About this recipe

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Why you’ll love it

Juicy meatballs, sweet roasted peppers, tender potatoes, tomato paprika sauce, garlic, and herbs make this Balkan stew bold, cozy, and perfect for spooning with bread. 🍞

Ingredients

• Meatballs 🍖
• 🍖 500 g ground beef (1.1 lb)
• 🧅 80 g onion, finely grated (⅔ cup / 2.8 oz)
• 🧄 2 garlic cloves, minced (2 cloves / 0.35 oz)
• 🥚 1 large egg, 50 g (1 egg / 1.8 oz) egg
• 🍞 45 g fine breadcrumbs (½ cup / 1.6 oz)
• 🌿 12 g fresh parsley, chopped (¼ cup / 0.4 oz)
• 🌶 4 g sweet paprika (1½ tsp / 0.14 oz)
• 🧂 5 g fine sea salt (¾ tsp / 0.17 oz)
• ⚫ 2 g black pepper (1 tsp / 0.07 oz)
• Stew base 🍲
• 🫒 30 ml olive oil (2 tbsp / 1 fl oz)
• 🧅 180 g onion, finely chopped (1½ cups / 6.3 oz)
• 🥕 120 g carrot, diced (1 cup / 4.2 oz)
• 🧄 4 garlic cloves, minced (4 cloves / 0.7 oz)
• 🌶 400 g roasted red peppers, peeled and sliced (2 cups / 14.1 oz)
• 🥔 650 g waxy potatoes, cut into chunks (4 cups / 1.43 lb)
• 🍅 400 g crushed tomatoes (1½ cups / 14.1 oz)
• 🍅 35 g tomato paste (2 tbsp / 1.2 oz)
• 🌶 5 g sweet paprika (2 tsp / 0.17 oz)
• 🌫 2 g smoked paprika (1 tsp / 0.07 oz)
• 🍃 2 bay leaves
• 💧 900 ml beef or vegetable stock (3¾ cups / 30.4 fl oz)
• 🧂 5 g fine sea salt (¾ tsp / 0.17 oz)
• ⚫ 2 g black pepper (1 tsp / 0.07 oz)
• Finish 🌿
• 🌿 20 g fresh parsley, chopped (½ cup loose / 0.7 oz)
• 🍋 15 ml lemon juice (1 tbsp / 0.5 fl oz)
• 🫒 10 ml olive oil for finishing (2 tsp / 0.3 fl oz)

Preparation

• Mix the meatballs 🍖 In a bowl, combine ground beef, grated onion, garlic, egg, breadcrumbs, parsley, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Mix gently for 1 min, just until combined.
• Shape and chill ❄ Shape into 18 small meatballs. Chill for 10 min so they hold their shape while browning.
• Brown the meatballs 🔥 Heat olive oil in a wide pot over medium heat. Brown the meatballs for 6 min, turning gently. They do not need to cook through yet. Remove to a plate.
• Build the base 🧅 In the same pot, add onion and carrot. Cook for 7 min, stirring often, until softened and lightly golden. Add garlic and cook for 1 min.
• Add pepper flavor 🌶 Stir in roasted red peppers, tomato paste, sweet paprika, smoked paprika, bay leaves, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 3 min so the paprika blooms and the sauce deepens.
• Simmer the potatoes 🥔 Add crushed tomatoes, potatoes, and stock. Bring to a gentle boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 22 min, until the potatoes are almost tender.
• Return the meatballs 🍲 Add the browned meatballs back to the pot. Simmer gently for 14 min, until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce is thick and glossy.
• Finish fresh 🌿 Remove the bay leaves. Stir in parsley, lemon juice, and olive oil. Rest for 10 min before serving so the sauce settles around the potatoes and meatballs.

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