Djulbastije (đulbastije, ćulbastije) are delicious, tender ground meat (usually beef) patties smothered in rich and creamy béchamel. Imagine meat and potato rissoles wrapped in a luxurious white sauce. Shall we?
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Background
Djulbastije (also written as đulbastije or ćulbastije) are a classic Balkan dish featuring ground beef patties in a creamy sauce. Most popular in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Montenegro, the dish has Ottoman origins.
In Bosnia, djulastije are often featured for Ramadan or Bayram (Eid). You can think of them as a cross of Bosnian meatballs (ćufte) in white sauce, and classic Balkan rissoles (faširane šnicle).
What makes djulbastije irresistible are grated potatoes. An uncommon meat patty ingredient, potato just might be what makes these ground beef patties snuggled in velvety béchamel the ultimate comfort food.
This is our way of saying that djubastije (ćulbastije) are a must!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- So Rich! So Comforting! Tender and succulent meat patties pair perfectly with luxurious béchamel.
- Easy as 1-2-3! Preparation steps are simple, but you end up with a restaurant-worthy meal!
- Custom Made! Keep the few main ingredients intact, and adjust everything else to your taste (meats, seasonings, and/ or spices!).
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients to make the world's most wonderful rissoles in béchamel (djulbastije).
Ground Meat Patties:
- Ground Meat. Traditionally, ground beef is used for djulbstije. Substitute or combine with ground lamb or pork. Avoid poultry as it'll dry out the dish.
- Potatoes. Russett or Yukon gold are best but substitutions are fine.
- Onion (optional). Although we don't use it, some like to add an onion to the meat mixture for a dash of sweetness.
- Garlic.
- Egg.
- Flour. Regular white flour. Substitute with bread crumbs.
- Seasonings. Salt, pepper, bouillon or Vegeta. Add your own seasonings if you prefer, but avoid overpowering the meat.
- Oil. Any type of oil that will work for frying. Avoid olive oil due to its low smoke point.
Béchamel Sauce:
- Butter. Regular butter. Substitute with goose fat, lard, or similar.
- Flour. Regular white flour.
- Milk.
- Heavy cream.
- Cheese. Gouda, elemental, or edamer. Substitute with other hard cheeses that work well in a sauce.
- Herbs and Seasonings. Salt, pepper, and parsley.
How to Make Djulbastije
Here are the steps to make ground beef patties in white sauce (djulbastije).
Step 1. Combine ingredients. Form pattes. Dust with flour.
Step 2. Fry the patties. Layer them in a pan.
Step 3. Make bechamel by adding ingredients one by one and stirring.
Step 4. Pour bechamel over the patties. Cover with foil.
Step 5. (Not pictured). Bake.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, but we don't recommend it. Ground poultry is drier than beef, lamb, or pork. By using it for this recipe, you run the risk of the dish not being on the dry side.
Mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, fries, rice with veggies, green beans, peas, and more. It's also a great standalone dish along with some bread.
Partially. You can make patties ahead of time, and béchamel just before baking.
Béchamel thickens after a while, so it's best to make it just before serving.
Handling
Here are some handling tips for rissoles in béchmel (djulbastije):
- Serving: Djulbastije taste the best when out of the oven (or soon after). Enjoy them with a side of rice, pasta, potatoes, bread, etc.
- Storing: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and keep for up to 3 days. However, this dish is best consumed on the day it's made.
- Reheating: Béchamel and rissoles warm up differently so it can be hard to get it just right. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat, continuously stirring. Add a dash of milk if necessary. (If heating them up in the oven you run the risk of the sauce hardening, so check on them often, and stir.)
- Freezing: While you can freeze meat patties (rissoles), don't make the sauce ahead of time. When ready to make the entire dish, thaw patties, make béchamel, and bake.
Ground Beef Recipes
Ground beef is a great way to include more protein in your diet. (Just a 3-ounce serving of cooked ground beef has 22 grams of protein.) Here are a few ground beef dishes we love:
Thoughts?
