These German Meatballs are German comfort food at its best! Using a few basic ingredients allows the capers to shine through!
We were dinner guests of some German friends, and the haunting aromas coming from the kitchen had me intrigued from the get-go! I was not disappointed when this lovely creamy dish arrived at the table.
What Makes This Recipe Special?
- This is a tried-and-true classic German recipe with an unusual combination of creaminess and capers.
- It is a great comfort food dinner, but it is equally company-worthy.
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Ingredients & Substitutions
- The recipe calls for equal parts ground beef and ground pork, which is the recommended version, but if you only have ground beef, don't let that stop you from making it.
- The capers, vinegar, lemon juice, and sour cream are essentials for the sauce. You won't get the bright herbal tones without them.
How To Make It
- You are going to make the meatballs. This can be done a head of time if you like, even the day before you plan to serve it.
- Then, you will simmer the meatballs in chicken broth with the bay leaf.
- At the end of the cooking time, you will add the remaining flavour ingredients and the sour cream.
- Once everything is heated through and mixed, you will serve it with rice or potatoes, or spaetzle.
- Beets are another typical side dish for this.
Wine Pairing
An herbal, crisp white wine, such as a Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Soave or Lugana would be a good match with the herbal creamy sauce.
Related Recipes
German Meatballs (Konigsberger Klopse)
A hint of savoury capers in a cream gravy over these German meatballs make for a delicious meal.
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Save Print Pin FacebookServings: 4 servings
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 lb lean ground pork
- 2 eggs
- 1 small onion finely diced
- ½ cup soft bread crumbs (finely shredded bread or kaiser rolls) Substitute potato flakes for gluten free
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Sauce
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon black pepper corns
- 4 Tbsps cornstarch
- 3 Tbsps cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 Tbsps capers
- 1 cup sour cream See notes below for a dairy-free version.
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Mix all meat ball ingredients together in a large bowl until ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Form into golf ball size meat balls. You should get about 24 meat balls.
- Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a large surface pan. Add the bay leaf and the pepper corns.
- Add the meatballs and reduce heat so the that meatballs simmer gently about 15 minutes. Remove meatballs and keep warm.
- Discard the bay leaf.
- Mix cornstarch with a bit of cold water to form a runny paste. Stir into the stock and simmer until it thickens.
- Add cider vinegar and lemon juice. Add meatballs and rewarm them.
- Remove from heat and add the sour cream and capers. Serve immediately with boiled potatoes or rice or spaetzle.
Notes
Variation: For a cream-free version, remove meatballs from stock. Drain and reserve stock. Melt 6 Tbsps of butter in the bottom of the pan, add 4 Tbsps flour and stir well. Return reserved liquid to the flour slurry and stir constantly until thickened. Remove the pan from the heat. Separate an egg. Reserve the white for another use. Add some of the sauce to the egg yolk in a separate bowl and stir well. Add the sauce and egg yolk to the pan and stir well. Add 3 Tbsps capers and 1 teaspoon sharp mustard. Return the meatballs to the pan. Mix well and heat through.
Wine Pairing
An herbal, crisp white wine, such as a Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Soave or Lugana would be a good match with the herbal creamy sauce.
Nutrition based on the sour cream version:
Nutrition
Calories: 580kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 60g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 220mg | Sodium: 1259mg | Potassium: 448mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g
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