Romanian Meatballs (Chiftele)
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Romanian Meatballs, known as “Chiftele” is one of the most popular Romanian dishes. These meatballs are flavorful and satisfying that are made with ground pork, with shredded potatoes and lots of fresh herbs.
The Best Romanian Meatball Recipe
I’m so happy to share this recipe with you today because this literally is one of the most common made dishes by my mother as we were growing up, and still is in her household and mine. So needless to say, I learned to make these meatballs a very long time ago. We call these “Chiftele” which is the Romanian word for meatballs.
I still remember that every single time my mom would make these, besides the fact that I was always in the kitchen with her, I was always in charge of rolling them. My mom actually preferred to make these more like patties, so we’d flatten them a bit, but now that I’m married to a Romanian, he prefers them round and small like his mom used to make them.
And the taste, oh the taste! These meatballs are packed full of fresh herbs and some grated potato. I love dill, so I’ll put a lot in these meatballs, and you can actually taste the distinct flavor of the dill as you bite into the meatballs and it’s just yummy.
Why You’ll Love These Romanian Meatballs
- Easy Recipe! You don’t need any fancy international ingredients or special cooking skills to make this yummy recipe. And the meatballs can be fried or baked in the oven.
- Authentic Romanian Flavor! Just like in Romania cooked shredded potatoes are used in this traditional recipe to keep the meatballs soft and juicy while fresh herbs add loads of flavor.
- Make Ahead! Already cooked meatballs keep well in the fridge for days and in the freezer for months. You can even just form them and cook them right before serving.
- Meat – We’re using ground pork today for juicy meatballs with lots of depth of flavor.
- Breadcrumbs – I used panko but you can substitute it for any breadcrumbs you have on hand.
- Egg – The binder in our meatballs. If you’re egg free you can use 1/4 cup of ricotta per egg.
- Potatoes – 2 entire potatoes, grated. Other veggies used are zucchini or carrots as well.
- Onion – Either 2 small onions or 1 large one. Chopped up finely.
- Herbs – Fresh dill and fresh parsley are a must. If dried is all you have on hand just keep in mind that 1 tablespoon fresh equals 1 teaspoon dried.
- Oil – A nice neutral tasting oil to fry up our little meatballs in.
- Seasoning – Salt and pepper.
This traditional Romanian homemade meatballs recipe is super easy and comes together quickly! Your chiftele will come out perfect if you grate your potatoes and measure out your ingredients properly.
To begin, you need to cook the aromatics and grated potatoes a bit. First, heat one tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Then add the onions and garlic to the pan and sauté them until the onions are translucent. Now, add the potatoes and cook them for a few minutes together with the onion mixture until they become soft and tender. Then let the mixture cool.
Once the potato mixture is cool you can begin making the ground meat mixture. To start, put the ground pork, eggs, breadcrumbs, salt, black pepper, chopped parsley, and chopped dill into a large bowl. Now, add the potato mixture to the bowl and combine everything together using a wooden spoon or your hands until all the ingredients are evenly distributed.
Now, form the meat mixture into about 30 meatballs or small patties. They don’t need to be perfect, but they should all be about the same size and shape for even cooking. I sometimes use a small cookie scoop to portion them out.
After the meatballs are formed, heat a few tablespoons of oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Then add the meatballs and cook them for about 6 to 8 minutes turning them every few minutes until they are brown on all sides. Then transfer the cooked meatballs to a paper towel-lined plate. You most likely need to fry them in batches so you don’t crowd your pan. When they are done, serve them with noodles or rice.
Potato? In Meatballs?
Forget all other meatball recipes, this recipe is to die for! We actually shred some potatoes and add it to the meat mixture. The reason for the potato is that back in the day, meat was more expensive, so to make more you’d add potatoes or other shredded veggies like zucchini or carrots. Now of course, I do it because I find that the potato makes the meatballs juicier and I just love the texture of it.
The Secret To Super Moist Meatballs
All you need is a cheese grater – yup that’s right! Use the grater to shred up your onion nice and fine before incorporating them into your meatballs. It will ensure they stay nice and moist and have super consistent flavor.
