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Polish meatballs, traditionally made with pork, are cooked in a broth rather than being pan-fried or oven cooked. Thanks to this method, as well as the ingredients used to make them, these meatballs are soft, succulent and delicious! Easy to make and a must-try dish for anyone who loves Polish cooking!
See also Polish chicken meatball soup!
Polish meatballs, called ‘pulpety’ (pron. ‘pool-PEH-ty’) are cooked in a broth, which can be flavoured with herbs or vegetables (I used both). The broth eventually becomes transformed into a lightly thickened dill sauce, perfect with either pork, turkey or chicken pulpety. Polish pulpety tend to be a little bigger and have a fluffier texture than classic meatballs.
The ingredients used in pulpety meatballs are similar to those used to make kotlety mielone, meat patties, another Polish culinary classic. However, while pulpety are boiled kotlety are breaded then pan-fried.
Polish meatballs ingredients and substitutions
For the meatballs
- Ground meat: This can be either pork, turkey or chicken (or a combination of different meats; I used pork and turkey). It is important to use meat containing a bit of fat (+/-10%) to ensure your meatballs are soft, succulent, and delicious.
- Bun: Adding a stale bun soaked in water helps to produce super soft, fluffy pulpety as well as bind the mixture. Breadcrumbs are not a suitable alternative.
- Egg: Important for binding the mixture.
- Seasoning: In addition to salt and pepper I also used herbes de Provence. You can use a little marjoram and thyme instead (approx. ⅓ tsp each).
For the dill sauce
- Vegetables: These include onion, carrot and celeriac (the latter can be replaced by parsley root, if you prefer and are able to get it).
- Stock: Either vegetable or chicken stock can be used (or use Polish rosol).
- Sour cream: Thickens the sauce and adds flavour (see also sour cream sauce recipe).
- Flour: Thickens the sauce.
- Dill: Traditionally used with Polish meatballs in sauce.
Step-by-step recipe instructions
1.Soak bun: Place the bun in a bowl, cover with water and set aside for up to 10 minutes (if the bun floats on top press it down with a small plate, or similar, to make sure it’s fully immersed in the water). Drain then squeeze excess water from the bun (do this thoroughly). It should have a very soft mushy texture.
2. Prepare meatball mixture: In a large mixing bowl combine the meat, bun, egg, salt and pepper and herbs. Using your hands mix the ingredients together until thoroughly incorporated, the mixture is smooth and no longer sticks to your hands as much (3-4 minutes). It will be quite soft.
3. Form meatballs: Form large meatballs by rolling the mixture between the palms of your hands. The meatballs will be soft but should keep their shape (it’s ok if they become a little flat on the bottom as they sit on top of a plate. You can fix this later). I got 12 large meatballs. Set aside while you prepare the broth.
- TIP: If the mixture feels too soft and you are worried the meatballs won't hold their shape add 1 tablespoon of breadcrumbs before forming the meatballs.
4. Prepare broth: In a large pan melt the butter with the oil, then add the onion, carrot, celeriac, season lightly with salt and cook gently for about 6-8 minutes until softened, stirring often. Pour in the stock and stir.
5. Add pulpety: One by one immerse the pulpety in the broth (if they’ve changed their shape and become a little flat on the bottom quickly roll them between your hands before placing in the broth). Cover and bring to a gentle boil then lower the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes (do not stir as the meatballs will be very soft to start with). Carefully turn the meatballs over, cover and cook for about 6 more minutes.
6. Make thickening mixture: In a bowl whisk together the flour, sour cream and 1 tablespoon of cold water until smooth and creamy. Do this while the meatballs are simmering.
7. Thicken sauce: Whisk 3 tablespoons of the broth into the sour cream mixture then pour the mixture into the pan and whisk in until completely incorporated. Stir the sauce gently, add the dill and cook for 2 more minutes to thicken. Remove from the heat, adjust the seasoning as required and enjoy!
Best side dishes to serve with Polish pulpety meatballs
In Poland meatballs with dill sauce are traditionally served over boiled potatoes with a zesty salad, such as sauerkraut or beet, refreshing mizeria salad or simply with sliced dill pickles.
Pulpety meatballs are also perfect with rice, pasta as well as different types of kasza (cooked groats), including buckwheat, millet or barley (all popular side dishes in Poland).
Different types of pulpety
Polish meatballs in sauce can also be made using cooked rice instead of the soaked bun. Rice is a good binding ingredient and also produces soft meatballs – the main feature of pulpety. Some pulpety also contain grated carrot, parsley root and onion.
Polish meatballs can sometimes be browned before being added into a sauce to finish cooking (and can also be cooked without the sauce, which can be added at serving). This type of dish is called klopsy (or klopsiki) and is similar to Swedish meatballs.
Top tips
- I recommend using meat containing approx.10% fat. The fat adds moisture and flavour and produces a soft texture. Very lean meat (such as turkey or chicken breast) is not suitable to use in this recipe.
