Recipe byThe ZestyPlate Kitchen
Balkan ćevapi: small skinless grilled sausages of seasoned beef and pork, smoky off the grill and best served warm with flatbread and onions.
Ćevapi are the little grilled sausages found all over the Balkans: juicy, garlicky minced beef and pork shaped by hand and cooked over fierce heat. They have no skin and a real depth of flavour, and they are at their best stuffed into warm flatbread with raw onion and a spoonful of kajmak.
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Prep 20 min
Cook 14 min
Total 120 min
Easy
Scale:
- 500g Minced Beef
- 250g Minced Pork
- 1 Onion
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 3 tblsp chopped Parsley
- 1 tbs Paprika
- 3/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 2 tbs Breadcrumbs
- 3 tbs Water
- 1 Vegetable Stock Cube
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Pepper
Nutrition (per serving)
530
kcal
34g
Protein
10g
Carbs
39g
Fat
Estimated per serving. How we calculate this.
Tags:
Sausages
Preparation
- Put the minced beef and pork in a bowl. Finely chop the onion, grate the garlic and add both, along with the chopped parsley, paprika, baking powder, breadcrumbs, water, stock cube, salt and pepper.
- Mix well with a hand mixer fitted with dough hooks, then cover with cling film and rest in the fridge for one to two hours.
- Take portions of about 50 to 55g (¼ cup) and roll into ćevapi roughly as thick as your thumb and 7 to 10cm long. You should get around 18.
- Grill on a hot grill pan or barbecue for about 12 to 14 minutes, turning several times, until browned and cooked through (cut one open to check).
- Serve hot. To reheat, warm them in the oven at 180°C/350°F for about 10 minutes.
Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen
- Work the meat thoroughly and rest it in the fridge so the ćevapi hold their shape and the seasoning settles in.
- A little baking powder keeps them light and juicy instead of heavy.
- Shape them to an even thickness so each one cooks through at the same rate.
- Get the grill genuinely hot for a proper char, turning to colour every side.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Ćevapi are skinless and rolled by hand into small logs, which is what gives them that soft, tender bite.
Traditionally soft lepinja flatbread with raw onion, ajvar (a pepper relish) and kajmak (a creamy dairy spread).
Yes. Shape and chill them in advance, then grill when you are ready. They also reheat nicely in the oven.
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