No more dry, tasteless rissoles – these are plump, extra juicy, extra tasty and they have hidden veggies! I usually make Beef Rissoles but you can make these with lamb, pork, chicken or turkey.
Next time – try my signature Chicken Rissoles!
Rissoles
I know many Aussies grew up with rissoles as a weekly meal, but that doesn’t include my family. My first experience with rissoles was when I moved out of home at the tender age of 18 and shared a flat with a real true-blue Aussie lass. She introduced me to the joys(??) of having the same meals every week, on the same night.
I kid you not.
Bolognese on Monday night. Bangers and Mash on Tuesday night (the real cheap “sausos”). Store bought rissoles on Wednesday night. Frozen Chicken Kiev on Thursday night (not a patch on a real homemade version!).
That was our weekly meal rotation for almost 2 years.
I was allowed to lash out on Sunday nights. And Friday and Saturday nights…. well, we were 18. We got up to mischief in town!
These Rissoles I’m sharing today are a little different to the store bought rissoles that were our Wednesday night dinners…..
Plump, juicy rissoles
I promised you plump and juicy, and these really are. There are a few ways to make rissoles that are extra juicy (and tasty!):
Grated onion – terrific way to get extra flavour into your rissoles as well as juiciness (from the onion juices). Chopped onions = uncooked bits in rissoles;
Grated zucchini – it’s about hidden veggies as well as the moisture in the zucchinis that makes the rissoles juicy;
Don’t even think about pressing the juices out while they cook!!! It’s a crime!!
Press a little indent in the patties, like when making burgers, and this will stop the rissoles from puffing up into rounds which gives rise to the temptation to press them flat which squeezes the juices out;
Don’t overcook – I know that goes without saying; and
Right amount of breadcrumbs – too much = dry patties = 😩
See how juicy these are? And these were sitting around for a while as I faffed around with my camera!
Here’s what I mean about pressing an indent into the patties, and how the rissoles stay nice and flat while cooking. Well, on the stove it does. When they are baked, rissoles shrink more so they do look a bit more like squashed meatballs. But still super tasty, and you do get a gorgeous browning on them!
I have these sitting in the fridge, these actual ones in the photo above, ready to be reheated for dinner tonight. When I hack things up for photos, smear them in ketchup and fiddle with them with my hands, I just can’t offload them to someone else.
I eat a LOT of leftovers for dinner – and I’m totally cool with that! – Nagi xx
Watch how to make it
Rissoles recipe video! That moment at the end when Dozer watches the tray being taken away…. he looks PANICKED!! 😂
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Rissoles!
Ingredients
Rissoles:
- 1 small brown onion
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (or normal)
- 500 g / 1 lb beef mince (ground beef) (Note 1)
- 1 small zucchini
- 1 small carrot
- 1 egg
- 1 large garlic clove , minced
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp oregano (or sub with other favourite herbs)
- 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
- 2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
Cooking:
- 1 – 2 tbsp oil
Serving:
- Tomato Ketchup!
Instructions
- Grate the onion into a large bowl using a box grater (see video). Add panko, mix briefly to coat in the onion juices.
- Grate zucchini and carrot into the bowl. Add remaining Rissoles ingredients. Mix well. Scoop up about 1/4 cup of mixture, form a 1.7cm / 2/3″ thick pattie. Indent the middle slightly (Note 2, see photos in post). Repeat with remaining mixture – you should make 10 – 12.
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add half the patties and cook for 4 minutes or until dark golden. Press LIGHTLY with spatula, if you press hard, you’ll press the juices out!
- Flip and cook the other side for 3 – 4 minutes until golden.
- Transfer to plate, repeat with remaining rissoles.
- Serve with tomato ketchup!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
More beef mince recipes
Spaghetti Bolognese – curious how I make it? 🙂
Juicy Italian Meatballs – also, a baked version!
Mexican Food – Tacos, Burritos, Quesadillas and Enchiladas
Cosy Cottage Pie and Shepherd’s Pie
See all beef mince recipes
Life of Dozer
Dozer. I think you missed a spot.
Hi! What kind of ground beef did you use to make these? 80/20?
HI Jeanie! I usually use lean 🙂
Hi Nagi, I am fairly new to your site and your recipes look really good. I never heard of these before but I decided to make them. They were so good. I don’t know why some US people are comparing these to US meatloaf. I guess if you take ground beef, egg and breadcrumbs then it’s ours. Anyway, your vegi and spice mixture to beef mince was so different in flavor and good I did not want any ketchup. And yes USA I know Martha Stewart & her mom uses carrot.
Thanks Nagi!
That’s great to hear Claudia!! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed it! N xx ❤️
I read somewhere that for the US release of the Aussie classic movie “The Castle”, they re-recorded the bit “What do you call this darl?” “Rissoles” to Meatloaf because the US viewers wouldn’t have a clue what they were on about 🙂
NO WAY!! That’s one of the (many) epic moments!!!