How To Air Fry Meatballs
Preheat the air fryer to 375°F (190°C). Spray the air fryer basket with olive oil spray. Place the meatballs in the basket in a single layer, leaving a little space between each one. Cook the meatballs in the air fryer for 10-12 minutes, flipping them halfway through cooking, until they are browned and cooked through.
How To Bake Romanian Meatballs
Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Place the meatballs on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spray the meatballs with olive oil spray to help them brown and prevent sticking. Bake the meatballs for 15-20 minutes, until they are browned and cooked through.
What Other Kinds of Meat Can I Use?
I love using pork in my meatballs because they always turn out so juicy from the higher fat content. You can use any type of ground meat that you like! Keep in mind that meat with a lower fat content like turkey, chicken, or lean ground beef will yield dryer meatballs. You can mix a lean type of meat with something fattier like lamb, regular ground beef, or pork.
Expert Tips
- Cool the potatoes. You must wait until the cooked potato mixture cools before making the meat mixture. The hot potatoes will begin to cook the meat and possibly burn your hands too.
- Adjust the egg. Add a bit more egg if your meat mixture is too dry to form into meatballs. But if it’s too wet just add a little more of the breadcrumbs.
- Use a cookie scoop. You can use a small cookie scoop or ice cream scoop to portion out the meat mixture. It’s an easy way to make your meatballs uniform for even cooking.
- Use a mixture of ground meats: A combination of beef, pork, and/or lamb can give the meatballs a more complex flavor and texture. Experiment with different ratios to find your perfect blend.
- Don’t overmix the meat: Overmixing the meat mixture can make the meatballs tough and rubbery. Use your hands to mix the ingredients gently until they are just combined.
- Use a meat thermometer: To ensure that the meatballs are cooked through, use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. The temperature should reach 160°F (71°C).
How To Serve
These Romanian meatballs are often served as a main course, either with a side of mashed potatoes, rice, or salad, or as part of a larger spread of traditional Romanian dishes.
Storage
To store Romanian meatballs, place them in an airtight container or a resealable plastic bag and keep them in the refrigerator. They can be stored for up to 4 days.
If you have leftover meatballs and want to freeze them, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze for about an hour, until they are solid. Then transfer the meatballs to a freezer-safe container or resealable plastic bag, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When you’re ready to reheat the meatballs, simply thaw them overnight in the refrigerator or in the microwave on a defrost setting. Reheat them in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 10-15 minutes, or until heated through.
Other Delicious Meatballs To Try
- Chimichurri Meatballs
- Sweet and Spicy Korean Meatballs
- Dutch Meatballs
- Stout Meatballs with BBQ Sauce
- Porcupine Meatballs
- Meatball Parmesan
- Swedish Meatballs
- Firecracker Chicken Meatballs
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Romanian meatballs (Chiftele)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 small onions ( or 1 large one, finely chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (finely minced)
- 2 pounds ground pork
- 2 medium potatoes (grated)
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup breadcrumbs (I used Panko)
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
- ¼ cup parsley ( finely chopped)
- ¼ cup dill (fresh, finely chopped)
- oil (for frying)
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Heat the tablespoon of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic and sauté until tender. Add the grated potato and cook for a few minutes until it becomes tender. Let this cool.
- In a large bowl, add the onion/potato mixture, ground pork, eggs and breadcrumbs, salt and pepper, add the chopped parsley, chopped dill and mix well.
- Form the meat mixture into about 30 meatballs or small patties. They don’t need to be perfect, but they should all be about the same size and shape for even cooking.
- Heat a few tablespoons of oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Then add the meatballs and cook them for about 6 to 8 minutes turning them every few minutes until they are brown on all sides. Then transfer the cooked meatballs to a paper towel-lined plate. You most likely need to fry them in batches so you don’t crowd your pan.
- Serve over mashed potatoes with a tossed salad.
Notes
- Recipe will yield about 30, give or take a few, depending on the size of your meatballs.