- Your pulpety mixture should feel soft.
- Pulpety should be quite sizeable, but if you prefer smaller meatballs (I don’t recommend making more than 15 using the proportions in this recipe) cook them 2-3 minutes less than the recommended time.
- It’s best to use a large, shallow pan so the meatballs can cook evenly and there is room to comfortably incorporate the thickening mixture into the broth.
- Try not to overcook the meatballs. The overall cooking time should be about 13-15 minutes (from the time you place the meatballs in the broth until the dish is fully cooked).
- Best served hot. Leftover Polish meatballs in sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
More meatball recipes with sauce to try next
- Meatballs in Mushrooms Sauce
- Healthy Meatballs in White Sauce
- Chicken Meatballs in Vegetable Sauce
- Meatball Casserole
- Easy Meatball Pasta Bake
Take a look also at these other authentic Polish recipes!
Recipe
Authentic Polish Meatballs (Pulpety)
Polish meatballs, traditionally made pork, are cooked in a broth rather than being pan-fried or oven cooked. Thanks to this method, as well as the ingredients used to make them, these meatballs are soft, succulent and delicious! Easy to make and a must-try dish for anyone who loves Polish cooking!
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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes minutes
Total Time: 37 minutes minutes
Servings: 5 servings
Calories: 458kcal
Author: Monika Dabrowski
Equipment
Large pan or wide-base, shallow pot
Ingredients
For the meatballs
- 1½ pounds (680 g) ground pork or turkey, or a mixture, approx. 10% fat
- 1 large egg
- 1 stale bun
- ⅔ teaspoon herbes de Provence
- ⅔ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
For the sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter and oil each
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 medium carrot peeled, coarsely grated
- 2 tablespoons celeriac/celery root peeled, coarsely grated
- 2½ cups (600 ml) stock vegetable or chicken, hot
- 1½ tablespoons all-purpose/plain flour
- 3 tablespoons sour cream
- 1½-2 tablespoons dill finely chopped
Instructions
Soak bun: Place the bun in a bowl, cover with water and set aside for up to 10 minutes (if the bun floats on top press it down with a small plate, or similar, to make sure it’s fully immersed in the water). Drain then squeeze excess water from the bun (do this thoroughly). It should have a very soft mushy texture.
Prepare meatball mixture: In a large mixing bowl combine the meat, bun, egg, salt and pepper and herbs. Using your hands mix the ingredients together until thoroughly incorporated, the mixture is smooth and no longer sticks to your hands as much (3-4 minutes). It will be quite soft.
Form meatballs: Form large meatballs by rolling the mixture between the palms of your hands. The meatballs will be soft but should keep their shape (it’s ok if they become a little flat on the bottom as they sit on top of a plate. You can fix this later). I got 12 large meatballs. Set aside while you prepare the broth.
TIP: If the mixture feels too soft and you are worried the meatballs won't hold their shape add 1 tablespoon of breadcrumbs before forming the meatballs (I didn’t need to).
Prepare broth: In a large pan melt the butter with the oil, then add the onion, carrot, celeriac, season lightly with salt and cook gently for about 6-8 minutes until softened, stirring often. Pour in the stock and stir.
Add pulpety: One by one immerse the pulpety in the broth (if they’ve changed their shape and become a little flat on the bottom quickly roll them between your hands before placing in the broth). Cover and bring to a gentle boil then lower the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes (do not stir as the meatballs will be very soft to start with). Carefully turn the meatballs over, cover and cook for about 6 more minutes.
Make thickening mixture: In a bowl whisk together the flour, sour cream and 1 tablespoon of cold water until smooth and creamy. Do this while the meatballs are simmering.
Thicken sauce: Whisk 3 tablespoons of the broth into the sour cream mixture then pour the mixture into the pan and whisk in until completely incorporated. Stir the sauce gently, add the dill and cook for 2 more minutes to thicken. Remove from the heat, adjust the seasoning as required and enjoy!
Notes
- I recommend using meat containing approx.10% fat. The fat adds moisture and flavour and produces a soft texture. Very lean meat (such as turkey or chicken breast) is not suitable to use in this recipe.
- Your pulpety mixture should feel soft.
- Pulpetyshould be quite sizeable, but if you prefer smaller meatballs (I don’t recommend making more than 15 using the proportions in this recipe) cook them 2-3 minutes less than the recommended time.
- It’s best to use a large, shallow pan so the meatballs can cook evenly and there is room to comfortably incorporate the thickening mixture into the broth.
- Try not to overcook the meatballs. The overall cooking time should be about 13-15 minutes (from the time you place the meatballs in the broth until the dish is fully cooked).
- Best served hot. Leftover Polish meatballs in sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 458kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 139mg | Sodium: 536mg | Potassium: 628mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 2205IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 2mg
*Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.
**A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.
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