If you make today's djulbastije (đulbastije, ćulbastije) also known as Balkan ground beef patties in béchamel and like it, please consider leaving a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5-star) rating. This will help others find the recipe more easily!
You can also leave a comment, I read EVERY one! Finally, if IG is more your thing, consider tagging us @balkanlunchbox.
Prijatno, Dobar Tek, and Bon Appetit!
Balkan Béchamel Rissoles (Djulbastije, Đulbastije, Ćulbastije)
Ingredients
Rissoles (Meat Patties/ Djulbastije):
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound potatoes or about 3 big ones; Russett, Yukon Gold, or older potatoes; grated (squeeze out the extra liquid)
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 4-5 tablespoons white flour, divided 2 tablespoons (30 grams) for patty mixture, remaining flour for dusting patties before frying
- 1 egg whisked
- salt and pepper to taste
- (Optional) 1 teaspoon Vegeta, stock powder, or a crushed bouillon cube
- (Optional) 1 yellow onion minced
- 8-10 tablespoons oil for frying; most types work well
Béchamel:
- 2-3 tablespoons butter
- 2-3 tablespoons white flour use as many tablespoons of flour as butter
- 16 ounces milk (heated)
- 7 ounces heavy cream
- 1-2 ounces yellow cheese gouda, cheddar, Edam
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2-3 tablespoons parsley
Instructions
Make Rissoles (Meat Patties/ Djulbastije)
- In a large bowl, combine rissole ingredients (except oil), and mix well until thoroughly integrated. Then shape patties by first creating golf ball-sized meatballs, and flattening them out to make patties. (You'll have approximately 14-16 patties.) Heat oven to 400° (200°F).*
- In a large pan, heat the oil on high. While the oil is heating transfer the remaining flour to a plate. Dip each patty in the flour on both sides and dust off the remaining flour before transferring it to the hot oil. Sear on each side for about 2-2.5 minutes. Transfer each patty to a baking pan.
Make Béchamel
- In a large pot, melt butter on low. Add flour and whisk vigorously and continuously. (You want to achieve a smooth sauce without crumbs.) After butter and flour combine, add heavy cream to the sauce slowly, continuing to whisk vigorously. Finally, add milk and cheese and stir everything some more. Bring the mixture to a boil (about 3-3.5 minutes), turn the heat off, and then add the seasonings.*
Combine and Bake
- Pour the sauce over the patties. Cover the pan with foil and transfer to the oven. After 30 minutes, turn the pan around, and take the foil off. Bake for another 15-20 minutes without foil, or until golden.
Handling
- Serving: Djulbastije taste the best when out of the oven (or soon after). Enjoy them with a side of rice, pasta, potatoes, bread, etc.Storing: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and keep for up to 3 days. However, this dish is best consumed on the day it's made.Reheating: Béchamel and rissoles warm up differently so it can be hard to get it just right. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat, continuously stirring. Add a dash of milk if necessary. (If heating them up in the oven you run the risk of the sauce hardening, so check on them often, and stir.)Freezing: While you can freeze meat patties (rissoles), don't make the sauce ahead of time. When ready to make the entire dish, thaw patties, make béchamel, and bake.
Video
Notes
- Béchamel
Chefette in California says
Thank you for this recipe...I have looked for Balkan recipes featuring ground beef that aren't in the "goulash" category.
This recipe seems relatively easy, and your step-by-step photos are very helpful visuals. In time I will probably add a few touches of my own, but I am eager to make this dish and share it with my foodie friends for an International-themed dinner party! Thank you again!
Aida says
Chefette, welcome to the blog! Glad the recipe helped. If you're looking for more ground beef recipes, I'd recommend ground beef and potato pie (http://tinyurl.com/hgjweej). That's if you can find phyllo at your grocery store. Please do add your own touches and if you get a chance, let me know how it turned out. I'm always curious to see what people do with the recipes. Your international themed dinner parties sound great!