Greek Meatball Recipe (Keftedes)

I love a good Greek meatball recipe. Meatballs are called keftedes in Greece and they are a staple in my house for a quick, easy, and healthy dinner. Greek meatballs vary by region and family, but this is how I love to make my keftedes which I learned from only the best — my Greek mama and grandmother.

❤️ Why You’ll Love This Greek Meatball Recipe

• Quick: Make this Greek meatball recipe in only 25 minutes. Have a hearty, delicious meal on the table the whole family will love
• Healthy: This protein-packed meal is good for you, and you can feel good about feeding it to your family
• Versatile: Serve these meatballs in whatever way you wish, I love them on their own, with rice, with tzatziki drizzled on top, the options are endless

🍲 Ingredients

Ground Beef – Of course, a classic meatball is made with lean ground beef, a good dose of protein that is incredibly versatile. However, if you’re not a red meat person, you can always use other ground meat like turkey or chicken. This recipe is great with ground lamb or pork too.

Mint – What really makes these Greek meatballs unique is the fresh mint. Fresh mint gives a pop of flavor that you’re unexpecting but pairs so well with the other spices and meat.

👩‍🍳 How to Make This Greek Meatball Recipe

1. Mix together ground beef, grated onion, minced garlic, salt, pepper, egg, chopped mint and breadcrumbs. Once combined, form into meatballs using about 1 heaping tablespoon per meatball.
2. Coat the bottom of a frying pan with olive oil and turn to medium heat
3. Fry the meatballs in batches, stirring everything a few minutes until meatballs are cooked through, about 10-12 minutes
4. Serve with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and our best-ever tzatziki

🪄 Tips and Tricks

• If the meatballs are dry: Add a little liquid like some egg white or milk. Be careful though, only add a tiny bit at a time until you have the right consistency
• Don’t overmix: Don’t overmix the meatballs or they’ll become very tough
• Prep: You can totally prep these meatballs up to 24 hours in advance. Just keep them in the fridge until you’re ready to cook

🗒 Variations

• Meat: Sub the ground beef with ground lamb, pork, turkey, or chicken. My personal next favorite beef is lamb. Pairs so well with the garlic and mint.
• Serving: Serve as an appetizer with toothpicks for easy eating, or serve as a main course with a beautiful side salad, on top of rice, and drizzled with tzatziki

🗒 Best served with

• Maroulosalata aka my Mamas Salad
• Homemade Greek Salad
• Fluffy Greek Pita Bread Recipe
• Greek Cabbage Salad

👝 How to Store Leftovers

Store meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

🤔 Common Questions

Greek Meatball Recipe (Keftedes)

5 from 15 votes

This Greek meatball recipe is so easy and quick to make. It's tasty, and I love them served with homemade tzatziki.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course 30 minute meals

Cuisine Greek

Servings 24 meatballs

Calories 50 kcal

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Ingredients

  

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• 450 g (1 lb) lean ground beef
• 1 large yellow onion, grated
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 egg
• 6 tbsp fresh chopped mint
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• olive oil for cooking
• tzatziki for serving (use our tzatziki recipe!)

Variation: serve with whipped feta

• 1 1/2 cups feta cheese
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp brine from the feta (the liquid the feta comes in)
• zest of half a lemon
• 1 tbsp olive oil

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Instructions

 

• Mix together ground beef, grated onion, minced garlic, salt, pepper, egg, chopped mint and breadcrumbs.
• Once combined, form into meatballs using about 1 heaping tablespoon per meatball.
• Coat the bottom of a frying pan with olive oil and turn to medium heat.
• Fry the meatballs in batches, stirring everything few minutes until meatballs are cooked through, about 10-12 minutes.
• Serve with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and our best ever tzatziki.

Variation: serve with whipped feta

• Make the whipped feta by adding the feta cheese, feta brine, lemon juice, olive oil and lemon zest to a food processor and pulse until smooth and light. Set aside to make the meatballs.
• After you've made the whipped feta, follow the instructions above to make the Greek meatballs (keftedes). Once the meatballs are cooked, serve on top of the whipped feta with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and fresh mint.

Video

Notes

• Serve this recipe as an appetizer for 4 people, about 6 meatballs per person.
• Or, serve as a main dish with side dishes like:
  • Maroulosalata aka my Mamas Salad
  • Homemade Greek Salad
  • Fluffy Greek Pita Bread Recipe
  • Greek Cabbage Salad

Nutrition

Calories: 50kcal | Carbohydrates: 3.1g | Protein: 4.9g | Fat: 2.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1.1g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 226.1mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 0.6g

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