Greek Meatballs (Keftedes)

A serving of greek meatballs on a plate with pita, tzatziki sauce and a Greek salad.

4.92 from 57 votes

Known as keftedes, these meatballs are tender on the inside, crispy on the outside. Flavor-packed with fresh mint, spices, and a lemony Greek meatball sauce. Serve as an appetizer with a dipping sauce like tzatziki; as part of a mezze platter with dips, olives, and cheeses; or in dinner bowls with pita and a Greek salad.

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: Entree

Cuisine: Greek

Servings: meatballs

Author: Suzy Karadsheh

Ingredients

1 slice day-old or toasted bread, cubed
1/3 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus 1/4 cup for frying the meatballs
1 yellow onion, grated
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 pound ground lamb or pork
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 lemons, zested and juiced
Kosher salt
Black pepper
All purpose flour, for dredging
1 1/4 cups chicken broth

To Serve (optional)

Instructions

Soak the bread. Add the bread to a small bowl and cover with the milk. Set aside for 5 minutes or so.
Meanwhile, saute the onions and garlic. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium. Add the onions and garlic and cook until golden and translucent, stirring regularly. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and allow to cool. Set the skillet aside for later.
Make the meatball mixture. Squeeze out the excess milk out of the soaked bread and add to the bowl with the onions and garlic. Add the ground beef and lamb (or pork), whole egg, fresh mint, spices, 1 tablespoon of the lemon zest, and a good pinch or two of salt and pepper. Mix by hand until mixture is fully incorporated.
Shape the meatballs. Form the meat mixture into balls (each the size of a heaping tablespoon.) Roll meatballs into the flour to lightly coat and place them on a large tray for now.
Fry the Greek meatballs. In the large skillet you used earlier, heat the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil over medium-high. When the oil shimmers, turn the heat to medium and add the meatballs. Cook, turning occasionally, until fully cooked and well-crusted on all sides, about 10 minutes. (Do this in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding.)
Make the lemony sauce. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the meatballs to paper towels to drain. Whisk the egg yolk with chicken broth, lemon juice, and remaining lemon zest. Carefully discard most of the cooking fat and return the skillet to medium heat. Add the lemon mixture to the skillet, then add the meatballs back in. Cook over medium heat for another 5 minutes until the lemon sauce thickens.
Finish and serve. Serve hot in bowls with pita bread, Greek salad and Tzatziki sauce. Or serve in pita pockets as sandwiches, or over rice, if you prefer.

Video

Notes

Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil and spices used in this recipe.
How to store and reheat leftovers: Leftover meatballs will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet with some EVOO over medium heat until warmed through.

Nutrition

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