Grilled Polish Buckwheat Meatballs with Plum Glaze
There are plenty of meatball recipes out there, but very few use one of my favorite Polish pantry staples: kasza gryczana, or buckwheat groats. Instead of breadcrumbs, cooked buckwheat keeps these meatballs incredibly tender while adding a subtle nutty flavor.
Brush them with a sticky glaze made from rich Polish powidła (plum butter), and they become something completely different.
If you’ve never cooked with buckwheat or powidła before, this recipe is a great place to start.
Both ingredients are easy to work with and add plenty of character to an ordinary dish. These Polish-inspired Buckwheat meatballs prove that if you look beyond breadcrumbs and barbecue sauce, you get a tasty meatball.
Quick Look at this Recipe:
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Key Ingredients, Variations and Substitutions
Ground Pork and Ground Beef (80/20) – this mix hits the right balance of richness and structure. The pork keeps things juicy and tender, and the beef adds body and a deeper savory flavor. All pork works for a softer, fattier meatball. All beef is fine too, but 80/20 or higher fat content is worth it here. Avoid extra-lean ground beef; it tends to dry out fast on the grill.
Buckwheat brings a nutty, slightly earthy flavor that makes these meatballs taste distinctly Eastern European. Kasza gryczana is one of the most underused whole grains in the American kitchen, and it belongs in more than porridge. The key is to cook it fully and let it cool completely before mixing. Warm buckwheat is sticky, making the mixture hard to handle. Cooled buckwheat blends right in. Cooked quinoa is the closest substitute.
Powidła Sliwkowe – are deeply concentrated, reduced plum butter with a thick, almost fudge-like consistency. The powidła glaze is essentially a homemade plum sauce, thick, tart, and sticky in all the right ways. You can find them in Polish delis and some specialty grocery stores. If you can’t track them down, use a thick, unsweetened plum jam or prune butter and reduce the water slightly. Regular plum preserves is sweeter, so taste and adjust the vinegar to balance.
Greek Yogurt – used to make the creamy sauce. Full-fat Greek yogurt is ideal for the right thickness and tang. Regular plain yogurt (strained slightly) or sour cream both work as substitutes. For a dairy-free version, use a thick, unsweetened plant-based yogurt.
Other ingredients: allspice, caraway seeds, Dijon mustard, large egg, fine sea salt, black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, prepared horseradish, green onions, fresh dill (or dill infused oil), neutral oil for the grill.
Equipment you will need
- Large bowl
- Small saucepan
- Whisk
- Baking sheet or large plate (for chilling meatballs)
- Grill or large skillet
- Grilling tray or basket
- Instant-read thermometer
- Pastry brush (for glazing)
- Small bowl (for yogurt sauce)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Box grater (for the onion)
- Tongs
Top Tips
Cool the buckwheat completely before mixing. Warm buckwheat turns the mixture sticky and dense.
Grate the shallots; they will melt into the meat during cooking and season every bite evenly.
Chill before you grill. It helps the meatballs firm up and hold their shape when they hit the hot grates.
Glaze only at the end. Brush the powidła glaze on during the last 3-4 minutes of cooking only.
Use a thermometer. Pull them at 160°F. They’ll carry over a little as they rest.
Don’t overcrowd the grill or the skillet. Give each meatball a little space so it browns properly rather than steaming.
Step-by-step instructions
- Cook ½ cup buckwheat groats (kasza gryczana) according to the package directions. Spread the cooked buckwheat on a plate or baking sheet and let it cool completely. Cold buckwheat blends into the meat more easily and helps the meatballs hold their shape.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine: ½ pound ground pork, ½ pound ground beef (80/20), ½ cup cooled cooked buckwheat, 1 small finely grated onion, 3 minced garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon ground allspice, ¼ teaspoon lightly crushed caraway seeds, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
- With clean hands, gently mix everything together just until combined. Avoid overmixing, which can make the meatballs dense.
- Divide the mixture into 18-20 meatballs. Roll the mixture into meatballs roughly the size of golf balls, about 1½ inches each (35-40 g) each. Spread them on a tray and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes to firm up before grilling.
- In a small saucepan, combine: ⅓ cup plum powidła, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon water (add another teaspoon or two if needed), and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Cook over low heat for 3-5 minutes, whisking until smooth and glossy. The glaze should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon yet easy to brush onto the meatballs. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together: ½ cup Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish, ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard, and salt and black pepper to taste.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve. The flavors improve after sitting for 10-15 minutes.
- Preheat the grill to medium heat (375-400°F). Clean the grill grates and lightly oil them with 1 tablespoon of neutral oil to prevent sticking.
- Arrange the chilled meatballs on the grill, leaving a little space between each one.
- Total cooking time on the grill runs about 12-15 minutes, including the glaze.
- During the last 3-4 minutes of cooking, brush the meatballs generously with the warm powidła glaze. Turn and brush again once or twice, allowing the glaze to caramelize without burning.
- Cook until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 160°F.
- Spread a spoonful of the creamy dill yogurt sauce onto a serving platter or individual plates.
- Arrange the warm glazed meatballs on top, then drizzle with a little extra warm powidła glaze if desired.
- Finish with fresh dill, thinly sliced spring onions, and a few cracks of fresh black pepper before serving.
