Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 12 mins | Total time: 32 mins | Servings: 5
Perfectly flavored that’s a little crispy on the outside. These Greek meatballs are the best!
Ingredients
MEATBALLS:
2 garlic cloves, minced
500 grams/1 pound beef mince (ground beef or lamb)
200 grams/6.5 ounces pork mince (ground pork), or more beef
1 red onion, grated
1 egg
1 c./60 grams panko breadcrumbs (or use normal breadcrumbs)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon salt
Black pepper
1/4 c. fresh parsley, finely chopped
6 large mint leaves, finely chopped (use spearmint, it’s authentic)
COOKING/SERVING:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 c. flour – any white
Tzatziki or Greek yogurt
Finely chopped parsley optional, for garnish
How to make Greek Meatballs
Step 1: Into a large bowl, grate the onion. Add the rest of the meatball ingredients. Mix well using your hands for a couple of minutes until the mixture is quite smooth and well combined. To make the mixture easier to roll and retains the round shape when cooking, you can place it in the fridge for an hour (optional).
Step 2: Onto a work surface, measure out heaped tablespoons of the mixture. You should be able to make about 32 to 35 meatballs. Roll each into balls.
Step 3: In a large skillet, heat most of the oil over medium-high heat, making sure to add enough oil to cover the surface of the skillet.
Step 4: Lightly dredge each meatball in flour, shaking the excess off. Place the meatballs straight into the skillet and cook for about 5 to 6 minutes until all sides are browned. Onto a plate, transfer the meatballs and tent to keep them warm. Do the same with the rest of the meatballs.
OR you can bake the meatballs for 20 minutes at 180 degrees C or 350 degrees F until browned. I like frying the meatballs (the traditional way) as they are slightly juicer than baked.
Step 5: Place the meatballs as part of a mezze platter with tzatziki and pita bread and serve as a starter. Or with a Greek salad for dinner. Enjoy!
Notes:
These meatballs freeze and reheat beautifully.
You can use meatballs to make burritos. For this, I use large tortillas/flatbreads. Stuff the meatballs with lemon rice pilaf, cheese, and baby spinach. Tightly roll and wrap in foil. Freeze until ready to serve. Defrost before baking or cooking for 8 minutes over low heat, turning until crispy. Serve these with tzatziki for dipping.
To make these meatballs authentic, use normal mint instead of spearmint, decrease the oil in the mixture to about 1 tablespoon, and use panko in place of normal breadcrumbs. This makes softer meatballs.
To make Tzatziki, whisk 2 Lebanese cucumbers (grated with juice squeezed out), 1¼ c./300 grams plain Greek yogurt, 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar (or red wine or apple cider vinegar), 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ½ garlic clove, minced, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and black pepper until well combined. Then, let this sit for 30 minutes.
These meatballs are excellent to serve with just plain yogurt. Or mix a squeeze of lemon, olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic into the yogurt.
NUTRITION INFO:
Serving: 185g Calories: 513cal (26%)
Greek Meatballs
Ingredients
- MEATBALLS:
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 500 grams/1 pound beef mince ground beef or lamb
- 200 grams/6.5 ounces pork mince ground pork, or more beef
- 1 red onion grated
- 1 egg
- 1 c./60 grams panko breadcrumbs or use normal breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- Black pepper
- 1/4 c. fresh parsley finely chopped
- 6 large mint leaves finely chopped (use spearmint, it's authentic)
- COOKING/SERVING:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 c. flour - any white
- Tzatziki or Greek yogurt
- Finely chopped parsley optional for garnish
Instructions
- Into a large bowl, grate the onion. Add the rest of the meatball ingredients. Mix well using your hands for a couple of minutes until the mixture is quite smooth and well combined. To make the mixture easier to roll and retains the round shape when cooking, you can place it in the fridge for an hour (optional).
- Onto a work surface, measure out heaped tablespoons of the mixture. You should be able to make about 32 to 35 meatballs. Roll each into balls.
- In a large skillet, heat most of the oil over medium-high heat, making sure to add enough oil to cover the surface of the skillet.
- Lightly dredge each meatball in flour, shaking the excess off. Place the meatballs straight into the skillet and cook for about 5 to 6 minutes until all sides are browned. Onto a plate, transfer the meatballs and tent to keep them warm. Do the same with the rest of the meatballs.
- OR you can bake the meatballs for 20 minutes at 180 degrees C or 350 degrees F until browned. I like frying the meatballs (the traditional way) as they are slightly juicer than baked.
- Place the meatballs as part of a mezze platter with tzatziki and pita bread and serve as a starter. Or with a Greek salad for dinner. Enjoy!
