Juicy Pork Meatballs Recipe (Kotlety)
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Ahem. I present to you THE meatball of all meatballs. There’s an oddity in the list of ingredients, but believe me when I tell you; these will be the talk of your dinner party. These meatballs are incredibly juicy and quite possibly the best ones I’ve ever tried. I kid you not.
My sisters Tanya & Sveta have been raving about how their Mama-in-law (they married two brothers, you see) makes fantastic meatballs. I finally asked Maria for the recipe. I knew from the first bite; my sisters were right.
Flashback! (I love how food triggers memories). I remember the first time we gave my grandpa a burger, he took it apart and ate each ingredient separately. He was probably wondering why we served Katleti in such a strange way.
The Ukrainian way is to serve katleti (meatballs) along side potatoes and salad, but I do think they’d taste great as sliders. Yum, yum!
Ingredients for Juicy Pork Meatballs:
2 slices good black/rye bread
1 lb lean ground pork (I ground my own lean pork tenderloin)
1 small/medium onion, finely chopped
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash salt-free seasoning, or your fave seasoning
3/4 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp mayo.
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs.
Oil to Saute (I used extra light olive oil)
P.S. Maria said you can double the batch and freeze half of them raw then thaw and saute them when you’re ready for more!
How to Make Juicy Pork Meatballs:
1. Dry your bread slices in the oven at 350˚F for 25 minutes (or in the sunshine) until fully dried.
2. Once bread is fully dried, soak it in water for 10 mins then squeeze out the water and drain really well. I placed/pressed a bowl over the bread crumbs inside of my colander to help drain it. Break bread into crumbs.
3. Saute onions in a medium pan over medium/high heat until golden brown then set aside.
4. Place ground pork into a large mixing bowl. Add moist bread crumbs, sautéed onion, 1 beaten egg, 1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash seasoning, 3/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp black pepper and 1 Tbsp Mayo. Mix until well combined.
5. Form 1 1/2″ meatballs and slightly flatten each one. Roll meatballs in bread crumbs and arrange on a platter.
6. Heat a large non-stick pan (I used my cast iron skillet) over medium heat with 2 Tbsp oil. Once oil is hot, add 1/2 of the prepared meatballs (about 10) and cook about 3 minutes per side, adding more oil as needed.
Saute until meatballs are golden brown on the outside and cooked through. Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel.
These were soo stankin’ juicy! My mouth is watering. Come to Mama!
Just in case you missed the juiciness..
Juicy Pork Meatballs (Kotlety)
Ingredients
- 2 slices good black bread
- 1 lb lean ground pork, I ground my own lean pork
- 1 small/medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash seasoning
- 3/4 tsp Salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1 Tbsp mayo.
- 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
- Oil to Saute, I used extra light olive oil
Instructions
- Dry your bread slices in the oven at 350˚F for 25 minutes (or in the sunshine) until fully dried.
- Once bread is fully dried, soak it in water for 10 mins then squeeze out the water and drain really well. I placed a bowl over the bread crumbs inside of my colander to help drain it. Break bread into crumbs.
- Saute onions in a medium pan over medium/high heat until golden brown then set aside.
- Place ground pork into a large mixing bowl. Add moist bread crumbs, sautéed onion, 1 beaten egg, 1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash seasoning, 3/4 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp black pepper and 1 Tbsp Mayo. Mix until well combined.
- Form 1 1/2" meatballs and slightly flatten each one. Roll meatballs in bread crumbs and arrange on a platter.
- Heat a large non-stick pan (I used my cast iron skillet) over medium heat with 2 Tbsp oil. Once oil is hot, add 1/2 of the prepared meatballs (about 10) and cook about 2-3 minutes per side, adding more oil as needed. Saute until meatballs are golden brown on the outside and cooked through. Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel.
Notes
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Wow, best meatballs I have ever made. They were such a hit. So juicy and soft.
So glad to hear that, Nadia! Thank you for the review.
