Easy Cheese & Meat Blini (video)
If you have never tried meat blini, you’re in for a tasty surprise! These Russian savory crepes are little pockets of meaty goodness made with simple crepes, filled with a beef and cheese mixture, then pan-fried in a bit of butter. The filling is so juicy and flavorful! And don’t forget to serve them with a dollop of sour cream for an authentic culinary experience!
Enjoy Eastern European recipes? Make sure to get a copy of my new cookbook, Beyond Borscht, featuring 75 traditional recipes!
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Watch my video recipe for step-by-step instructions on how to make these! Want to receive new recipe emails in your inbox? Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel and turn on notifications!
How to Make Meat Blini
This tasty meat appetizer starts with the delicate crepes! I always use my classic crepe recipe and for these blini, too! My secret to making easy crepes is making the batter in a food blender. It leaves the batter super smooth and clump free!
The juicy filling a combination of 85% lean beef, onion and mozzarella cheese! The beef is super juicy thanks to the grated onion and the cheese gets super melty once the blini are heated! These are seasoned with dill, a traditional Eastern European and Russian herb that is used to season just about everything in our cuisine!
My Grandmother’s Recipe!
Making these at home brings back so many wonderful memories of my grandmother cooking these for us! I loved to visit babushka because she always had cabbage piroshki, cheese pancakes and blini on hand for us to enjoy. We would run across the street to visit her and come home with extras to share. This meat blini recipe is an homage to her and a ‘thank you’ for sharing such an incredible recipes with me!
More Recipes!
Looking for more traditional Russian or Ukrainian recipes? Check out more of my recipes you’re sure to enjoy!
- Turkey Meatballs with Mushroom Gravy – seriously, the best meatballs ever! Super juicy and flavorful, with creamy gravy and mashed potatoes.
- Russian Salmon Coulibiac – the most delicious fish pastry ever with flaky salmon, mushroom rice and a zesty dill and lemon sauce!
- Classic Beef Borscht – the most delicious, hearty Ukrainian soup with beets and beef!
- Juicy and flavorful ‘Beef Cutlets’ with a recipe for mushroom gravy!
- You’ll love this hearty and aromatic ‘Ukrainian Beef Stew’ – aka, Жаркое!
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Easy Cheese & Meat Blini (video)
Ingredients
For Crepes:
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups milk
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
For Filling:
- 1 pound ground beef, 85% lean
- 1 medium onion, grated
- 1 tbsp fresh dill
- salt and pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
- additional 2 tbsp butter, for frying
- Sour cream, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the crepes first. Place all of the ingredients into a blender: eggs, milk, butter, salt and flour. Blend for 2 to 3 minutes until the batter is smooth and lump free. Begin with 2 1/4 cups flour, add more if batter is too thin.
- Preheat a crepe pan over medium heat and use 1/4 cup batter for each crepe. Pour the batter into the center of the pan, then tilt to spread it evenly to the edges. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes on the first side, until golden, then turn with a rubber spatula and cook on the other side for 30 seconds. Stack the crepes onto a tray.
- Prepare the meat filling. Preheat a large saute pan over medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Add the ground beef and season with approximately 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, a bit of ground black pepper and garlic powder. Fry the ground beef for 5 to 7 minutes, until well browned all over, breaking apart any larger pieces. Add the grated onion and fry for 2 to 3 more minutes, until onion is tender and fragrant.
- In a large bowl, combine the meat mixture with grated mozzarella cheese and fresh dill. To assemble the blini, spread a few tablespoons of the filling onto the center of each crepe. Fold over the sides first, then fold into a small pocket.
- Preheat a clean frying pan over low-medium heat and add about 1/2 tablespoon of butter for each batch. Fry the blini 3 to 4 at a time, 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden. Serve warm with sour cream on the side.
These blini are fun and EASY to make. I made them at a party and everyone enjoyed making crepes and folding their own. Did I mention DELICIOUS and a great introduction to Russian cuisine? They freeze just fine and are a perfect quick meal.
Hi Judy! I’m so glad to hear that they were a hit! 🙂 And thanks for the freezer tip!
These hit the spot on a blustery Japanese fall day! I had made the crepes ahead of time, and served with cabbage and Bulgarian yogurt (which is kinda like Greek yogurt and is super popular here). My little one really liked the filling also. I just subscribed and can’t wait to make more recipes from your blog. Even though I’m an American (of Slavic/Lithuanian descent) who lives in Japan, I’m a Slavophile by heart!
Hi Rebecca! Thank you so much for subscribing! I’m very glad you enjoyed the crepes and I love the idea of serving them with cabbage. Another favorite of mine! 🙂