Biftekia (Baked Greek Beef Patties)

Bifteki with lemon potatoes and lemon wedges in a bowl.

5 from 2 votes

Homey, comforting Bifteki are Greek ground beef patties seasoned with onions and herbs and baked over lemony potatoes. They make a delicious, high-protein dish that’s easy to put together.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1

Total Time1 15

Course: Dinner, Entree, Meat and Poultry

Cuisine: Greek

Servings: servings (12 patties)

Author: Marilena Leavitt

Ingredients

For the Lemon Potatoes

2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Greek oregano
Extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup water

For the Biftekia

4 slices bread, crusts removed, coarsely chopped or torn
Extra virgin olive oil
1/4 to 1/2 cup whole milk (depending on the size and thickness of your bread slices)
1 large red onion, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon Greek oregano
1 teaspoon dried mint
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 pounds 90% lean ground beef
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
Lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions

Get ready. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Season the potatoes. In a medium roasting pan, toss the potatoes with the lemon juice, salt, pepper, oregano to taste, and enough olive oil to coat (3-4 tablespoons).
Parcook the potatoes. Add the water, cover with foil, and bake for 10 minutes. Uncover the potatoes and give them a stir to make sure they are not stuck to the pan. Recover and bake for another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, but leave it on.
Meanwhile, soak the bread. Place the bread in a large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and enough milk to cover the bread. Mix the bread well and let it soak until the liquid is absorbed; about 10 minutes.
Sauté the onion and garlic. In a medium skillet, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high. Add the onion and sauté for a few minutes until translucent, then add the garlic. Cook until everything is nicely caramelized and golden brown. Set aside to cool.
Make the biftekia patties. To the bread mixture, add the oregano, mint, salt, pepper, vinegar and egg. Mix to combine. Add in the onion and garlic, meat, and parsley. Mix very well with your hands until all of the ingredients are completely combined and the mixture is smooth. The mixture should feel soft; if it is too dry to hold its shape when you press it together, add a tablespoon or two of water. Divide the mixture into 12 round patties, each one about 1/2-inch thick.
Bake the biftekia. Add the bifteki patties, nestling them in between and on top of the potatoes. Drizzle or brush them with olive oil. Bake the patties until an instant read thermometer, inserted in the center of one registers at least 160°F, 30 to 40 minutes. At the end of the cooking, depending on the oven, you might want to place the pan under the broiler for a few minutes to give the potatoes a golden brown color!
Finish and serve. Remove the patties from the oven, allow them to rest for a few minutes and serve them with lemon wedges.

Notes

Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including the olive oil and oregano used in this recipe.
In Greek cuisine, instead of using sheet pans, we use deeper, rectangular or round metal or ceramic pans for dishes that incorporate meat and a starch, as there will be a lovely olive oil-lemon pan sauce at the end.
Once you prepare the meat mixture, you can cover it well, refrigerate, and use it the next day. This step will make the cooking easier the next day.
To Store and Reheat Biftekia: Once cooled, leftover biftekia can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, place them in a skillet over medium heat with a few drops of olive oil, then cover and cook for a few minutes until just warmed through.
To Freeze Biftekia: Place the leftovers on a tray and freeze for 3 to 4 hours. Once frozen, transfer them to an airtight, zip top freezer bag. You can store them in the freezer for up to 2 months. When you need them, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight and the next day reheat them in a skillet.

Nutrition

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