Gehaktballen (Dutch Meatballs)

Four giant Dutch gehaktballen meatballs in an oval dish.

5 from 2 votes

Gehaktballen are large Dutch meatballs which are seared and then slowly cooked in their own juices. They’re the epitome of comfort food and super easy to make!

Prep Time10

Cook Time35

Total Time45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Dutch

Servings: servings

Calories: 319kcal

Author: Victoria

Ingredients

Meatballs:

1 pound (450 grams) ground beef OR 8 ounces (225 grams) ground beef and 8 ounces (225 grams) ground pork
1 small onion minced
1 large egg beaten
3 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 to 2 teaspoons kosher salt (1 teaspoon Morton’s or 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt)
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Jus:

2 tablespoons butter
½ cup water

Instructions

Add all of the meatball ingredients to a mixing bowl and combine until evenly mixed. Divide the mixture into 4 pieces and shape into tight, compact balls. They will be quite large (each of mine weighed 158 grams).
Melt butter in a Dutch oven or heavy pan with a lid over medium heat. Add the meatballs and sear on all sides, a couple minutes per side, until browned all over.
Add the water and then cover with a lid. Lower the heat to medium-low to low and simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes, flipping the meatballs over a few times periodically. A digital thermometer inserted into the center of one of the balls should read a minimum of 165°F.
Transfer the gehaktballen to a serving dish. Then strain the jus through a small sieve over the top of them. Serve 1 large meatball per person, topped with some jus. Serve with hutspot, stamppot, potatoes, or bread.

Notes

Use either plain ground beef (preferably not too lean or else it can dry out) or a 1:1 ratio of ground beef and ground pork. You’ll need 1 pound of ground meat to make 4 giant gehaktballen.
Although you could use sliced white bread soaked in a little liquid to saturate it, I find dry breadcrumbs work great and they’re already shelf stable and something you likely have in your pantry.
These gehaktballen are quite large. If you prefer them slightly smaller, you can portion them into six balls instead, roughly 105 grams each. The actual weight will vary depending on the size of your onion.
I highly recommend taking the extra minute to strain the jus through a small sieve before serving. There will be small bits of meat and onion that have escaped the balls, along with brown bits scraped up from the bottom of the pan. Straining the jus yields a lovely unblemished sauce to finish your gehaktballen.

Nutrition