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.
In the States, we call these “sliders” and we serve them on tiny hamburger buns. YUM! 🙂
I thought sliders were anything on mini buns????!!!
Nagi, this looks terrific! The hubster loves lamb, so he asked me to try this recipe with ground lamb, and I’m happy to oblige. I doubt we would change a thing except for adding some rosemary to the meat mixture and subbing the ketchup with some fresh tzatziki sauce. I bet a nice brown mushroom gravy would be good on the beef or poultry rissoles, too, served with a lovely, fluffy mound of mashed potatoes and some steamed broccoli. Winter’s coming soon, and I can guarantee this recipe will be made frequently. It’s so quick to make! That’s one of the best things about your recipes…they are all so user friendly for busy families! Thank you so much, Nagi. Mealtime is never boring around here, thanks to you. 🙂
Congratulations on your upcoming gig at the Everything Food Conference. I hope it will pop up on YouTube so we can all see it. 🙂
(You might just escape the intense Utah heat by going in May. We drive through Utah often to visit family in Colorado, and boy, does it get HOT in the summer!)
Thanks Kin! I’m very excited about it, big decision to make having to travel so far for it! 🙂 Love the idea of making this with lamb and serving it with tzatziki – YUM!
Hi Nagi
Rissoles to you too….ha, ha, ha!
I have often made these here in England. In our Domestic Science lessons we were taught to make them with leftover cooked meat bound with a very thick roux sauce (panade). I make them at Christmas from the last of the turkey, adding leftover stuffing & a raw egg to bind, which works well too, & it’s less faffy than making a roux! Just whizz your meat in the processor, I think they became very popular during WWII when you could make a little meat go long way to feed a family, which is also why those cheap sausages were invented. They had so much wet mush inside they split & popped, hence their nick name…..”Bangers” !
Woah! I’ve never seen a version of rissoles made like that, how interesting!!
These do look yummy! I’ll have to give them I try. I’m one of those who had never heard of Rissoles. Congratulations on presenting at the Conference next year. Best of luck! That’s a great time of year to be in Utah! But I must comment on Dozer — what fun he’s having! So much for your fun at the beach! LOL!
Well HE may be having fun there but he certainly wasn’t afterwards when I sprayed him with the hose!! 😂
So…..a rissole is basically a meatball? I too am eager to hear from you about the distinction.
I love me some recipe tin eats!!
Hi Beth! Sorry I totally forgot to “translate” – he he he!! Yes, Rissoles are basically a squished meatball and it’s classic Aussie fare! 🙂 N x
Wow congrats!! How exciting Utah is my neck of the world!!! Wish I could go and see you! I always tell everyone of your awesome site and great recipes!
Thank you Heidi! I plan to spend a few extra days there, I’ll have to ask for advice on what to do when it gets closer to the date!! 🙂 N xx
CONGRATS and after reading more of your bio, it is so true that you are in your element and doing what you love 🙂 So glad I came across your blog, can’t wait to see what Dozer gets into next LOL.
Awwww you read it?? I’m a bit embarrassed! 😊 I’m so glad you enjoy my blog, thank you for reading! N xx
Thank you for using Tomato Ketchup – which isn’t the same at all as Tomato Sauce. I’m a Canadian who has lived in Australia for 4 years (I’m just recently back in Canada now) and my food experience in Aus was a delicious adventure. Tomato Sauce as a condiment was something that I couldn’t abide, so I switched to Aioli (when in Rome…). I too, had never heard of Rissoles and I still think of them as flattened meatballs. So no matter what we call them I think that this recipe would work for Rissoles, meatballs, or sliders. Your blog is one of my favorites, by the way, and I save most of your recipes. I enjoy how you take into consideration your audience on both sides of the ocean.
I will probably be disowned for saying this, but I think ketchup is WAY better than tomato sauce! 😂
OK… I eagerly open my favorite food blogger emails, anticipating some exotic new recipe to try.. I see an email from Recipe Tin Eats and gleefully wonder what today’s offering might be.. What delicacy is Nagi tempting me with on this day??
