Baked Greek Meatballs (Keftedes)

Name: Baked Greek Meatballs (Keftedes)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 5 servings
Ingredients: 1/2 lb. ground beef; 1/2 lb. ground lamb or pork; 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs; 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley; 3 Tablespoons grated onion; 2 cloves garlic; Zest of 1 lemon; 1 large egg; 1 teaspoon oregano; 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander; 1/2 teaspoon cumin; 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt; 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper; 2 ounces crumbled Feta cheese; Soft pita bread; Sliced Roma tomatoes or grape tomatoes; sliced red onion; Tzatziki sauce

User Reviews

5.0

177 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings
5 servings
Calories
437 kcal
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
European

Baked Greek Meatballs (Keftedes)

Felix Long

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These Greek Meatballs (aka Keftedes) are made with ground beef and lamb or pork mixed with fresh garlic, feta cheese, other herbs and spices, then cooked to tender, savory perfection. They go perfectly with tangy tzatziki sauce, sliced red onions, tomatoes, and soft, grilled pita bread to create a meatball gyro sandwich or mezze platter for an easy dinner or party appetizer that is ready in under 30 minutes!

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Ingredients

Servings

Greek Feta Meatballs

1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. ground lamb or pork
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley
3 Tablespoons grated onion
2 cloves garlic minced
Zest of 1 lemon
1 large egg
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
2 ounces crumbled Feta cheese

For Serving

Soft pita bread
Sliced Roma tomatoes or grape tomatoes
sliced red onion
Tzatziki sauce

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Instructions

Meatball preparation

Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
Combine all meatball ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Use your hands to gently mix everything together until the meat is uniformly combined with the other ingredients.
Use a small cookie scoop to portion out the meatballs or divide the mixture into 4 equal parts. From there, divide each portion of the meatball mixture into 5 meatballs so you end up with 20 equal-sized meatballs. Roll each meatball between your hands to shape it and then arrange them on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven from 10-14 minutes, until they are nicely brown and cooked through.

For gyro sandwiches

To assemble gyros, warm the pitas on a grill or in the oven, just until soft.
Place a few slices of roma tomato and some sliced red onions onto each pita bread, then top with 4 or 5 meatballs. Add a couple dollops of tzatziki sauce and serve with Greek feta fries.

For a mezze platter

If you prefer to serve this as a more of a grazing board or appetizer like for a party, I like to arrange the meatballs in a pile on a large platter with a bowl of tzatziki sauce, warmed pita triangles, grape tomatoes, sliced red onion, and a brick of feta cheese drizzled with olive oil. You could also add kalamata olives or cucumber slices to your spread. Serve with toothpicks for spearing the meatballs.

Notes

Meatballs adapted from Recipe Runner.
Storage: These will be good for 3-4 days in the fridge and make excellent leftovers the next day for lunch!
Freezing: You can freeze these Greek meatballs either before or after baking. If freezing before baking, I recommend freezing them spaced out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper until they are hard, then transfer to a freezer-safe container for longer-term storage. Thaw before baking. If you want to freeze the meatballs AFTER baking, then just let them cool completely, freeze spread out in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer-safe container for longer-term storage. You can reheat directly from frozen in the oven or air fryer in this case. To reheat, place the frozen meatballs on a baking sheet and bake at 300°F until warmed through, about 20-25 minutes.
Using ground lamb: Lamb is so a wonderfully rich and flavorful protein and is used more frequently in Greek food than in American food. I really recommend trying it at least once.
Don't overwork the meatball mixture: I always work the ingredients together with my hands, squishing it until the spices are evenly distributed. Just be careful not to work the meat and spices too hard by mashing them too much or too hard because you don't want to end up with tough meatballs.
This recipe is on page 184 of my cookbook, House of Nash Eats Everyday!

Nutrition Information

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Calories 437kcal (22%) Carbohydrates 31g (10%) Protein 23g (46%) Fat 24g (37%) Saturated Fat 10g (50%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g Monounsaturated Fat 9g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 108mg (36%) Sodium 694mg (29%) Potassium 412mg (12%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 2g (4%) Vitamin A 447IU (9%) Vitamin C 7mg (8%) Calcium 141mg (14%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 5servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 437 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories	437kcal	22%
Carbohydrates	31g	10%
Protein	23g	46%
Fat	24g	37%
Saturated Fat	10g	50%
Polyunsaturated Fat	2g	12%
Monounsaturated Fat	9g	45%
Trans Fat	1g	50%
Cholesterol	108mg	36%
Sodium	694mg	29%
Potassium	412mg	9%
Fiber	2g	8%
Sugar	2g	4%
Vitamin A	447IU	9%
Vitamin C	7mg	8%
Calcium	141mg	14%
Iron	3mg	17%