Keftedes Greek Meatballs

Easy Greek meatballs recipe, also known as Keftedes! Flavour-packed tender meatballs with a crispy crust and a lemony sauce. Serve with Greek salad, pita bread and Tzatziki sauce.

Yield:
32 meatballs
Category:
Beef
Cuisine:
Greek

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 medium yellow onion, grated
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 6 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 slice, day old bread, cubed and soaked in milk (you can use pita bread, if you like)
  • 500 g lean ground beef
  • 225 g ground lamb or pork
  • 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk, divided
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh mint leaves
  • 1 tbsp organic ground coriander
  • 1 tsp dried oregano, preferably Greek oregano
  • 1 tsp organic ground cumin
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3 lemons, zested and juiced
  • Flour for dredging
  • 1 ¼ cup chicken broth

DIRECTIONS:

  1. In a large skillet, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until golden and translucent, stirring regularly. Transfer the onions and garlic mixture to a large mixing bowl to cool. Set skillet aside for later.
  2. Wring the excess milk out of the soaked bread. Add the bread to the mixing bowl. To the mixing bowl add the ground beef and lamb (or pork), 1 egg, fresh mint, spices, salt and pepper, and 1 tbsp lemon zest. Mix by hand until until mixture is fully incorporated.
  3. Form the meat mixture into balls (each the size of a heaping tablespoon.) Roll meatballs into the flour to lightly coat and place them on a large tray for now.
  4. In the large skillet you used earlier, add ¼ cup olive oil. Heat over medium-high. Turn heat to medium and add the meatballs to cook (do this in batches if required) Cook meatballs for 10 minutes or so, turning occasionally, until fully cooked and well-crusted on all sides. With a slotted spoon

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