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.
Can also sub the beef for kangaroo mince! That’s what we did and it was very nice!
This recipe is AMAZING. It’s on my menu every week. We have it as burgers or barbecued with salad and veggies. And the veg to meat ratio in the rissoles is perfect. I felt like a real pro this week- I made my own breadcrumbs and froze them to go in these!!
Great Julia! I love how versatile they are!! N x
Hi Nagi, made your rissoles they were fabulous thank you so very much.
I now would like try something similar with turkey mince but not sure what flavourings I should use???
Please advise Nik
Winner! I cooked in the oven as directed however used baking paper as I didn’t have time to deal with the clean up. Absolutely delicious! Offsider approved as well – post gym snack (taste test) and he’s taking more for dinner at work. Thank you for making meal prep so easy. These are going to be a summer staple this year!
Ok thanks Nagi, I’ve had them in fridge for 4 days,cooked them now,and put in freezer. Not sure if I should eat them now, I’ll cook some more as they were lovely.
Loved the rissoles.mum used to cook them and called them rissoles,in England.
Had some left over,how long can you keep them for, in raw state,in the fridge? Thanks.
Hi Rob – I’d say 2 days, but you can freeze them up to 3 months. N x
Hi Nagi.
Just wondering.. do you freeze them raw or cooked?
I made this with just one large zucchini as it was all I had. And I used fresh Oregano and Thyme as I had both. They turned out great. Moist and flavoursome. I did however end up with about 20 rissoles – even with a quarter cup measurement. Thanks again Nagi
Thanks for the zucchini tip. Try 1x crushed weet bix in place of breadcrumbs and lightly flour the patties before frying also a few squirts of sauce (tomato, bbq, sweet chilli whatever you got in the cupboard) pumps up the juiciness and flavour factor. Leave to marinate mix in fridge 1 hour prior to cooking. Be careful adding herbs / spices don’t be too experimental can end up detracting from the otherwise awesome flavour. Just a few tips from a rissole pro 😉
Teenage son: Whats for dinner mum?
Me: Rissoles
Teenage son: What are rissoles?
Me: You know, like tasty flat meatballs.
Teenage son: so we’re having meatballs. Why didn’t you say so?
Me: Because they’re not meatballs. They’re rissoles!
Teenage son: But what’s the difference?
Me: I don’t know. But rissoles are what we call them in Australia. How can you not know that?
Teenage son: This is the first I’ve heard of it.
My dawning realisation, I’ve failed as an Australian parent to connect him with his culture. But all is well. The rissoles were delicious and devoured by said teen who said, “we should have those rissoles again mum but put them in a bun and they’d be a hamburger.”
NO! They’re rissoles!!!! And mighty fine rissoles too. Thanks Nagi.
Hahaha love this
BA HA HA!!! That dialogue is hilarious! But at least now he’s converted. (Though you could do a cultural mash up and make rissole SLIDERS!) N x
I love leftovers too and thought you might enjoy this quote that my butcher used to have on his wall:
“My mother always fed us leftovers. We never did find the original meal.”
I loved that quote! 🤣
I love this 😂
I love the tips in this one, Nagi. Thanks for another delicious recipe. Your family and friends are very lucky to know you. Dozer is one lucky dog too 😉
Delicious and yes, extra juicy!
I’m trying to eat less meat and have discovered plant mince in the supermarket meat section. Have used it in tacos and bolognese (half n half with canned lentils). The meat eaters don’t even notice.!!! Think I’d try these rissoles with it for a nice homey , warm, winter dinner (no ketchup for me) with some yummy onion gravy. What thinkest you?😘
Looking for achilli pork reciepe
I love your recipes, I am always looking for fresh new easy meals. Thank you.
These rissoles are delicious!
I used the Woolworths brand of veggie mince to make vegetarian. They turned out perfect and were even better the following day. Thanks for a great recipe.
Delicious! Love it! The grated veggies really give it a fresh and healthy flavor. We liked meatloaf and after seeing this it made me think we would enjoy this as well. Simple yet delicious! It’s a new addition to our dinner recipes now! Thank you!
hi loved the rissoles, zucchini was out of season too expensive added chilli flakes for a bit of heat was great had with garlic cabbage and bacon so yum thank you
These are the best rissoles I have ever eaten, I usually do not do vegies of any description – but mixed in these I ate it all. They also freeze well after being cooked. Thanks Nagi 🙂
These are absolutely delicious, I have made them several times and use the recipe to make sausage rolls which are also awesome