Ingredients
Rissoles
- 1/2 large onion, grated
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (or regular breadcrumbs)
- 500g (1 lb) 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 or kosher salt (halve if using table salt)
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil, for cooking
Mushroom Gravy
- 30g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter
- 1/2 onion, sliced 5mm thick
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 200g (7 oz) mushrooms, sliced 5mm thick
- 3 1/2 tbsp plain/all-purpose flour
- 2 cups beef stock or broth, low sodium
- 1/4 tsp cooking salt or kosher salt (halve if using table salt)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- Mashed potatoes or other starchy vehicle for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the rissole mixture: Grate the onion into a large bowl and add the panko breadcrumbs, tossing lightly to let the breadcrumbs soak up the onion juices. Add the beef mince, grated zucchini, carrot, egg, crushed garlic, dried thyme, oregano, black pepper, salt, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix well with your hands until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- Form patties with indentation: Shape the mixture into 12 equal patties (about 1/4 cup each). Press 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 of the rissoles for 1 1/2 minutes on each side until they are lightly browned on the outside but still raw inside. Remove to a plate. Add remaining oil and repeat with the rest.
- Prepare mushroom gravy base: Discard excess oil from the pan and wipe it clean with paper towels to remove burnt bits. Melt the butter in the pan, then cook the sliced onion for about 1 minute until softened. Add the mushrooms and cook for 3–4 minutes until they release their water, soften, and start to brown. Add the chopped garlic for the last 30 seconds of cooking.
- Create roux and thicken gravy: Turn heat to medium, sprinkle flour evenly over the mushrooms and onion, and stir continuously for 1 minute to cook the flour. Gradually pour in half of the beef stock while stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and becomes lump-free, about 30 seconds.
- Add remaining stock and seasonings: Pour in the remaining beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine and increase heat to medium-high until the gravy starts to simmer.
- Simmer rissoles in gravy: Gently add the browned rissoles and any juices from the plate into the simmering gravy. Cook for 4–5 minutes as the gravy thickens to a thin sauce consistency (it will thicken further while serving).
- Serve: Serve the smothered rissoles hot over buttery mashed potatoes or your preferred starchy side, garnished with parsley if desired for extra colour and freshness.
Notes
- Grating the onion allows it to blend into the rissoles easily, infusing flavour without crunchy raw onion bits.
- Panko breadcrumbs make the rissoles extra soft due to their larger flakes compared to regular breadcrumbs.
- Leftover rissoles keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in the microwave.
- For freezing, cool the rissoles uncovered completely, then freeze for up to 3 months. You can freeze cooked or uncooked patties.
- Feel free to prepare the mushroom gravy ahead and freeze it separately for convenience.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Australian
