Grill & BBQ
Ćevapi in flatbread with onions
AI-generated serving image
This image was created with the help of artificial intelligence and serves as visual inspiration or a serving suggestion. The actual result may vary depending on the ingredients, quantities and preparation used.
Small grilled beef rolls in soft somun or lepinja. Ćevapi belong to the shared Balkan food tradition and are popular at Croatian grill stalls too. This home version has no egg, breadcrumbs or cheese filling.
Timing
- Preparation: about 25 minutes
- Chilling: 2 hours
- Grilling: about 15 minutes including bread
- Total time: about 2 hours 40 minutes
Estimated nutrition
per serving · Calculated for 4 servings.
- Energy
- ≈ 750 kcal
- Protein
- ≈ 40.9 g
- Carbohydrates
- ≈ 50.7 g
- Fat
- ≈ 41.2 g
The nutrition values are estimates based on the ingredients and quantities used. Actual values may vary depending on the product, portion size and preparation.
Calculation basis
Item weights and household measures are estimated. Unless specified: milk with 1.5% fat, cream with 30% fat and Gouda cheese. Optional ingredients, small amounts of seasoning and separately listed side dishes are excluded. For imprecise entries, the amounts below and comparable reference products are assumed. For alternatives, the first listed ingredient is used. Cooking losses have not been measured.
Mince around 20% fat uses a comparison model of 665 g BLS minced beef and 35 g beef fat tissue, not an extra cooking ingredient. Bread, ajvar, onion and all grill oil are included; fat losses are not deducted.
Quantity assumptions and ingredient mapping
- 700 g minced beef with about 20% fat, preferably twice minced · ≈ 700.0 g · Assumed quantity / reference product
- 70 ml ice-cold water · ≈ 70.0 g · Assumed quantity / reference product
- 8 g garlic · ≈ 8.0 g · Assumed quantity / reference product
- 10 ml neutral oil · ≈ 9.1 g · Assumed quantity / reference product
- 4 somun or lepinja flatbreads, about 400 g total · ≈ 400.0 g · Assumed quantity / reference product
- 160 g white onion for serving · ≈ 160.0 g · Assumed quantity / reference product
- 100 g ajvar · ≈ 100.0 g · Assumed quantity / reference product
Matvaretabellen: Mattilsynet · Santa Maria
Food data: Max Rubner-Institut, BLS 4.0 (2025), CC BY 4.0. Calculated and rounded for this recipe. BLS 4.0 · CC BY 4.0
Ingredients
- 700 g minced beef with about 20% fat, preferably twice minced
- 12 g salt
- 2 g bicarbonate of soda
- 70 ml ice-cold water
- 8 g garlic
- 1 g black pepper
- 10 ml neutral oil
- 4 somun or lepinja flatbreads, about 400 g total
- 160 g white onion for serving
- 100 g ajvar
Instructions
- Finely crush garlic. Knead cold mince with salt, bicarbonate, water, garlic and pepper firmly for about 5 minutes until bound. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- With lightly oiled hands shape about 24 rolls around 7 cm long. Use remaining oil sparingly on the grill or griddle. Finely dice the serving onion and keep separate from raw meat.
- Grill over medium-high heat for about 10–12 minutes, turning several times and cooking thoroughly. Reach at least 70°C for 2 minutes in the centre; thicker rolls take longer. Do not flatten with tongs.
- Split and briefly warm the breads. Serve six ćevapi per bread with onion and ajvar inside or alongside.
Tips
- This version uses fresh mince on the same day. Extended maturation from commercial methods is not adopted here.
- Kajmak is an optional further accompaniment, not counted here. Ajvar is included; choose its heat to taste.
