Greek Meatballs
Published July 18, 2024
- Total Time
- 1¼ hours
- Prep Time
- 15 minutes
- Cook Time
- 30 minutes, plus at least 30 minutes’ chilling
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- ½cup (lightly packed) grated red or yellow onion (from about ½ large onion)
- 1medium tomato, grated (about 5 ounces)
- 1pound lean ground beef
- ½pound ground lamb or pork
- ½cup panko bread crumbs
- 1large egg, lightly beaten
- ⅓cup finely chopped fresh mint
- ⅓cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 2large garlic cloves, grated or very finely minced
- 1teaspoon dried oregano
- 1teaspoon ground coriander
- ½teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and pepper
- ¼cup olive oil
- Tzatziki, salad and pita (all optional), for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
454 calories; 34 grams fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 17 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 14 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 23 grams protein; 453 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Place the grated onion and tomato in a fine-mesh sieve over the sink and stir a few times, pressing on the mixture to drain the excess liquid. (Some moisture should remain; do not squeeze in a dish towel.) Transfer the remaining onion and tomato to a large bowl.
- Step 2
Add the beef, lamb, panko, egg, mint, parsley, garlic, oregano, coriander and cumin, plus 1½ teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper; mix gently but thoroughly.
- Step 3
Using a 2 tablespoon-scoop or two spoons, form meatballs that are about 1½ inches wide. Place them on a plate, cover and chill for at least 30 minutes, and up to 24 hours, to allow the meatballs to firm up.
- Step 4
In a large (12-inch) skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. When the oil is hot (it should sizzle immediately if you drop a bread crumb into the pan), fry the meatballs in 2 to 3 batches, flipping occasionally and lowering the heat as necessary to prevent them from getting too dark, until browned all over and just cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Step 5
Transfer the cooked meatballs to a paper towel-lined plate, and serve hot or warm with any combination of tzatziki, salad and pita, if desired.
Private Notes
Comments
About a year ago, I discovered that dried onion - I buy the big container in the spice aisle at Costco - can go into meatballs, hamburgers, meatloaf, or even my sourdough bread dough, all added dry, right in the beginning. It saves an incredible amount of time (and tears) to not have to grate or mince a raw onion, and works perfectly. I use roughly a third of the amount of dry for fresh.
Could these be cooked in the oven rather than pan frying?
How does one grate a tomato? I've never tried before.
We made these over the weekend, and they were a big hit with everyone, but no one more so than our 2.5 yr old grandson! He ate about 6 of them! My husband skipped the tomato, and because we were out of eggs, substituted a little mayo for the egg (which I thought was brilliant). I pickled some red onions and added a touch of tahini to the tzatziki, and served with pitas. Fantastic and fun meal for all! Luckily there were a few leftover for the little guy’s lunch the next day.
To avoid over browning, bake at 350 for 10 - 15 minutes.
Awesome! I used all ground pork and cut the mint. Probably needed more cumin, coriander, etc. but tasty anyway. I also baked at 400 for 20min instead of frying to cut down on the oil. Served with homemade lemon tzatziki, Greek salad, and pita bread!