With our original recipe for Cevapcici you can easily make the Balkan classic yourself at home, and it tastes just like you did on your last vacation in Croatia. With our tips you are guaranteed to make tender and juicy minced meat rolls with a golden brown crust. Whether fresh from the grill or in the pan, with this Cevapcici recipe you can bring the incomparable taste of the classic to your plate.
Who doesn’t know them? Spicy cevapcici with juicy meat and a wonderful crust. The delicious meat rolls have long since found their way into our kitchen. Traditionally, the grilled minced meat rolls come from the Balkans and are an integral part of the local cuisine, which is known for its hearty and intense flavors. In our recipe we show you how to prepare Cevapcici like the original with just a few ingredients. This is how you bring the taste of Croatia home. Do you want even more hearty dishes that taste like you’re on vacation? Then you should definitely try our chicken gyros.
Which meat for cevapcici?
Depending on the region, the original recipes for cevapcici differ in the composition of the meat mixture. Typically a mix of beef, lamb and pork is used. In some regions, ground beef is mixed only with lamb or only with pork. We prefer a mix of beef and lamb and think it’s closest to the original as we know it. Alternatively, depending on your preference, you can also use pure beef or lamb. It should be noted that the less fat there is in the minced meat, the drier the consistency will be. If you want to grill your cevapcici, we recommend that you do not use pure beef, otherwise the meat rolls will quickly become too dry. What the original recipes for cevapcici agree on is that the meat mixture is ideally put through the meat grinder twice.
The other ingredients for homemade cevapcici
The Cevapcici original recipes are characterized above all by the simplicity of the ingredients. It doesn’t take much to make your own spicy cevapcici:
- Garlic: It is indispensable in Balkan cuisine and of course cannot be missing from our Cevapcici recipe.
- Onions: Whether onions belong in Cevapcici or not, recipes vary from region to region. You should make sure that your onions are very finely chopped or grated. Alternatively, you can also put them through the meat grinder together with the meat.
- Spices: We chose a classic seasoning mix of paprika, chili, salt and pepper. That’s all you need for your original Cevapcici. If you don’t like it so spicy, just leave out the chili.
- Baking soda: The baking soda loosens the meat mixture a little and makes the finished minced meat rolls particularly tender. If you don’t have baking soda at home, you can also use baking powder.
Fry or grill cevapcici?
Traditionally, cevapcici are prepared on the charcoal grill. The smoke gives the spicy meat rolls an unmistakable aroma. If you don’t have a grill available or the weather is simply not conducive to grilling, you can of course also fry them in a pan in a little heat-resistant olive oil. Here you should make sure that you have enough heat so that your original cevapcici get a nice crust and still remain nice and juicy on the inside.
Five tips to make your cevapcici taste like the original
Here are 5 tips to make your own cevapcici taste like you’re on vacation:
- Fresh spices: Use fresh garlic and paprika powder for a strong seasoning. Pepper, salt and optionally a pinch of chili complement the classic spice mixture
- Knead well: It is important that you knead the meat mixture by hand or with the machine for at least 10 minutes so that you get a homogeneous and compact mass.
- Rest time: So that the flavors can combine and the meat becomes firmer, the mixture should rest in the refrigerator for at least 1-2 hours or even overnight before shaping.
- Shape meat: The typical size for cevapcici are rolls approx. 5-8 cm long.
- Supplements: Serve your Croatian minced meat rolls traditionally with Ajvar, fresh onions, yogurt and a piece of flatbread or Djuvec rice to bring the authentic Balkan taste to your plate.
With our simple recipe for Cevapcici, the Balkan classic tastes like the original from your last Croatian vacation. With our tips you are guaranteed to make tender and juicy meat rolls with a golden brown crust.
Suitable recipe recommendations
200G
Information for 4 portions
- Cut the onion into very fine cubes, press or finely chop the garlic and chop the parsley very finely.
1 small onion, 1 tbsp fresh parsley, 2 cloves of garlic
- Mix the minced meat with the onions, parsley and remaining ingredients. Knead the mixture by hand or with the help of a food processor for 5-10 minutes.
750 g minced meat, 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 tsp paprika powder, 1 pinch of chili, ½ tsp baking soda, 1½ tsp salt, 1 pinch of pepper
- Now form 20 thin rolls from the minced meat mixture (approx. 40g each).
- Cover and chill on a plate in the refrigerator for a good 2 hours (or overnight). If you moisten your hands, the mixture will stick less.
- Brush the cevapcici with oil.
- Then grill on all sides over high heat. The rolls are then left to steep briefly over indirect heat.
- We like to serve Cevapcici with Ajvar and Djuvec rice.
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