I don’t understand the reasoning behind drying the bread first, then soaking it, then wringing it out. Can you explain the why for these very confusing steps? It all seems so unnecessary. Thank you. And thank you for all your terrific recipes! I have tried many and so far I have Loved every one!
Hi Cheryl! Thank you, I’m glad you’re loving my recipes. Drying the bread first improves the bread’s ability to absorb and retain moisture. It’s important because it helps the texture and flavor of the meatballs.
Love this recipe! I have been using it for several years now, both when cooking for my clients (I’m a postpartum doula), and my own family. Easy, versatile, and they freeze great! Thanks for a keeper and please visit us
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
My Mom made these with ground pork, ground veal, and ground beef. Otherwise, recipe is pretty much the same.
The BEST Kotleti I’ve had, besides moms of course 🙂
Super! Thanks for your great feedback.
I do similar, but use one slice of white bread and 3 tblsp. milk to soak. Mix that with the egg, rest is same. Granddaughter doesn’t like beef, so I did a one to one with turkey & pork. Had no breadcrumbs 🙁 so I used flour with seasoned salt to dredge the Kotlety…made 19, our son ate 5…so good.
Thanks for sharing that with us Pat. Appreciate it!
Can you substitute the black bread with any other bread if you’re out of black bread?
Hi Angelina, you should be able to substitute the bread without any issues
Natasha, if you add a few garlic cloves to a sautéed onion, it adds an amazing flavor to these Katleti! I absolutely looove this recipe! Thank you, thank you, thank you:))
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
These katleti were so tender, juicy and delicious! Definitely one of my favorite recipes for katleti.
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review 🙂
What about serving in a gravy?? a sour cream one???
Hi Denise! You can apply the sauces from some of our other saucy meatball recipes for this one and I think it would be scrumptious :).
Hi Natasha! Thanks for the recipe! Can I substitute rye bread with your artisan bread? (I made it recently and it’s amazing!) Would it change the taste of kotleti a lot? Thank you!
Tatiana, you should be able to substitute the bread without any issues 😬
Hi, do you dip them in anything?
Hi Frank, a dip isn’t necessary with these but I do like the idea of a dip!! Something weird but really good that I’ve discovered recently via my Mom (and don’t laugh), but it’s a new product in grocery stores that is a spicy ketchup by the makers of sriracha and boy is it good! I’ve been really liking it with various kotlety.
What kind of meat do u grind for ur meatballs?
Hi Tanya, I use a variety of pork cuts but for these I used pork loin chops and ground them up. Any pre-ground pork would work fine as well 🙂
Thanks for this recipe,it’s delicious speciali with black/rye bread.Love it and love your page.
Thank you so much Galina! I’m so happy you loved the recipe and my site. 🙂
Hi Natasha, can you please give a link where to buy a skillet you used here? Thanks.
Hi Rita! It’s a great pan and inexpensive too: http://amzn.to/1LiOcUc. I’ve you’ve never owned a cast iron skillet, read up on cleaning it. It’s really easy to care for but it’s different than most pots and pans.
I’ve given up hope with my kotleti long time ago cause they just never turned out to the flavor I wanted/needed. But when I came across this recipe, the ingredients and reviews made me think again. I am moooore than happy with the result !! My family looooved them. I will be back to making kotlety once again !! But instead of Italian bread crumbs I used the Panko bread crumbs. They were unbelievably delicious !! Thank you thank you thank you !!
Thank you so much for sharing your awesome review!!
Yay a swift zipline back to my Ukrainian-Jewish childhood:) Honestly the best recipe, the only two problems were I could not find the right sort of black bread and I expected leftovers but my family ate the whole skillet:)
Victoria, thank you for such a nice review, looks like you might have to make them again soon 😀 .
Excellent! Tasty, juicy, tender. I don’t have mayo at home, so I used sour cream, italian seasoning instead of Mrs.Dash (don’t have that either), and flour instead of bread crumbs. I always try to adapt the recipe to the stuff I already have in my fridge/pantry, so it’s cheaper and faster (don’t have to run to the store etc.)
