If there’s one dish that instantly brings me back to my childhood, it’s giouvarlakia avgolemono. Just the smell of lemon and broth simmering away reminds me of yiayia standing by the stove, rolling meatballs in her hands with the kind of patience only she had.

We all knew what was coming: a big pot of comfort. Tender little meatballs, fluffy with rice, swimming in a silky lemony sauce.

Yiayia would place a loaf of bread on the table, and before we knew it, everyone was dipping, slurping, and asking for seconds.

This is the kind of Greek food that warms you from the inside out. Simple, humble, but filled with love. And honestly?

Once you try it, it might just become your new favorite soup.

Crockery & ingredients love using—find them all here: My Mediterranean Greek Pantry

For the meatballs:

500 g ground beef

1 tbsp medium-grain rice (uncooked)

1 small onion, very finely grated

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

1 egg

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the broth:

1.5 liters chicken or beef stock (or water with 1 cube bouillon)

100 gr rice

2 – 3 tbsps olive oil

1 onion, peeled

1 bay leaf

For the avgolemono sauce:

2 eggs

Juice of 2 lemons

A ladle of hot broth

Directions

Prepare the meatballs:
In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, rice, grated onion, parsley, egg, salt, and pepper. Mix well until the mixture is soft but holds together. Shape into walnut-sized meatballs.

Cook the meatballs:
In a wide pot, bring the stock to a gentle boil. Lower the heat to medium. Carefully add the meatballs one by one. Simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes. Add the olive oil, rice and the whole onion and let simmer for 35 – 40 minutes until rise is and meatballs are cooked through.

Make the avgolemono:
In a bowl, beat the eggs until frothy. Add the lemon juice and continue whisking. Slowly pour in a ladle of hot broth from the pot while whisking constantly to temper the eggs.

Thicken the soup:
Remove the pot from the heat. Remove the onion first and slowly add the egg-lemon mixture into the soup, stirring gently so it doesn’t curdle. Do not boil after adding avgolemono—just let it rest a few minutes to thicken naturally.

Serve:
Ladle the soup into bowls, making sure each portion has several meatballs. Garnish with extra dill or parsley if desired. Serve with crusty bread.

Tip: The secret is to let the avgolemono sauce blend smoothly with the broth—never add it while boiling, or it will separate.

Note: Some people like to add a little finely chopped carrot to the soup, but traditionally it’s made without vegetables.