- Cool the potatoes. You must wait until the cooked potato mixture cools before making the meat mixture. The hot potatoes will begin to cook the meat and possibly burn your hands too.
- Adjust the egg. Add a bit more egg if your meat mixture is too dry to form into meatballs. But if it’s too wet just add a little more of the breadcrumbs.
- Use a cookie scoop. You can use a small cookie scoop or ice cream scoop to portion out the meat mixture. It’s an easy way to make your meatballs uniform for even cooking.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
These were easy to make and delicious. I would recommend this recipe
thee were so easy and insanely delicious.
Sweet tomato sauce recipe:
Ingredients:
500 ml tomato paste
1 Tbsp oil (usually, sunflower)
1 bay leaf
1 Tbsp sugar (or to taste)
salt and pepper, to taste
Optional: fresh thyme, (2-3 twigs with leaves)
In a pan, over medium heat, heat up the oil, then add the tomato paste, bay leaf and thyme (optional). Reduce heat to low and boil the sauce for about 10 minutes. Then take out the bay leaf and thyme. If you want the sauce less thick, add a little bit of hot water and bring the sauce to boil, then add the sugar, salt and pepper. And the sauce is done!
That’s what I was looking for was a sauce for them. Thank you. I grew up with Romanian neighbors and quite a few Romanian families in our neighborhood and have eaten lots of the food but never these….going to have to try. Maybe for Romanian Easter
Sometimes my mom made the Chiftele with a sweet tomato sauce that she would poor over the mashed potatoes. I remember there was bay leaves in it and sugar but I can’t seem to find a recipe anywhere and she is no longer with us. Does this sauce sound familiar to you? I’m wondering if it’s a traditional Romanian recipe or just something in our household.
I know what you’re talking about, I had it once when I was a kid too, it was a sweet tomato sauce. I don’t have a recipe for it, but I believe it’s similar to a marinara sauce with a bit of sugar in it. 🙂
We loved it. We doubled the sauce served it with roasted asparagus, sweet carrots, mashed potatoes and a bottle of homemade white wine. Five star all the way!!
I made a half recipe over the weekend to give it a try, got rave reviews from my family! My husband is from Poland, he absolutely loved the dish. It will now be a new favorite in our house. Thank you
Best meatballs ever!And I have made lots so moist,followed recipe cut in half. When I make next will make whole recipe,thank you so much for your wonderful recipes.
perhaps in the future, you could perhaps always add air fryer directions for cooking. thanks.
Set the air fryer to 400F and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until fully cooked through 🙂
How much dried dill would I use, as I do not grow fresh dill
I would really suggest checking out your local grocery store for some fresh dill- it makes a big difference. If you can’t find any, then use 1 tbsp dried dill.
I made these for my Romanian husband and he loved them!
Glad to hear it!
Looks delicious! How many meatballs does the recipe make?
About 35 meatballs, but it really depends on how big you make them.
Hi Jo,
Do you dust your Chiftele’s with corn flour before frying them?
Also, how much oil do you use – around the level that covers their bottom half?
Finally, are you cooking them for circa 20 mins turning them every few minutes?
Best wishes,
Lynne.
Hi Lynne! We don’t use any corn flour, but you are free to use it if you’d like an extra crunch.
Take a peek at the photo right above the recipe of the meatballs frying to get an idea of how much oil we used- about 1/4 – 1/2 inch coating the bottom of the pan.
Yes, exactly! Fry the meatballs until golden brown on each side.
My boyfriend loves this recipes,I am a filipinana and hes Romanian and most of the time I cooked Romanian food.this is my favorite meatballs ever,very simple yet very yummy..😍😍😍😍😍
I am Romanian too but left when I was a child. Do you have any recipes for mititei (mici)
Hi Maria! I have this recipe on another blog of ours, here: http://www.cookingglory.com/recipes/meat-lovers/beef/romanian-street-food-mititei/
What type of potato do you use and about what size? They look delicious and I am looking forward to trying these.
Any potato would work. I usually use a Yukon gold, medium size.