The BEST German Meatballs (Königsberger Klopse)
This German meatball recipe in sauce is called Königsberger Klopse and is an iconic German food staple, often reserved for special occasions.These deliciously seasoned beef and pork meatballs are simmered in beef broth before finishing the sauce with cream, capers and lemon.I love serving mine with peeled gold potatoes cooked in salted water, called Salzkartoffeln in German, to soak up all that yummy gravy! If you're in the mood for more German ground pork and beef recipes, check out my Frikadellen (German hamburgers).
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 627kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
Meatballs (Klopse)
- ½ pound ground beef
- ½ pound ground pork
- 1 white, crusty roll soaked in water
- 1 medium onion about 150 grams, peeled and finely diced
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon anchovy paste Optional. No worries, the flavor doesn't come through (I am not an anchovy fan and still use it). It just gives these meatballs a deeper flavor profile!
Simmer Broth
- 1 liter beef broth
- 1 medium onion peeled and finely diced
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 peppercorns
- 1 pinch ground allspice
Caper Cream Sauce
Instructions
Meatballs
- Wring out your roll soaked in water (I let it soak for about 10 to 15 minutes ).In a large bowl, combine ground beef and pork, roll, onion, eggs, salt and pepper.½ pound ground beef, ½ pound ground pork, 1 white, crusty roll, 1 medium onion, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Knead by hand until you achieve a smooth, homogenous mixture. Add the breadcrumbs and knead again.2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
- It's time to add the anchovy paste. Sidenote: I don't like anchovies personally at all, but it really deepens the flavor profile of the dish.1 Tablespoon anchovy paste
- Using your hands, shape 20 to 24 meatballs with the meat 'dough.'
Broth
- In a medium sized pot, combine broth, onion, and spices. Bring to a boil and add salt as needed. Add the meatballs and let simmer for 10 minutes.1 liter beef broth, 1 medium onion, 1 bay leaf, 3 peppercorns, 1 pinch ground allspice
- Remove the bay leaf and peppercorns and continue to simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
- Remove the meatballs (I used this skimmer) and cover with foil to keep warm. Strain and save the broth for the sauce.
Sauce
- Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Gently whisk in flour.3 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons flour
- Whisk in the broth, starting with a small amount and gradually adding in the rest.375 milliliters meatball broth
- Add drained capers and cream and be careful not to let the sauce come back to a boil. Season to taste with lemon juice, sugar, salt and pepper.½ lemon, 125 milliliters heavy cream, 50 grams capers, sugar to taste
- Add the meatballs to the sauce and garnish with parsley.parsley
- Serve with peeled potatoes cooked in salted water (Salzkartoffeln). Pickled beets are also often served with this traditional German meal. Enjoy and let me know in the comments how much you loved this meal!!
Video
Notes
Not an anchovy fan? Leave them out. But I promise, they won't make your meatballs taste fishy. I am not much of an anchovy person either, if that helps.
Why is your sauce darker than usual? I simmered down my broth when cooking the Königsberger Klopse in it for 20 minutes. If you want a lighter colored sauce, put a lid over the meatballs when simmering.
Do I have to add sugar? The sugar in the sauce is simply there to balance out the sour flavor from the lemon. I often leave it out, and even if you do use it, it's just to taste and typically just a pinch.
Nutrition
Calories: 627kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 224mg | Sodium: 2296mg | Potassium: 676mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 875IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 122mg | Iron: 4mg