And I’ve just made them and they were fantastic 🙂 Your recipe had lead to the moistest rissoles I’ve ever had. They held together beautifully and were a major hit with the whole family including our 10 month old who ate more of them than the rest of us I reckon.
Now for dessert… Might scoop some ice cream out of the punnet
(Seriously, if you haven’t seen The Castle you’re missing out)
Bet I’ve seen it more times than you…… 😂 So glad you enjoyed these Scott!
My family really liked these and I liked that they were quick to make, since I am vegetarian and nobody else is, so I am usually making two dinners. When I was little, my mother, who was Estonian, used to make something similar, called kotleti. I liked all of it, other than the crunchy onion bits, and your recipe solves that very well. Thank you for this recipe!
I’m so happy your family enjoyed this Bonnie! Thank you for letting me know – N x ❤️
Hi Nagi I’ve never heard of rissoles but they do remind me of flat meatballs. Love the idea of hiding grated veggies in them. Not for the kids but for the hubby 😁. This is showing up this week on our menu. By the way it is awesome that you are going to present in the conference I know you will be spectacular since you are hilarious in your blog. Have fun with it
Hidden veggies for the hubby! 😂 I love it. Thank you for the kind words re: the conference! N xx
Hi. Is the mince (1) on the lean side or the more fatty mince. Don’t have no. 1 here.
Hi Hilary! Any type is fine 🙂 Usually I make this with leaner mince but in the photos and video I used more fatty mince (which is tastier!)
We have a similar dish like this in Philippines – it’s basically fried meatballs…and we love to pair it with tomato ketchup! 😀
Congratulations, Nagi! I wish I could watch you present in UTah!!! Your audience are gonna learn a lot from you for sure!
Thank you Trish! I’m really excited about it! N xx
Congratulations for being invited to Present. I am sure you will rock! I follow your blog from Venezuela and have made many of your recipes. Actually, we are going through a very rough patch in our country and there are many ingredients missing from the supermarket shelves. However, with a little creativity, I can usually find a solution.
Congratulations again.
Thank you Angela! I’m sorry to hear things are rough in Venezuela, I do hope things change for the better soon! N xx
I cant wait to try these, my family love rissoles but even though mine taste good they always fall apart!
Hi Belinda! They are definitely a bit more delicate than, for example, meatballs. But they do hold together, they won’t fall apart when cooking and handling 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi, I too grew up on a regular weekly serving of rissoles at least once a week. They were a good old staple when money was thin and minced beef was cheap, not that it’s expensive even now. We periodically cook them on the BBQ especially for our little grand-children as they’re easier for them to eat than, say a T-bone. I have always added finely chopped onion and mixed herbs, but never carrot or zucchini, so we’ll have a go at that next time especially with the lovely early summer weather we’re about to receive this week. I love the suggestion of “green pepper sauce” or “satziki” and serve with a lovely green salad. I always look forward to receiving your emails to see what’s next on our table.
Congratulations on your up and coming conference, I’m sure you’ll do well, only wish I could go as well to hear you. As for Dozer, well he would easily fit into our family while you’re away, gotta love that little guy, uuuhm doggie!
Ohhhh there’s a fight for Dozer when I go away!! 😂 He’s really stinky at the moment though, you would not want him in your house! I love the idea of tzatziki too, imagine it with lamb rissoles! N x
‘rissoles darl’, ‘yeah but it’s what you do with it!’ I’m sorry couldn’t help myself! classic Australian 😆 i love how easy and fast this recipe is, def going to incorporate it into my next burger feast at home! i’d SO love to come to the conference in Utah!
Ba ha ha!! And I’m reading this with a real ocka Aussie accent!!
Thank you for the receipe. Can’t wait to try them.
Hope you do Georgeanna!They are sooooo delish! N xx
Hi Nagi, I often make rissoles but never with carrot and zucchini. Definately going to give it a try. LOVE Dozer!! If he ever goes missing you can find him at my home in Cape Town South Africa! 🙂
BA HA HA!!! And he would just LOVE to fly over and visit you….. as soon as they allow giant dogs in plan cabins! 😂
Congratulations Nagi, What a wonderful opportunity for you and I am sure you will enjoy every minute, I will be doing these Rissoles for sure next week and live Dozers face when the tray us taken away lol love all the pics you put up of him. cheers
Thank you for the kind words Kris! Dozer’s face cracks me up in the video – he seriously looks panicked!!!!
Nagi congrats on the conference. Btw, my favorite meals come from your site. I also never heard of a rissoles but I’m wondering would you compare them to what we call in North America…a meatloaf, perhaps a mini meatloaf? Looks delicious and going to try them this weekend. I just saw a recipe for an Australian potato dish hot cross potatoes or something like that?? Would be a great side to it.
