Greek lamb Meatballs

Greek meatballs with orzo, tzatziki sauce, and cherry cucumber salad in a grey bowl with a fork.

5 from 10 votes

These juicy and tender Greek Lamb Meatballs (also known as Keftedes) are made with mint and lemon zest which elevate the flavors! You can serve this recipe as an appetizer with tzatziki sauce or for dinner with some orzo, or rice and fresh salad.

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

Total Time30

Course: Appetizer, Dinner, lunch

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Servings: people

Calories: 285kcal

Author: Veronika's Kitchen

Ingredients

1 pound ground lamb
1 medium onion grated with juices
1 large egg room temperature
1 cup bread crumbs seasoned
¼ cup parsley finely chopped
¼ cup mint finely chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon lemon zest
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, add 1 lb ground lamb, 1 medium grated onion with juices, 1 large egg, 1 cup bread crumbs, ¼ cup chopped parsley, ¼ cup chopped mint, 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 tsp lemon zest, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper. Using your hands or a spatula, mix everything together until well combined.
Using a 1 ½ tbsp ice cream scoop, scoop the meat mixture and roll it in a ball. Repeat the same with the rest of the mixture and place the rolled meatballs on a plate.
Preheat a large skillet over a medium heat and add 2 tbsp olive oil.
Sear the meatballs on all sides, total about 6-8 minutes or until they are cooked through.

Video

Notes

When making the meatballs, I like to use an ice cream scoop for even size and even cooking. You also can use a regular spoon to scoop the mixture.
I prefer to grate the onion instead of just chopping it. This way you will have more juices to make this recipe moist and tender.
When searing the meatballs, don’t overcrowd the pan. Cook them in 2-3 batches and make sure to leave some space in between for proper browning.
To make the outside crust even crispier, you can roll the meatballs with a little bit of flour and then sear as usual. This extra step will help these meatballs to get a crispy shell, while keeping all the moisture inside.
You can refrigerate them in an air-tight container for up to 3-4- days.
To freeze, place the cooked meatballs on a baking sheet and freeze for about 30 minutes. Then transfer to an air-tight container or a zip-locked bag and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. By freezing the meatball separately first, this will ensure that they won’t stick together.

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