I love how you improvise. It’s a sign of a creative cook! Thanks for sharing your great review! 🙂
This is one of the best meatball recipes ever! Every time I make this, there’s hardly any leftovers (and any that’s left disappear before the next day). I’ve shared it a few times and nothing but rave reviews.
Lisa-Marie, thank you for such a great review and thanks for spreading the word :).
Thanks for sharing this recipe with us. Just fixed it for dinner tonight, turned out great. The wife loved it!
I’m so happy to hear that!! Thanks for sharing that with me. I’m so happy you both enjoyed it 🙂
Hi Natasha! I love your website and recipes, i use them all the time :)I love how everything is so easy and simple and step my step which is very helpful. I would like to know what cookware do you usually use? I noticed that for this recipe you used cast iron,and i wanted to see if you have any suggestions on what brand or what kind is best since you are the pro :)i have caphalon non stick but im trying to get rid of the non stick cookware because its not that great for health from what i heard. I tried out stainless steel but everything tends to stick to the bottom even if i add lots of oil, so i wanted to see if you have any suggestions.
I use different cookware for different things. My absolute favorite is LeCreuset; they make enamel-lined cast iron pans that are incredible, but they are spendy. The one in this picture is by Lodge Cast Iron. Here is a link. They are fairly inexpensive and if treated correctly (don’t wash with soap to keep it “seasoned”), then they will be non-stick even for eggs :). I hope that helps. I also have Circulon pans that are non-stick too, but again they have the undesireable coating on them like you said.
Made this today! Your blog has become my source of cooking inspiration! Yummy!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for the great feedback 🙂
These meatballs are great! I sort of had my doubts with the wet bread but everything worked out just right. Thanks for the recipe.
You are welcome Patricia, I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe :).
Tasted just like my grandmother ‘s meat cakes…she was of German heritage born in Hungary in1894..
Next time I will add some garlic flavoring (I am 1/2 Italian)
I’m so happy to hear that it tasted like your Grandmas cooking. How awesome!!
I made these yesterday and must i say,, they are very delicious!! thanks 🙂
Thank you Lyuda for a great feedback, I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Not sure what I did wrong but my kotleti had a strong taste of rye bread, which I did not like. I did use the same proportions…
Tatyana, you might try a different brand of bread, I did not taste any rye in mine. Also, where your bread slices thicker than mine? Did you toast the bread like it states in instructions?
I think my rye bread was darker, so that’s probably what caused the problem. They taste much better cold, though, so we are still enjoying them. Next time, I will cut the amount of bread in half. These kotleti are very juicy, for sure! Thank you for the recipe!
Thank you for this recipe, I just made them for dinner and they are so juicy inside and crispy outside, I ate one right away before I finished cooking the rest. Definitely a keeper 🙂
Fantastic! Thanks for the great review! It sure means a lot to me 🙂 You’re so nice Yuliya!!
I make mine this way after trying my aunts. But with one small difference. I use ‘panko’ bread crumbs. I love the extra crunchiness. Maybe you would as well. 🙂
I love that idea! I’ll have to give it a try next time. I always stock panko 🙂
Can I use any other bread, and still have it taste juciy? Luke wheat bread?
You can use wheat bread. I think that should be just fine 🙂
hi Natasha…thank you for the recipe. these are look beautiful and mouth watering too..cant we use chicken instead of pork?..becu..we only eat chickens.. thanks
I think chicken would work 🙂 If you have a meat grinder, ground chicken thighs would be the juiciest. Enjoy!
So I’m not sure what I did wrong with this recipe, but my meatballs stuck to my cast iron skillet that I seasoned in the oven 3 times before. For my second batch, I used my regular heavy skillet (not cast iron), but they still stuck to the pan 🙁
I used extra light olive oil and followed the recipe exactly as you wrote…
P.S. My cast iron skillet was used before to fry bacon, eggs, and potatoes.
Is your cast iron skillet normally non-stick with other recipes? I have made these in my cast iron pan and in my non-stick heavy-bottomed pan and didn’t have any problems with sticking to the pan. Do you think the problem was with lacking enough oil or maybe the heat was too high?