Lol @ Dozer at the end of the video.
Hi Steven – thanks so much! I’m looking forward to it, love excuses to pop back over to the states 🙂 They taste like a meatloaf or classic beef meatballs. Hot cross potatoes?? I am curious now, am looking into it!! N xx
Oops. It’s crash hot potatoes. Saw a great recipe from the chef Pioneer Woman. I want a Nagi recipe. 🙂
As for Utah…so many gorgeous National Parks….Bryce, Zion….Monument Valley towards Arizona border. I’m sure locals will chime into their favorites.
LOVE the name! 🙂
Wonderful! But for once you are in my territory and I’m not so much on yours :} ! A rissole or ‘kotlett’ as I know it is probably the first post-Mother’s milk food any baby gets in the Baltics, all of Scandinavia, Germany, Poland, Russia . . . shall I go on? And the love affair, at least once or twice a week, lasts a lifetime! Yours would be accepted in any of the millions of kitchens looks wise . . . well, I would substitute dill for your herbs and try a 1/3 each mixture of beef, pork and veal mix . . . halves of the first two would do!! A lovely mushroom sauce atop perchance! As far as a ‘burger’ goes, have not had one for over two decades, tho’ one of my dearest gfs, owner of a famed cookery school in Mexico, says there is supposedly a fast food place in Paris serving such with a delicious green peppercorn sauce !!!! Congratulations and all the best for your American journey . . . we shall be following with abated breath . . . and, DOZER, did you have fun getting ALL that filthy !!!! Buddy, be fair to Mom!!!!
Kotlett? Off to google! YUM to mushroom sauce… And thank you for the congrats!! N xx
OMG, DOZERYOU AREDIRTY, DIRTY BOY.HONOSLY WHAT NEXT..?? Nagi CONGRATILATION FOR MAKING A TRIP. GOOD LUCK! Love, love your photo with Dozer ! Now as for teenager menu can understand been young, poor etc BUT ONE OF MY NEIGHBOUR TRUE BLUE AUSSIE HAD HER MENU AND HOUSHOLD WORK JUST LIKE THAT ALL HER LIFE.THE SAME OLDROUTIN AND FOOD SOOOO EVER BORING. NEVER EVER CHANGE IN HER HOUSE. BUT YEARS BEFORE THAT ANOTHER NEIGHBOUR FRENCH BACKROUND BUT BORN HERE HAD EXCEPTINAL DULL LIFE. HER WARDROBE, HOSE WAS ALL BROWN COLOR. NOT MUCH COOKING IN HER HOUSE. NO SPICES, HERBS, NO BAKING, NO BREAD, NO MILK AND SO ON. SHE HAD BROWN COLOR CARPET IN HER KITCHEN AND IT WAS SPTLESS, THIS IS ALL TRUE.HOW, JUST HOW THE OTHER HALF LIVES???
Vera – I am sitting here at a cafe sipping coffee and I almost choked when I read this!! I burst out into laughter at your description about your neighbours – BA HA HA!!!! I will ensure I have LOTS of colour in my wardrobe…. you are so so funny!!!
Nooooooooooooo!!!No! No! NO!!!!!!!!If you haven’t noticed I’m having a two year old’s temper tantrum, I AM !!!!!!!!!! We are already booked for May of next year — depost and all. I am so daggone depressed. I’ve been waiting for this for forever!! Ever since you teased us about this whole experiment I’ve been waiting for a snippet of information. *sigh* I think I’ll just go into the woods and sit by myself and cry. BTW I’ve never heard of rissoles, but why should I? I’m in the US. They look fantastic. I’d love to try them but right now I’m even too depressed to talk about food. For an Italian that’s saying a lot!! xoxo
Oh Marisa! Don’t be upset, we will meet in person! Shoot me an email, let’s chat! N xx
Living in Melbourne rissoles are standard fare, especially in the winter. (In the summer I flatten them out to cook on the BBQ).
The addition of a grated apple also helps to make them really moist and juicy. To give variety I change them around – sometimes I make them with chicken and bake them in a sweet and sour sauce or try pork mince and cook in a plum sauce.
The kids used to love them , a great way to get them eating veggies they can’t see.
APPLE! Joan what a fantastic idea, I never thought of that!! Love the idea of using sweet and sour sauce with rissoles, mmmm! N xx
Congratulations Nagi – your presentation will be wonderful!
Rissoles in my family were known as “frikadelle” – very similar to the Aussie version.
Could never understand how anyone could cook the same food on the same day every week – yes – I have friends who grew up with that routine.
Love to Dozer!!
Thank you for the kind words of support Ann! Frikadelle – I’m off to have a google! N xx