South African Frikkadelle (Spiced Meatballs in Onion Sauce)

About This Recipe

South African Frikkadelle is a real, traditional South African dish, known as Spiced Meatballs in Onion Sauce. Ground beef meatballs seasoned with nutmeg and coriander, simmered in a savory onion and stock gravy, a homely South African comfort dish.\n\nFrikkadelle reflects the Cape Dutch heritage of South African home cooking, closely related to Dutch and Afrikaner meatball traditions, seasoned distinctively with a combination of nutmeg, coriander and sometimes a bit of vinegar.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in South African home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 600 gground beef
• 1yellow onion(grated, plus 1 diced for sauce)
• 0.5 cupbreadcrumbs
• 2 tbspwhole milk
• 1egg
• 1 tspground coriander
• 0.5 tspground nutmeg
• 1 tspfine sea salt
• 3 tbspneutral oil
• 2 tbspall-purpose flour
• 400 mlbeef stock
• 1 tspfine sea salt(for sauce, to taste)

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak breadcrumbs

   Stir breadcrumbs into milk and let sit for 5 minutes.

2. 2

   Mix the meatballs

   Combine ground beef, grated onion, soaked breadcrumbs, egg, coriander, nutmeg and salt, mixing gently. Shape into small meatballs.

3. 3

   Brown the meatballs

   Heat oil in a wide pan and brown the meatballs on all sides; set aside.

4. 4

   Cook the onion sauce

   In the same pan, cook the diced onion until soft, about 8 minutes, then stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.

5. 5

   Build the gravy

   Gradually whisk in beef stock, simmering for 5 minutes until thickened.

6. 6

   Finish

   Return the meatballs to the gravy, cover, and simmer gently for 20 minutes until cooked through. Season with salt and serve hot with rice or pap.

Variations

• •

  Some households add a splash of vinegar to the gravy for extra tang.

• •

  Use a mix of beef and pork for a milder, juicier meatball.

• •

  Serve with mashed potatoes instead of rice for a different presentation.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.

Frequently Asked Questions