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Yuvarlakia or Greek Meatball Soup is a flavorful dish of wonderfully seasoned meatballs with an Avgolemono or egg lemon sauce.  A light and delicious dish. 

A bowl of Yuvarlakia - Greek Meatball Soup next to a bowl of dill and parsley.

Yuvarlakia is a Greek dish of seasoned meatballs with an Avgolemono or egg lemon sauce. It’s a savory meatball soup and although not difficult to make, there are several steps involved.

The meatballs are a flavorful blend of ground beef, ground pork, egg, rice, onion, garlic and fresh parsley and dill combined with an exotic array of spices. You could substitute ground turkey for the ground beef to lighten it up but definitely don’t skimp on the herbs.

Why This Recipe Works

  • The meatballs are tender, juicy and so flavorful!
  • The meatballs may be assembled in advance and they freeze very well.
  • The parsley and the dill bring so much flavor to the meatballs.

Ingredient Notes

See recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.

  • Ground beef and ground pork
  • Eggs
  • Rice
  • Ground allspice, salt, nutmeg, and black pepper
  • Onions, garlic, parsley, and dill
  • Olive oil
  • Milk
  • Chicken broth
  • Water
  • Lemon juice

How To Make This Recipe

  1. Mix the beef, pork, egg, rice, allspice, salt, nutmeg, pepper, parsley, dill, onion, garlic, olive oil and milk in a large bowl.
  2. Break off pieces of the meat mixture and roll them into 1 1/2-inch balls.
Closeup of Raw Greek meatballs on a baking sheet.
3. Heat a large pot and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add in the meatballs in 2 batches. Brown the meatballs on all sides, then transfer to a plate.
4. After all the meatballs are browned on all sides, add them all back to the pot.
5. Add chicken broth, water, chopped parsley, chopped dill, and salt to the pot. Cover and simmer gently for about 50 minutes.
6. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, lemon juice and salt together. Remove the pot from the heat.
7. Add a ladleful of the broth to the bowl with the eggs and lemon juice, whisk it.
8. Whisk in another ladleful of the broth to warm the egg mixture.
9. Pour it all back into the pot and gently stir.
10. Allow the sauce to slightly thicken for a minute or two.
11. Add salt to taste.
A bowl of Yuvarlakia on a red cloth napkin on a metal tray

Expert Tips

  • You could substitute ground turkey for the ground beef to lighten it up but definitely don’t skimp on the herbs.
  • The amount of spices you use can be adjusted to suit your preference.
  • Use either chicken or beef broth.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do You Make The Avgolemono Sauce?

Towards the end of the cooking time, I make an Avgolemono sauce by whisking together an egg, lemon juice and a pinch of salt in a bowl.

This now becomes a little tricky – not difficult though. You don’t want to pour the egg-lemon mixture into the pan because the heat will cause the eggs to cook too quickly and curdle. What should be done is to temper the eggs to prevent curdling.

You do this by adding a ladleful of the meatball broth to the bowl with the egg-lemon mixture and whisk it in, then add another ladleful and whisk it again. This will slowly warm the eggs.

Now, remove your pan from heat and stir the egg mixture into the soup. Give a gentle stir and in a minute or two, the sauce will thicken a bit.

What Should Be Served With This Dish?

Mostly I serve this dish alone, or as a soup without rice. But a side of orzo or rice would be a nice addition if you choose to do so. I always have a loaf of crusty French Bread for dipping because you never want to miss a drop of the sauce.

Can You Freeze Meatballs?

Yes!

Cook the meatballs and let them cool. Then, place the cooked meatballs on a baking tray (make sure the meatballs aren’t touching) and put the tray in the freezer for 1-2 hours.

When the meatballs are frozen through, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. Label with the date and store meatballs in the freezer for up to 3 months.

A bowl of Yuvarlakia- Greek Meatballs on a red cloth napkin on a metal tray next to a glass of red wine and a dish of dill and parsley

Easy and delicious, Yuvarlakia is comfort food at it’s finest.

Enjoy!

Yuvarlakia – Greek Meatball Soup

By: Joanie Zisk
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
A bowl of Yuvarlakia - Greek Meatball Soup next to a bowl of dill and parsley.
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Yuvarlakia or Greek Meatball Soup is a flavorful dish of wonderfully seasoned meatballs with an Avgolemono or egg lemon sauce. A light and delicious dish.

Ingredients 

  • 16 ounces ground beef
  • 16 ounces ground pork
  • 1 egg lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup medium grain rice
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped Italian Parsley
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped dill
  • 1 large onion finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 ounces milk
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 4 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 4 tablespoons chopped dill
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • FOR AVGOLEMONO SAUCE
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions 

  • Mix the beef, pork, egg, rice, allspice, salt, nutmeg, pepper, parsley, dill, onion, garlic, olive oil and milk in a large bowl. Mix very well
  • Break off pieces of the meat mixture and roll them into 1 1/2-inch balls.
  • Heat a large pot and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add in the meatballs in 2 batches. Brown the meatballs on all sides, then transfer to a plate.
  • After all the meatballs are browned on all sides, add them all back to the pot.
  • Add 4 cups of chicken broth, 2 cups water, chopped parsley, chopped dill, and salt to the pot. Cover and simmer gently for about 50 minutes.
  • In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, lemon juice and salt together. Remove the pot from the heat.
  • Add a ladleful of the broth to the bowl with the eggs and lemon juice, whisk it.
  • Whisk in another ladleful of the broth to warm the egg mixture.
  • Pour it all back into the pot and gently stir.
  • Allow the sauce to slightly thicken for a minute or two.
  • Add salt to taste.
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5 Comments

  1. I have a well-document weakness for meatballs, and this soup looks delicious! I learned to make Golabki as a teen, from my friend Julie’s mother, who immigrated from Poland. Decades later, they are now a family favorite.

  2. Interesting combination of flavors! I never thought of including dill in a meat dish. I’m pinning to my Simple Dinner Recipes board.

  3. I’ve been looking for a new meatball recipe and this soup sounds like one rich in flavor–yum–can’t wait to try it!