Rissoles!!! Huh?? What are Rissoles??
I use just one eye to read the introduction, afraid that I’m going to find some crazy food from a far away land, I can only imagine exists.. Rissoles?? Rissoles??
As I read on, I slowly open the other eye..
hmm… meat, veggies, egg, panko… Well golly gee.. I like all this stuff..
Rissoles!!! Rissoles!!! I just have to make Rissoles!!!
Maybe I can tell my wife that this is the food of some strange land we will never get to visit…
Hey Dozer!! Wanna come have Rissoles with me??
;o)
BA HA HA! I didn’t even THINK about having to “translate” rissoles!!! I just assumed everyone all over the world knew what they were, and it was just ME who was deprived of them growing up 😉 Too funny! So you got it – basically they are squished meatballs, mini beef burgers, that we serve with ketchup. They are super tasty! PS Dozer will go with anyone who has rissoles for him….
It is the food of Oz. you should visit there! I lived there for 30 years!
“the food of Oz”… I love that! 😂
Congratulations on being a presenter at the Everything Food Conference. Wish I could make it, but not to be this time.
As for Rissoles, I first had them at a fish and chips stand in the Whales many years ago. I once had them in Australia, but the one I had were coated with breadcrumbs then fried. Cooked anyway, they’re tasty food and your recipe sounds wonderful.
So, did you have to run Dozer through the car wash after the beach “Happy Puppy” roll?
I seriously contemplated just shoving him through the auto car wash!!! TOO FUNNY!!!
Nagi! I’ve never heard of rissoles, but they sure do sound good. The ingredients are somewhat similar to those in a meatloaf. These would be good as sliders don’t you think? You did give Dozer one, didn’t you?
These are FABULOUS as sliders 🙂 Mini hamburgers essentially!! No rissoles for Dozer. Cheeky bugger. He doesn’t get a taste of EVERYTHING…. 😉 N x
Looking forward to trying these, with a couple of sodium adjustments. 😃
Dozer wants to go with you to the conference, “Will there be food for me too?”
He wants to go to the conference too, but can you imagine him squished in a plane for 15 hours! 😂 Not that giant dogs are allowed inside the cabin of planes (yet) N xx
I live in Canada, and it’s my first time hearing about rissoles! This recipe sounds absolutely delicious and I think I’ll have to try it out!
As a cooking newbie, any tips on how to grate onions without crying like a baby whose candy just got taken away?
As an FYI, I’m about the laziest person alive and your recipes always inspire me to want to try to cook! 🙂
(Also the look on Dozer’s face in the video was priceless!!!)
HA! You can’t be that lazy if you cook my recipes, there are blogs out there with far simpler recipes – just open cans and packets, and chuck ’em in a slow cooker types! 🙂 I forgot to translate this one, I didn’t even think about rissoles not being known in Canada 🙂 They are basically squished juicy meatballs, they are super tasty, juicier than meatballs because of the onion and zucchini in them 🙂 N x
As a fellow Canadian, rissoles are new to me as well, but will definitely try.
I also shed copious tears around raw onion. I tried,on onion goggles, but didn’t get a goody seal, so I have started wearing my swim goggles. My husband laughs his a** off at me, but no more tears!
I’m laughing m a** off at the thought too!!!! BA HA HA!!! For me, I wear contact lenses so I don’t suffer unless I have to grate mounds and mounds of onion 🙂 N x
I’d never heard of these before, but they look tasty! I like that you can sneak veggies in there too.
Would adding cheese be a good idea? Maybe a harder cheese like some fresh grated Parmesan for a little extra pop!?
ALWAYS a good idea to sneak cheese in! 😉 Rissoles are like squished meatballs and they are classic Aussie fare! N xx
My mum used to make rissoles every Monday, using the leftover meat from the Sunday roast, grated onion, leftover mashed potato, Worcestershire sauce and lots of dried mixed herbs. I still make them that way, but I’ll certainly give your method a try – can’t have too many rissoles – and they really do look fantastic. Well, all of your stuff does!
Ohhhh I love hearing about how your mother used to make these Graham!! N xx