Description
Smothered rissoles are soft, juicy beef patties cooked in a rich mushroom gravy, making for an irresistibly comforting Australian main dish. The rissoles are tender because they simmer gently in the thickening gravy, which infuses them with mushroom and onion flavors. Served over buttery mashed potatoes, this recipe delivers cozy, crave-worthy comfort food perfect for weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Rissoles:
- 1/2 large onion, grated
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 500g (1lb) beef mince (ground beef)
- 1 small zucchini, grated
- 1 small carrot, peeled and grated
- 1 large egg
- 1 large garlic clove, crushed or finely grated
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme (optional)
- 1/2 tsp oregano (optional)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (halve for table salt)
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Cooking:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Mushroom Gravy:
- 30g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter
- 1/2 onion, sliced 5mm (0.2″) thick
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 200g (7 oz) mushrooms, sliced 5mm (0.2″) thick
- 3 1/2 tbsp plain/all-purpose flour
- 2 cups beef stock/broth, low sodium
- 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (halve for table salt)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
To Serve:
- Mashed potato or other starchy vehicle of choice
Instructions
- Prepare the rissoles: Grate the onion into a large bowl and add the panko breadcrumbs, tossing to soak up the onion juices. Add the beef mince, grated zucchini, carrot, egg, crushed garlic, thyme, oregano, black pepper, salt, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix all ingredients thoroughly by hand until combined.
- Form patties: Shape the mixture into 12 evenly sized patties (about 1/4 cup each). Make a slight indentation on one side of each patty to prevent doming during cooking.
- Brown the rissoles: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Cook half the rissoles for 1 1/2 minutes on each side until lightly browned but still raw inside. Remove and set aside. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and repeat with the remaining rissoles.
- Clean the pan: Remove excess oil and wipe the pan roughly with paper towels to remove burnt bits.
- Cook the mushroom base: Melt the butter in the pan. Add the sliced onion and cook for 1 minute. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for 3-4 minutes until they release liquid, soften, and lightly brown. Add the chopped garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
- Make the roux: Reduce heat to medium. Sprinkle flour evenly over the mushroom mixture and stir constantly for 1 minute, creating a dry paste.
- Add stock gradually: Slowly pour in half the beef stock while stirring continuously to dissolve the flour and avoid lumps. Continue stirring until the mixture thickens into a smooth gravy.
- Simmer rissoles in gravy: Add the remaining beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Increase heat slightly to medium-high until simmering. Gently place the browned rissoles back into the pan along with any juices that collected on the plate. Simmer for 4-5 minutes, letting the gravy thicken further and the rissoles finish cooking and soften.
- Serve: Plate the rissoles over buttery mashed potatoes or your preferred side, spooning plenty of mushroom gravy over the top. Optionally sprinkle with parsley before serving.
Notes
- Grating the onion adds great flavor and moisture to the rissoles, eliminating the need to cook onion separately and preventing raw bits in the patties.
- Panko breadcrumbs help keep the rissoles tender because of their larger flakes compared to regular breadcrumbs.
- Leftover cooked rissoles keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days and can be reheated in the microwave.
- For freezing, cool rissoles fully uncovered before freezing for up to 3 months. You can freeze uncooked patties or cook half and freeze the rest uncooked for convenience.
- The mushroom gravy can be made in advance and frozen as well; reheat gently with the rissoles when ready to eat.
