Hedgehog Meatballs in Sour Cream

Hedgehog meatballs in sour cream — juicy rice-and-meat meatballs in a rich sauce. These classic "hedgehogs" (the rice pokes out like little quills) are a family favorite. For the best texture, skip the pre-packaged ground meat and grind your own pork, or use a 50/50 pork-and-beef mix. Season the meat with whatever spices you like. Serve with any side dish and plenty of salads — vegetable ones are ideal.

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Recipe author

Composition / ingredients

Servings:
Translation table of volumetric measures
Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe
By weight of the composition:
Proteins 27 % 8 g
Fats 37 % 11 g
Carbohydrates 37 % 11 g
171 kcal
GI: 45 / 45 / 9

Cooking method

  1. Step 1:

    Step 1

    How do you make hedgehog meatballs in sour cream? I use raw rice in the mix — as it cooks, it binds the meatballs and keeps them from falling apart. Soak the rice in cold water for 10 minutes, then rinse and drain.

  2. Step 2:

    Step 2

    While the rice soaks, make the meat mixture. Cut the pork into small pieces and grind it in a blender to the consistency you want. It should be smooth and even.

  3. Step 3:

    Step 3

    Peel and finely chop the onion, then fry it in vegetable oil in a skillet. A pinch of salt helps the onion release its juices.

  4. Step 4:

    Step 4

    Once the onion turns translucent, add the carrot, peeled and grated on the coarse holes. Fry everything over medium heat for about 7 minutes until softened, stirring often so the vegetables don't scorch. Turn off the heat and let the sauté cool slightly.

  5. Step 5:

    Step 5

    In a deep bowl, combine the ground pork, the sauté, and the rice. Add salt, garlic pressed through a garlic press, ground black pepper, and the egg. Add any favorite seasonings to taste. Mix everything by hand until smooth. The meat mixture is ready.

  6. Step 6:

    Step 6

    With wet hands, scoop a generous handful of the mixture and shape round hedgehog meatballs. This amount makes about 11 small meatballs — use all of the mixture.

  7. Step 7:

    Step 7

    Arrange the meatballs in a single layer in a wide-bottomed pot; they should all fit in one layer. (I worked in two batches, since my pot is small.) Pour in cold water so it covers the meatballs halfway. Add salt to taste and the bay leaves. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes, topping up with hot water as needed.

  8. Step 8:

    Step 8

    While the meatballs simmer, make the sour cream sauce. In a small deep bowl, combine the sour cream, tomato paste, salt, crushed garlic, nutmeg, and flour.

  9. Step 9:

    Step 9

    Add cold water and whisk until smooth, with no lumps.

  10. Step 10:

    Step 10

    After 30 minutes, remove the bay leaves and pour the sour cream sauce over the meatballs, coating them evenly. Simmer for another 30 minutes over low heat until done, watching the liquid so it doesn't cook away — add hot water if needed. The hedgehog meatballs in sour cream are ready!

  • Hedgehog meatballs in sour cream make a great everyday meat dish.
  • The right pan matters — a poorly chosen skillet can ruin even the best recipe.
  • Every oil is good only up to its smoke point, where it starts to burn and form harmful compounds. Choose an oil with a high smoke point for frying.
  • For consistently delicious rice dishes, pick the right rice and cook it with care.

Caloric content of the products possible in the composition of the dish

  • Onion - 41  kcal/100g
  • Sour cream of 30% fat content - 340  kcal/100g
  • Sour cream with 25 % fat content - 284  kcal/100g
  • Sour cream of 20% fat content - 210  kcal/100g
  • Sour cream of 10% fat content - 115  kcal/100g
  • Sour cream - 210  kcal/100g
  • Chicken egg - 157  kcal/100g
  • Egg white - 45  kcal/100g
  • Egg powder - 542  kcal/100g
  • Egg yolk - 352  kcal/100g
  • Ostrich egg - 118  kcal/100g
  • Pork fat - 333  kcal/100g
  • Pork meat - 357  kcal/100g
  • Pork - low-fat roast - 184  kcal/100g
  • Pork chop on a bone - 537  kcal/100g
  • Pork - schnitzel - 352  kcal/100g
  • Pork Shoulder - 593  kcal/100g
  • Boar's leg - 113  kcal/100g
  • Pork - 259  kcal/100g
  • Raw wild rice - 353  kcal/100g
  • Brown raw rice - 360  kcal/100g
  • Boiled brown rice - 119  kcal/100g
  • White fortified raw rice - 363  kcal/100g
  • White fortified boiled rice - 109  kcal/100g
  • White rice, steamed, with long grains raw - 369  kcal/100g
  • Steamed white rice, boiled with long grains - 106  kcal/100g
  • Instant dry rice - 374  kcal/100g
  • Instant rice, ready to eat - 109  kcal/100g
  • Fig - 344  kcal/100g
  • Carrots - 33  kcal/100g
  • Dried carrots - 275  kcal/100g
  • Boiled carrots - 25  kcal/100g
  • Garlic - 143  kcal/100g
  • Bay leaf - 313  kcal/100g
  • Ground black pepper - 255  kcal/100g
  • Whole durum wheat flour fortified - 333  kcal/100g
  • Whole durum wheat flour universal - 364  kcal/100g
  • Flour krupchatka - 348  kcal/100g
  • Flour - 325  kcal/100g
  • Tomato paste - 28  kcal/100g
  • Salt - 0  kcal/100g
  • Nutmeg - 556  kcal/100g

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