German Königsberger Klopse-Style Meatballs in Tomato Basil Sauce

About This Recipe

Königsberger Klopse are traditionally German meatballs made from a mix of veal and pork, bound with soaked bread and egg for a very tender, almost delicate texture, then poached gently in broth and served in a white caper-cream sauce. This version keeps the classic tender meatball technique but swaps in a tomato-basil sauce, a lighter, brighter direction that still lets the delicate meatball texture shine. The defining technique of Klopse is the panade -- bread soaked in milk and squeezed out, then mixed into the ground meat -- which keeps the meatballs remarkably soft and moist compared to a plain breadcrumb binder. Poaching gently in a simmering broth, rather than frying, is equally important; frying would build a crust that the traditional dish doesn't want. Served over boiled potatoes or spaetzle, this tomato-basil version is a fresher, more Mediterranean-leaning take on a very traditional East Prussian German dish, while keeping the technique that makes the meatballs genuinely tender.

Ingredients

Serves 5

• 2 sliceswhite bread(crusts removed)
• 0.5 cupmilk
• 300 gground veal
• 200 gground pork
• 1egg
• 1onion(finely diced, divided)
• 2 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 tspsalt
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 4 cupschicken or vegetable stock
• 800 gcrushed tomatoes
• 0.25 cupfresh basil(torn, plus more for garnish)
• 1 tbsptomato paste
• 2 tbspolive oil

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak the bread

   Soak bread slices in milk until soft, then squeeze out excess milk and tear into small pieces.

2. 2

   Mix the meatballs

   Combine soaked bread, ground veal, ground pork, egg, half the onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix gently until just combined. Shape into 12 meatballs.

3. 3

   Poach the meatballs

   Bring stock to a gentle simmer in a wide pot. Add meatballs and poach 12-15 minutes until cooked through, then remove and set aside.

4. 4

   Make the sauce

   In a separate pan, heat olive oil and saute remaining onion until soft. Add tomato paste, cook 1 minute, then add crushed tomatoes. Simmer 15 minutes until thickened.

5. 5

   Combine

   Add the poached meatballs to the tomato sauce, along with a ladle of the poaching stock if the sauce needs loosening. Simmer together 5 minutes.

6. 6

   Finish and serve

   Stir in torn basil just before serving over boiled potatoes or spaetzle, garnished with more fresh basil.

Variations

• •

  Return to the traditional caper cream sauce by finishing with cream and capers instead of tomato and basil.

• •

  Use all ground pork if veal isn't available, though the texture will be slightly denser.

• •

  Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the tomato sauce for gentle heat.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days; the sauce and meatballs both hold up well and often taste better the next day. Freeze for up to 2 months.

Frequently Asked Questions