I kept adding more oil as needed and my stove was on medium heat….it even took longer than 5 mins to cook on each side.
I wonder if you made the meatballs bigger than mine? It shouldn’t have taken that long to cook through. I hope that helps! 🙂
I LOVE kotleti, I usually use beef and turkey…I’ll have to give this recipe a go 😉
P.S. My brother and sister married another family’s brother and sister – I love the family dynamics 🙂
Plus our town is a smaller community so everyone is related somehow ;). My hubby is from Cali so I’m not technically related to anyone here, well, my husbands third cousin lives here; I guess I can’t escape it! lol.
These are sooo good! I’m not a meat eater but these I can down! 🙂
Awesome! I’m so happy you loved these 🙂 We ate them pretty quick, right out of the pan!
What can you substitute the bread for those with Gluten allergies?
Thanks!
Someone on my Facebook page mentioned cooked buckwheat (grechka) instead of bread for the inside. I think minced mushrooms would be a good addition too if you don’t have buckwheat. To sauté, dredge them maybe in gluten free flour or Do they make gluten free bread crumbs? Sorry I haven’t done enough research on that. 😉
For the past 2 years I have been using grains like bulgur or buckwheat (grechka) instead of bread. It’s a healthy option and it makes the kotleti soft too.
That’s brilliant! I am so going to try that! What is your proportion of meat to grechka? How did you make them?
These look really delicious, but I dont eat pork. Can I substitute pork with chicken?
I haven’t tried with chicken, but I think it would work just fine 🙂
Natasha…I too love Kotletki! Still a favorite of mine! I make mine with chicken and people find it hard to believe that chicken can be so juicy! Yours look fabulous!
Great to know these work well with chicken! Thanks so much!
These look great-with the same ingredients we traditionally use to make them in Greece-except for the mayo. Your photos are also beautiful-they make them look so mouthwatering! Thank you!
You can omit the mayo but it does add a little somethin’ somethin’ 😉
These sound really yummy, but could you bake them instead??
I haven’t tried baking them so I can’t vouch for the juiciness. I love how when you saute them, they turn out slightly crisp on the outside and so juicy inside. I do want to try it now though. I’m curious 🙂
hi natasha 🙂 i am persia, i live in esfahan in iran and i am not good speak english,exqus ,i m new fund the your site and very like thank you very for recipes of foods
Welcome to the blog! I don’t think I know anyone from Persia,… until now! So nice to meet you! 🙂
Just in time, I have some ground pork and rye bread:) I will try making them today. Thank you so much Natasha for all the work that you do.
That’s perfect! I love when that happens :-). Thank you so much Olga and I hope you love these meatballs!
Wow… these sure look good! Recipes from someone’s mother-in-law are always the best haha.. years of cooking/baking definitely pays off and then they teach us, the younger generation, all their secrets 😉 Will be trying these for sure!
I’ve gotten so many amazing recipes from my Mom and Mother in law and now my sisters mama in law! I absolutely agree; I love learning from the pros 😉
Well to update: Made these last night and they were FANTASTIC! 😀 Really, my husband and daughters gave it the thumbs-up. hehe. I confess to cheating a little… I put the dark rye bread in the toaster to speed up the drying process, but otherwise didn’t change a thing. I also grind my own meat.. and I put the fried onions through the grinder too but that’s because my one daughter won’t eat’em if she sees them 😉 you could definitely taste the fried onions which I loved and they were very juicy and cooked really fast…I got about 14 kotleti from this recipe 🙂 enough for lunch leftovers today 🙂 thanks Natasha!
I’m so happy you all enjoyed the recipe! I love the idea of putting the bread in the toaster to dry it out. Takes less energy than firing up the oven! 🙂
Your sisters are married to two brothers?! I thought those things only happen in books and movies! 🙂 These kotlety are mouthwatering to say the least! I love that they are made with pork. I always mix beef and pork for mine but never tried pork alone. I am definitely pinning this gem, my husband loves kotlety and he didn’t even grow up eating them!
Yeah and their kids look like brothers and sisters. 😉 Julia thank you so much for pinning!