Greek Meatballs

Beef or lamb meatballs with mint, cumin, oregano, and lemon zest. Baked at 425°F with tahini yogurt sauce.

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Greek Meatballs
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30 min Prep Time
15 min Cook Time
45 min Total Time
~8 Servings

Meatballs

  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • ⅓ cup milk
  • 2 pounds ground beef or lamb (or a 50/50 mix)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 scallions, white and green parts, minced
  • ⅓ cup fresh mint or cilantro, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • Zest of 1 lemon

Tahini Yogurt Sauce

  • 1 cup full-fat plain Greek yogurt
  • ½ cup tahini
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

Instructions

  1. Stir the panko and milk in a large bowl and let it soak 5–10 minutes.
  2. Add the meat, garlic, eggs, scallions, and mint. Sprinkle on the oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and lemon zest. Mix with your hands just until combined — don’t overwork it.
  3. Heat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Form 1½-tablespoon balls (oil your hands so they don’t stick) and space them on the sheet.
  4. Bake 15–20 minutes, until golden and cooked through (about 160°F inside).
  5. While they bake, whisk the yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, and salt. Thin with a little water if you want.
  6. Serve warm with the sauce — on their own, in pita, over rice, or on a salad.

Notes

  1. Cooked meatballs keep 4 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer.
  2. Don’t skip the panade (panko + milk) or they’ll dry out.