Greek Style Beef Meatballs (Printable View)
Mediterranean beef meatballs with lemon and a tangy yogurt-dill sauce—quick, juicy, and gluten-free adaptable.
# What You Need:
→ Meatballs
01 - 1.1 lb ground beef
02 - 1 small red onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2.1 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
# How-To Steps:
01 - In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, red onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, egg, parsley, mint, oregano, cumin, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overwork the mixture.
02 - With wet hands to prevent sticking, form 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 golden brown and cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
04 - While the meatballs cook, combine the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, fresh dill, and minced garlic in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir until smooth.
05 - Arrange the hot meatballs on a serving platter with the yogurt sauce on the side. Garnish with extra fresh parsley if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The combination of lemon zest and mint in the meatballs is genuinely addictive and makes your kitchen smell incredible.
- Everything comes together in under an hour with ingredients you probably already have.
02 -
- Overmixing the meat mixture is the fastest way to end up with dense rubbery meatballs instead of tender ones.
- Wet hands are the secret to shaping without the mixture sticking and tearing.
03 -
- A quick rest on paper towels after frying keeps the crust crisp instead of soggy on the bottom.
- Make a double batch of the yogurt sauce because you will absolutely want extra for dipping everything later.