Description
Authentic Greek Meatballs made with a blend of beef and pork, flavored with fresh herbs like parsley and mint, and lightly pan-fried or baked to perfection. These juicy meatballs are perfect for a mezze platter served with tzatziki or as a hearty dinner with a Greek salad.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Meatballs:
- 1 red onion, grated
- 500g / 1 lb beef mince (ground beef) (or lamb)
- 200g / 6.5oz pork mince (ground pork), or more beef
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup / 60g panko breadcrumbs (or use normal breadcrumbs)
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 6 large mint leaves, finely chopped (preferably spearmint)
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3/4 tsp salt
- Black pepper, to taste
For cooking/serving:
- 1/2 cup white flour
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Finely chopped parsley (optional, for garnish)
- Tzatziki or Greek yoghurt for serving
Tzatziki (optional):
- 2 Lebanese cucumbers, grated and excess juice squeezed out
- 1 1/4 cups / 300g plain Greek yoghurt
- 2 tsp white wine vinegar (or red wine or apple cider vinegar)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Meatball Mixture: Grate the red onion directly into a large mixing bowl. Add the beef and pork mince, minced garlic, panko breadcrumbs, egg, chopped parsley and mint leaves, dried oregano, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Use your hands to mix everything thoroughly for several minutes until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Optional Refrigeration: For better shaping and to help retain their round shape during cooking, refrigerate the mixture for 1 hour.
- Shape the Meatballs: Using a heaped tablespoon measure, scoop out portions of the mixture and place onto a clean work surface. Roll each into a ball; you should get about 32 to 35 meatballs.
- Cooking by Pan Frying: Heat most of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat (reduce to medium if using a strong gas stove). Lightly dredge each meatball in flour, shaking off excess, then place them in the hot skillet. Cook in batches for about 5 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally, until evenly browned on all sides. Remove cooked meatballs to a plate and cover to keep warm. Repeat until all meatballs are cooked.
- Alternative Baking Method: Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Place the meatballs on a baking tray, spray or brush generously with olive oil, and bake for 20 minutes or until browned. This method results in slightly less juicy meatballs compared to pan frying.
- Serve: Serve the meatballs as a starter on a mezze platter with pita bread and tzatziki or Greek yoghurt, garnished with chopped parsley if desired. For a main meal, add a side Greek salad for a complete dinner.
Notes
- These meatballs freeze very well and retain their juiciness when reheated.
- A great meal for camping or freezer meals: wrap meatballs with lemon rice pilaf, cheese, and spinach inside tortillas, freeze, and reheat wrapped in foil either by baking or cooking on low heat until crispy.
- This recipe is slightly adapted from My Greek Dish, swapping spearmint for normal mint and using panko breadcrumbs for softer meatballs.
- Reducing the amount of olive oil in the mixture or using lean meat decreases the calorie content further.
- Tzatziki is made by combining grated cucumber (with juice squeezed out), Greek yoghurt, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper, then resting for 30 minutes. Plain yoghurt with lemon, olive oil, garlic, and seasoning is also a good alternative.
- Nutrition values are based on meatballs only, assuming some fat is left in the pan and using standard ground meats.
