Greek Style Beef Meatballs (Print View)
Mediterranean beef meatballs with lemon, herbs and a creamy dill-yogurt sauce. Ready in 45 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meatballs
01 - 1 lb ground beef
02 - 1 small red onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1/4 cup breadcrumbs (gluten-free if needed)
05 - 1 large egg
06 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
07 - 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped (or 1 tsp dried mint)
08 - 1 tsp dried oregano
09 - 1 tsp ground cumin
10 - Zest of 1 lemon
11 - 1 tsp salt
12 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
13 - 2 tbsp olive oil (for frying)
→ Yogurt Sauce
14 - 3/4 cup Greek yogurt
15 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
16 - 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
17 - 1 small clove garlic, minced
18 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# How to Make:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, red onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, egg, parsley, mint, oregano, cumin, lemon zest, salt, and black pepper. Mix gently until just combined, being careful not to overwork the meat.
02 - With wet hands to prevent sticking, roll the mixture into walnut-sized balls, yielding approximately 20 meatballs.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Fry the meatballs in batches, turning occasionally, until evenly browned and cooked through to an internal temperature of 160°F, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.
04 - While the meatballs cook, whisk together the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, fresh dill, and minced garlic in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
05 - Arrange the hot meatballs on a serving platter alongside the yogurt sauce. Garnish with additional fresh parsley if desired.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The combination of lemon zest and mint makes these taste like they came from a Greek grandmothers kitchen.
- They freeze beautifully so you can double the batch and have dinner sorted for a night you dont feel like cooking.
02 -
- Overworking the meat mixture turns tender meatballs into rubbery little spheres so stop mixing the second everything looks combined.
- Crowding the pan drops the oil temperature and you end up steaming instead of frying so give those meatballs room to breathe.
03 -
- A bowl of cold water next to your cutting board keeps your hands wet for rolling and stops the mixture from sticking like glue.
- Toasting the cumin in a dry pan for thirty seconds before adding it to the meat deepens the flavor in a way that feels almost magical.