Welcome to a recipe that proves a delicious, comforting meal doesn't have to take hours to prepare! These Quick Meat Patties with Broccoli in Béchamel Sauce are a fantastic choice for a busy weeknight dinner. We're combining tender, juicy meat patties with vibrant, crisp-tender broccoli, all smothered in a classic, creamy béchamel sauce. It's a well-rounded, one-pan dish that feels both elegant and incredibly homey. Get ready to impress your family with a meal that's simple to make but packed with flavor.
Quick meat patties with broccoli in béchamel sauce
Ingredients for Quick Meat Patties with Broccoli in Béchamel Sauce
- 600 g ground meat
- 600 g broccoli
- 100 g onion
- 120 g raw potato
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 200 ml milk
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon butter
- nutmeg, chili pepper (optional)
- pepper, salt, green onions for serving
How to Make Quick Meat Patties with Broccoli in Béchamel Sauce
Place the chilled ground meat in a bowl and add one large, coarsely grated onion. The onion adds juiciness; to avoid tears, you can chop it in a blender.
Finely grate the raw potato as well. Instead of potato, you can add zucchini or pumpkin for an equally delicious and juicy result.
Add dried parsley or any dry meat seasoning to the bowl with the ground meat, and salt to taste.
Adding onion to the ground meat
Adding grated potato
Add dried parsley and salt to taste
Thoroughly mix the ground meat, usually by hand, as it’s similar to kneading dough.
If you’re making this dish from a whole piece of meat, simply process all the ingredients in a blender until smooth.
Mixing the ground meat
Wet your hands with cold water and form small, round patties. This recipe yields about 11-12 patties for me.
Forming small round patties
Pour 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil into a deep, non-stick skillet and heat it up. Place the patties in the skillet and quickly pan-fry them on both sides until golden brown.
Pan-frying the patties until golden brown
Bring 2 liters of water to a boil and salt it. Drop the broccoli into the boiling water, blanch for 3 minutes, then drain in a colander.
Once the water has drained, arrange the broccoli florets between the patties in the skillet.
Blanching the broccoli and placing it between the patties
Whisk the milk and all-purpose flour together, ensuring there are no lumps. Season with salt and grated nutmeg. If you want to make a béchamel sauce with a slight tang, you can replace the milk with low-fat smetana (a type of sour cream), thinning it with a little water.
Add a tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Once it melts, carefully pour in the sauce. You can also add a chili pepper for some heat, if desired.
Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then cover and cook the patties on low heat for 7-10 minutes.
This is enough time for the patties to become juicy and tender, while the broccoli will retain its vibrant green color.
Pouring the béchamel sauce over the patties. Sprinkle with green onions and pepper before serving
And there you have it—a beautiful and satisfying meal ready in under an hour! These meat patties are wonderfully tender, and the broccoli, quickly blanched, retains its lovely color and bite, perfectly complementing the rich béchamel sauce. For a complete meal, serve this dish with a side of fluffy mashed potatoes, rice, or some crusty bread to soak up every last drop of the delicious sauce. Feel free to customize by adding a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese to the sauce for extra flavor. Enjoy your cooking!
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