Homemade Kotlety (Meat Patties)

Welcome to a taste of pure comfort food from the heart of Eastern Europe! Kotlety are much more than just meat patties; they are a cherished dish found on family dinner tables, evoking a sense of warmth and home. This recipe will guide you through creating the most tender and flavorful homemade kotlety. The secret lies not only in the blend of meats but also in a surprise ingredient—raw grated potato—which ensures they are unbelievably juicy. Prepare to make a dish that will become a new family favorite!

Homemade Kotlety

Cooking: 40 minutes

Quantity: 3 Servings

Per serving

Calories: 230 kcal

Proteins: 12 g

Fats: 15 g

Carbohydrates: 12 g

Ingredients for Homemade Kotlety

• 300-400 g (about 0.7-0.9 lb) ground meat (a mix of pork and beef in equal proportions gives the most delicious result)
• 1 small onion
• 1 medium potato
• 1-2 cloves of garlic
• 1-2 slices of white bread
• a little milk
• salt, freshly ground black pepper to taste
• sunflower oil for frying

How to Cook Homemade Kotlety

The most delicious kotlety (meat patties) are made from finely chopped meat. However, without good meat knives, mincing it can be difficult, so you can use a simpler option — pass the meat through a meat grinder with a coarse plate. Even if you use a standard plate, homemade ground meat will be better than store-bought, as you’ll be sure you’ve put meat, vegetables, spices — and nothing extra — into your homemade kotlety.

Ingredients for homemade kotlety

So, mix the two types of ground meat, season the resulting blend with salt and pepper, and mix well.

Soak the bread slices in milk: first on one side, then on the other.

Peel and wash the onion, potato, and garlic.

Soaking the bread

Grating the onion on a coarse grater

Grating the potato on a fine grater

Grind these ingredients in a meat grinder or grate them: the onion on a coarse grater, the garlic and potato on a fine grater. You can also grind the milk-soaked bread at the same time (or simply crumble it thoroughly with your hands).

Add the grated onion, garlic, potato, and bread to the ground meat. Surprised by the potato in kotlety? This is one of the secrets: kotlety with added raw potato turn out especially juicy. Some cooks add raw cabbage instead of potato. And, if you wish, you can add grated carrots or chopped herbs to the mixture for homemade kotlety. Vegetable additions give the patties juiciness and a special flavor, and the bright orange and green flecks in the mixture look very interesting!

Mixing the ground meat

Mix the ground meat mixture well. Prepare a plate with flour for dredging the kotlety, and preheat a frying pan with sunflower oil.

Moisten your hands with water, take a portion of the mixture for one patty, and toss it forcefully from hand to hand several times. This process, known as “otbivanie” (beating the meat), helps the homemade kotlety hold their shape and not fall apart during frying.

Dredging the formed kotlety in coating

Dredge each patty in flour on all sides. Instead of flour, you can use mannaya krupa (semolina) or panirovochnye sukhariki (breadcrumbs). A coating of egg and breadcrumbs works very well: dip the patty in a beaten egg, dredge it in breadcrumbs, then repeat the process.

This double coating becomes crispy, golden-brown, and very appetizing. It’s ideal for stuffed patties — like Chicken Kiev or those with cheese in the center: the crust prevents the “surprise” from escaping. But for regular homemade kotlety, a simple flour coating is also delicious.

Placing the kotlety onto a hot frying pan

Place the kotlety in the frying pan with preheated sunflower oil. The heat should initially be higher than medium to form a crust. Then, reduce the heat to below medium and cover the pan with a lid so the kotlety cook through in the center.

Flipping the kotlety and frying the other side

Cook the kotlety under the lid for 5-7 minutes, until the color of the meat changes. Then, flip them with a fork to the other side and fry without the lid on medium heat until golden-brown.

Homemade Kotlety

Transfer the finished homemade kotlety to a plate and serve with a side of vegetables, grains, pasta, or potatoes, garnished with sprigs of fresh herbs.