium Onion, grated
- Egg
- Kosher Salt
- Garlic Powder
- Black Pepper
- Au Jus Gravy Mix
- Brown Gravy Mix
- Fresh Thyme
- Fresh Parsley
- Bay Leaves
- Fresh Sage
- Olive oil
Ingredient Tips and Explanation
Bread – as stated above, this is essential; it cannot be skipped or substituted and have the same taste.
Beef – my favorite is 93/7, but 90/10 is great as well. Using a higher fat count will cause the Katletis to shrink too much. You will lose tons of flavor while searing them, and while roasting, the fat will come out in the gravy making it very greasy.
Onion – this is a major flavor component in Russian Katletis. I use sweet onions because I feel they provide the best flavor.
Gravy Mixes – my father used to use a McCormick Hunter mix and their Au Jus. However, the Hunter mix is gone. I tried using beef stock and they came out awesome, but were missing something. So I used my McCormick Brown Gravy mix, which I always have on hand, with the Au Jus. I put in fresh herbs (called a bouquet garni) which adds great flavor to the gravy.
Fresh Herbs – I love the flavor an herb packet gives to sauces and gravies especially. I use the basic combination that is standard, which is parsley, thyme, and bay leaves. Additionally, for this recipe, I add sage. It provides a subtle undertone that would be missing without it.
How Do You Make Russian Katletis?
This recipe has two stages – searing and roasting. You need to sear the outside of the Katletis just like any other meatball to keep the juices in so that the end product is moist. You also have the gravy to make during the searing process. I get the gravy going first since it takes only about 5 minutes to get it started.
- Set the oven to 350° F.
- Pour the milk in a bowl and soak the bread in the milk. Let it sit while getting the gravy started.
- In a saucepan, empty the Au Jus and Brown Gravy mixes. Add a small amount of water and whisk until there are no clumps. Add the remainder of the water according the directions on the package.
- Tie the thyme, parsley, bay leaves, and sage together using cooking twine or in cheese cloth. This is called a “bouquet garni.” Place the herbs in the gravy.
- Bring the gravy to a boil then reduce it simmer. Allow to simmer for 15 minutes.
- Mix all the ground beef, onion, egg, garlic powder, salt and pepper together, including the soaked bread and milk. Form the meat mixture into oblong meatballs.
- Heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil in a medium skillet. Sear on all sides as you would a regular meatball. Once cooked, place them in a roasting pan* that you can cover.
- Cook the Katletis in batches. After removing each batch, use a small amount of water and a wooden spoon (or similar item) to loosen up the bits left behind. Reserve the liquid to use later.
- Strain out the large pieces from the reserved liquid from step 8. Add the liquid to the gravy and whisk together. Remove the herb bundle and discard. Pour the gravy mixture over the Katletis in the roasting pan.
- Cover and place in the oven, Cook for 30 minutes.
* Pro Recommendation
This is the Roasting Pan I use for my Russian Katletis and really for anything else like whole chicken, standing rib roast, and more. It is so versatile, I highly recommend it!
You Can’t Eat Katletis without Mashed Potatoes!
Try This Amazing Recipe to Enjoy the Full Experience!
Russian Katleti (Russian Meatballs)
Ingredients
- 6 slices White Bread, crust trimmed off
- 1 Cup Milk
- 3 lbs Ground Beef, 90/10 or 93/7
- 1 medium Onion, grated
- 1 Egg
- 2 1/2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Pepper
- 1 package Au Jus Gravy mix
- 1/2 package Brown Gravy mix
- 5 sprigs Fresh Thyme
- 5 sprigs Fresh Parsley
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1 leaf Fresh Sage
- 2 Tablespoons Olive oil
Instructions
-
Set the oven to 350° F.
-
Pour the milk in a bowl and soak the bread in the milk.
-
In a saucepan, empty the Au Jus and Brown Gravy mixes. Add a small amount of water and whisk until there are no clumps. Add the remainder of the water according the directions on the package.
-
Tie the thyme, parsley, bay leaves, and sage together using cooking twine or in cheese cloth. Place the herbs in the gravy.
-
Bring the gravy to a boil then reduce it simmer. Allow to simmer for 15 minutes.
-
Mix all the ground beef, onion, egg, garlic powder, salt and pepper together, including the soaked bread and milk. Form the meat mixture into oblong meatballs.
-
Heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil in a medium skillet. Sear on all sides as you would a regular meatball. Once cooked, place them in a roasting pan that you can cover.
-
Cook the Katletis in batches. After removing each batch, use a small amount of water and a wooden spoon (or similar item) to loosen up the bits left behind. Reserve the liquid to use later.
-
Strain out the large pieces from the reserved liquid from step 8. Add the liquid to the gravy and whisk together. Remove the herb bundle and discard. Pour the gravy mixture over the Katletis in the roasting pan.
-
Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
