Greek Style Beef Meatballs (Printable version)
Mediterranean beef meatballs with lemon, herbs and tangy yogurt sauce; quick, flavorful main for four.
# What you'll need:
→ Meatballs
01 - 1 lb ground beef
02 - 1 small red onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 oz 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 - ½ tsp black pepper
13 - 2 tbsp olive oil (for frying)
→ Yogurt Sauce
14 - 7 oz 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
# Directions:
01 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, chopped onion, minced garlic, breadcrumbs, egg, parsley, mint, oregano, cumin, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Mix gently until just incorporated — avoid overworking the meat to keep the meatballs tender.
02 - With lightly moistened hands, roll the mixture into walnut-sized balls, yielding approximately 20 meatballs. Arrange them on a tray as you work.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Working in batches to avoid crowding, fry the meatballs for 8–10 minutes, turning occasionally, until deeply browned on all sides and cooked through to an internal temperature of 160°F. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate to drain.
04 - While the meatballs cook, stir together the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, chopped dill, minced garlic, and salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Adjust seasoning as desired.
05 - Arrange the hot meatballs on a platter with the yogurt sauce alongside for dipping. Garnish with additional fresh parsley if desired. Pair with warm pita bread, a Greek salad, or rice pilaf.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The lemon zest and mint combo makes these taste like summer on a plate, even in the middle of January.
- You probably have most of these ingredients in your kitchen already, which means dinner can happen tonight without a grocery run.
02 -
- Overmixing the meat turns meatballs dense and tough, so stop folding as soon as you see no dry spots.
- Crowding the pan drops the oil temperature and steams instead of sears, so fry in two or three batches with a little patience.
03 -
- Let the shaped meatballs rest in the fridge for 15 minutes before frying, because cold meatballs hold their shape better in the hot pan.
- Taste a tiny cooked pinch of the mixture before shaping the whole batch so you can fix the seasoning early without wasting anything.