Best way to enjoy
Spread the yogurt sauce on the plate, stack the meatballs on top, and serve
Over buckwheat or mashed potatoes
Tucked into soft pita or flatbread with extra yogurt sauce and pickled cucumber
As a party appetizer with toothpicks and the yogurt sauce as a dip on the side
Alongside a simple green salad or cold Polish-style slaw for a complete summer meal
If you’re looking for more ideas, the Polish recipe collection has a lot of good ones to start with.
More Buckwheat recipes you may like:
Storage instructions, reheating
Refrigerator – store the meatballs and glaze together in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. Keep the yogurt sauce in a separate container. It stays fresh for 3 days.
Reheating – the stovetop is the best method. Add the meatballs to a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water or a little extra glaze and warm through until heated, about 5-6 minutes, turning once or twice. The microwave works too: heat in short 30-45 second bursts, covered loosely, until warm.
Freezing – let them cool completely, then freeze in a single layer first before transferring to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 2-3 months. Freeze the glaze separately in a small container. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. The yogurt sauce doesn’t freeze well, so make that fresh.
Make-ahead tip – shape the meatballs and refrigerate them uncooked for up to 24 hours before grilling. The glaze can also be made a day ahead and gently rewarmed before using.
Grilled Polish Buckwheat Meatballs with Plum Glaze
Equipment
- large mixing bowl
- small saucepan
- whisk
- Baking sheet or large plate (for chilling meatballs)
- Grill or large skillet
- Grilling tray or basket
- Instant-read thermometer
- Pastry brush (for glazing)
- Small bowl (for yogurt sauce)
- measuring cups and spoons
- Box grater (for the onion)
- tongs
Ingredients
Buckwheat Meatballs
- ½ pound ground pork
- ½ pound ground beef 80/20
- ½ cup buckwheat cooked and cooled kasza gryczana
- 2 shallots finely grated
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill finely chopped
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon caraway seeds lightly crushed
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Sticky Powidła Glaze
- ⅓ cup plum powidła
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon water or apple juice if needed to thin
- black pepper to taste
Creamy Dill Yogurt Sauce
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon horseradish
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook ½ cup buckwheat (kasza gryczana) according to the package directions. Spread the cooked buckwheat on a plate or baking sheet and let it cool completely. Cold buckwheat blends into the meat more easily and helps the meatballs hold their shape.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine: ½ pound ground pork, ½ pound ground beef, (80/20), ½ cup buckwheat , 2 shallots, 3 garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons fresh dill, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon ground allspice, ¼ teaspoon caraway seeds, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper
- With clean hands, gently mix everything together just until combined. Avoid overmixing, which can make the meatballs dense.
- Divide the mixture into 18-20 meatballs, about 1½ inches (35-40 g) each. Spread them on a tray and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes to firm up before grilling.
- In a small saucepan, combine: ⅓ cup plum powidła, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon water.
- Cook over low heat for 3-5 minutes, whisking until smooth and glossy. The glaze should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon yet easy to brush onto the meatballs. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together: ½ cup Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons fresh dill, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon horseradish, ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard, and Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve. The flavors improve after sitting for 10-15 minutes.
- Preheat the grill to medium heat (375-400°F). Clean the grill grates and lightly oil them with 1 tablespoon of neutral oil to prevent sticking.
- Arrange the chilled meatballs on the grill, leaving a little space between each one.
- Grill for 10-12 minutes, turning every few minutes so they brown evenly on all sides.
- During the last 3-4 minutes of cooking, brush the meatballs generously with the warm powidła glaze. Turn and brush again once or twice, allowing the glaze to caramelize without burning.
- Cook until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 160°F.
- Spread a spoonful of the creamy dill yogurt sauce onto a serving platter or individual plates.
- Arrange the warm glazed meatballs on top, then drizzle with a little extra warm powidła glaze if desired.
- Finish with fresh dill, thinly sliced green onions, and a few cracks of fresh black pepper before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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Conclusion
These Polish buckwheat meatballs are the kind of thing you make once and then keep coming back to. The buckwheat does more than hold things together; it gives the meatballs a flavor and texture. The powidła glaze caramelizes into sticky, glossy, tart-sweet layers over the fire. The yogurt sauce adds a cool, herby freshness.
Make them on the grill this weekend. Or on the stovetop tonight. Either way, don’t skip the glaze.
FAQ
Can I make these without buckwheat?
You can substitute with cooked and cooled quinoa for a similar structure. Soaked bread (panade) works for a softer, more classic texture. The buckwheat is what makes these distinctly Polish, so it’s worth tracking down if you can.
What is powidła and where do I find it?
Powidła is Polish plum butter, deeply reduced, thick, and less sweet than jam. Look for it at Polish or Eastern European delis, specialty grocery stores, or online. If you can’t find it, use a thick, unsweetened plum jam or prune butter and reduce the water in the glaze slightly since regular jam is sweeter.
Can I bake these instead of grilling?
Yes. Bake at 400°F for 18-20 minutes, then brush with the glaze and return to the oven for another 3-4 minutes until sticky. You won’t get the same char, but the flavor is still great.
My meatball mixture feels too soft. What do I do?
Add 1-2 tablespoons of extra cooked, cooled buckwheat. Make sure the buckwheat wasn’t warm when it went into the mix; that’s usually the culprit. Avoid adding extra egg; it makes the issue worse.
Can I use all pork or all beef?
All pork gives you a juicier, slightly fattier meatball. All beef works but use 80/20 at minimum. Leaner blends tend to dry out fast, especially on the grill.
