Look at these super lovely meatballs in a creamy celery sauce… This is such a Belgian treat! And a great alternative for the classic meatballs in tomato sauce… Do you like celery root?
No, this is not the celery sauce Heinz used to make in the old days.
Or a recipe for a celery dipping sauce!
This is a delicious meatball dinner…
Ever heard of meatballs in celery sauce before?
This is another classic Belgian dish. And again a family favorite here! Look, it is such an easy recipe to make! And therefore it is also one of my favorite last minute dinner options when I crave comfort food…
I always have a batch of homemade meatballs in my freezer.
Freezer
And you can always find fresh celery in my fridge.
For my favorite cocktail, bloody mary of course! Which make these meatballs in celery sauce very easy to make.
Celery or celery root is a great vegetable.
Do you like fresh celery?
I know quite a lot of people who don’t like fresh celery. It is funny, because I love it. I love the crunch when you bite into raw celery, the juice that comes out, the flavor.
I will often munch on a celery stalk in the afternoon as a snack.
Fresh Celery
Nevertheless fresh celery is highly underrated if you ask me.
There is more to do with it than just turn it into hamburger soups, prepare tomato sauces or use it in homemade broths to throw out afterwards.
Fresh celery also works great in combination with cream sauces.
And meatballs in a celery cream sauce?
Well, that is a no brainer. Of course that will work.
So yes please!!
Best Belgian Celery Cream Sauce Meatballs
True, these meatballs in a creamy celery sauce look very much like the popular Swedish meatballs in cream sauce. You know, the famous IKEA meal!
But still, both recipes don’t have a lot in common because the creamy sauce for these meatballs right here only contain cream and white wine. And the freshly chopped celery of course.
The sauce for the Swedish meatballs however contains sour cream.
I am making my meatballs from scratch here.
Meatballs From Scratch
Something I almost always do when I have meatballs planned on our weekly menu.
But sure go ahead and buy ready rolled or frozen meatballs – just skip that first part in the recipe and start off by frying the meatballs until golden.
It is up to you!
I just love to make my own meatballs from scratch.
I very often buy a huge batch of meat mince when it is on sale and make meatballs and burgers out of it that I can freeze for later. Meat mince in the freezer always comes in handy, especially if you need a last minute dinner rescue plan.
KitchenAid Recipe
I made these meatballs in celery sauce twice.
Once just cooked on the stove and for the second time I decided to prepare this classic in my fabulous KitchenAid Cook Processor.
Are you looking for the latter?
Then scroll down to the second recipe for more instructions and watch my video of how I am preparing meatballs in celery sauce in my KitchenAid Cook Processor!
Video Recipe
Best Side Dishes
So what are some great side dishes for these meatballs in celery sauce?
I would definitely go for a classic potato side dish like a dauphinoise potatoes au gratin. Fries, mashed potatoes or oven baked wedges are also an option here!
Whatever you do: enjoy this surprising meatball dinner…
Cheers!
Best Belgian Celery Sauce Meatballs Recipe
Lovely meatballs in a creamy celery sauce, this is such a Belgian treat! A great alternative for the classic meatballs in tomato sauce.
- 13 oz meat mince (375 g)
- 1 tbsp breadcrumbs or panko
- 2 medium garlic cloves
- 2 tbsp onion chopped
- 1 tbsp parmesan cheese grated
- ½ cup cream (120 ml)
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 small shallot
- 2 stalks fresh celery chopped
- 1 glass dry white wine
- 4 bay leaves
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- pepper
- salt
Peel the garlic and shallot. Chop both very finely. Add the shallot and half of the garlic to a medium saucepan together with 2 bay leaves and a teaspoon of butter. Place this over medium heat and gently cook the shallot and garlic for a few minutes until soft and a little golden. Season with a little pepper and salt.
- Then take the pan off the heat and let this shallot mixture cool down fully. Transfer the meat mince to a large mixing bowl and add the cooled onion and garlic together with the egg yolk (remove the bay leaves).
- Stir and add the breadcrumbs (or panko) and grated parmesan cheese. Season with a little pinch of pepper and salt.
- Stir well again. Check the seasoning and add extra pepper or salt to taste if necessary. Then roll even balls from the mixture. Mine were 1 1/2 oz (45 g) and I had 10 of them in the end.
- Melt half of the remaining butter in a large pan and add the meatballs. Place the pan over medium-high heat and brown the meatballs on all sides for a couple of minutes until a little golden.
Then remove them from the pan to a clean plate and cover with some tinfoil. Don’t wipe the pan clean! The browned bits will add extra flavor to out celery sauce. Add the remaining butter, chopped onion, remaining chopped garlic, 2 remaining bay leaves and thyme sprigs.
Gently brown the onion and herbs for 2 to 3 minutes. Then add the chopped celery.
- Stir the celery well and season with a pinch of salt. Let the celery braise for about 3 minutes. Pour in the white wine and the cream.
- Then add the browned meatballs back to the pan.
- Stir well and cover the pan with a lid. Let the meatballs and celery braise in the cream sauce for another 6 to 7 minutes. Then check the seasoning and add extra pepper or salt to taste if necessary. Scoop the meatballs and the creamy celery sauce onto warm deep plates, sprinkle with some freshly chopped parsley and serve.
Best Belgian Celery Cream Sauce Meatballs – KitchenAid Cook Processor
No, this is not the celery sauce Heinz used to make in the old days.
Or a recipe for a celery dipping sauce!
This is a delicious meatball dinner…
Are you ready?
So here is how to prepare these classic Belgian style meatballs in celery sauce…
In the KitchenAid Cook Processor!
I didn’t include the meatball making part here. If you still need some help or inspiration, then just take a sneak peak at the first recipe above if you feel like making your meatballs from scratch!
Enjoy!
Best Belgian Celery Sauce Meatballs Recipe
Lovely meatballs in a creamy celery sauce, this is such a Belgian treat! A great alternative for the classic meatballs in tomato sauce.
- 10 meatballs
- 1 medium garlic clove
- 2 tbsp onion chopped
- ½ cup cream (120 ml)
- 2 stalks fresh celery chopped
- 1 glass dry white wine
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 3 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- pepper
- salt
1) Add the StirAssist to the bowl of the Cook Processor.
2) Add half of the unsalted butter and the meatballs. Close the bowl and select STEW P7. Adjust the cooking time of Step 1 to 10 minutes (instead of 5 minutes). Press Start to activate the program.
3) The meatballs should be golden brown on all sides after that. Then add the rest of the unsalted butter, the chopped yellow onion, the chopped garlic, the freshly chopped celery, the 2 bay leaves and the thyme sprigs.
4) Close the bowl. Adjust the cooking time of Step 2 to 10 minutes (instead of 30 minutes). Press Start to activate Step 2. After that pour in the white wine and the cream. Season with a good pinch of pepper and salt.
5) Close the bowl and press Start to activate Step 3. Let the meatballs and celery braise in the cream sauce. In the end press cancel to exit the keep warm mode. Check the seasoning of the celery cream sauce and add extra pepper or salt to taste if necessary.
6) Scoop the meatballs and the creamy celery sauce onto warm deep plates, sprinkle with some freshly chopped parsley and serve.
This is incredibly yummy dear June! LOVED it, Panos is already bugging me to try it out asap!:)
xoxoxo
It’s look delicious thanks for sharing i really love it