Keftedes (Greek Meatballs)

Name: Keftedes (Greek Meatballs)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 1.5 lbs ground beef (80/20); 1/2 medium yellow onion, grated; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs; 1 large egg, beaten; 1 tsp kosher salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground; 4 tbsp olive oil; 1 lemon lemon, cut into wedges

Juicy pan-fried Greek meatballs seasoned with mint, oregano, and onion, with a crispy exterior and tender, herb-scented interior. Great as an appetizer or part of a mezze spread.

45 minMediumServes 6340 cal/serving

GreekAppetizerStovetopStandardHigh ProteinLow CarbNut-FreeDairy-FreePork-FreeAlcohol-FreeCorn-Free

Cook this free in the appFree. No download, no account. The screen stays awake and each step can run its own timer.

Ingredients

1.5 lbs ground beef (80/20)
1/2 medium yellow onion, grated
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
1 large egg, beaten
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
4 tbsp olive oil
1 lemon lemon, cut into wedges

Instructions

1

In a large bowl, combine 1.5 lbs ground beef (80/20), 1/2 medium grated yellow onion, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint leaves, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs, 1 beaten large egg, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper.
2

Mix with your hands until evenly combined. Do not overwork the meat. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
3

Roll the mixture into balls about 1.5 inches in diameter (roughly the size of a walnut), placing them on a plate as you go.
4

Heat 4 tbsp olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan, add the meatballs and cook, turning every 2 minutes, until browned on all sides and cooked through to an internal temperature of 160°F, about 10 to 12 minutes per batch.
5

Transfer to a platter. Serve hot with cut into wedges lemon alongside.

Cook this free in the appCooking it now? The app keeps the screen awake and times each step. Free, nothing to install.

Keep this recipe

Prints the ingredients and method only.

The Greek Kitchen 30 recipes from this kitchen in one printable PDF. $5, no account.

Questions

What is Keftedes (Greek Meatballs)?

Juicy pan-fried Greek meatballs seasoned with mint, oregano, and onion, with a crispy exterior and tender, herb-scented interior. Great as an appetizer or part of a mezze spread. This reference files it under Greek appetizer: made on the stovetop, rated medium and about 45 minutes start to finish.

How much time should I plan for Keftedes (Greek Meatballs)?

As written, 45 minutes: 25 of prep and 20 of cooking. The longest single stretch is the hands-off wait in step 2, 15 minutes.

What internal temperature should Keftedes (Greek Meatballs) reach?

For Keftedes (Greek Meatballs), the target internal temperature is 160 F (about 70 C), given in step 4. A probe thermometer removes the guesswork.

Can I use ground turkey instead of ground beef in Keftedes (Greek Meatballs)?

Yes. Choose turkey that is not extra-lean and add a tablespoon of oil to the pan, because turkey has less fat and browns more slowly. Season it a little harder than you would beef. As written, the entry for Keftedes (Greek Meatballs) uses 1.5 lbs ground beef (80/20).

Is Keftedes (Greek Meatballs) keto-friendly?

A serving of Keftedes (Greek Meatballs) carries 12 g of carbohydrate, 1 g of it fiber. Against a strict 20 g keto day that is 60 percent of the budget; against a moderate 100 g low-carb day it is 12 percent.

Does Keftedes (Greek Meatballs) contain eggs?

Yes: 1 large egg, beaten. The full allergen list for this entry is gluten and eggs. Packaged ingredients vary by brand, so check labels if the allergy is serious.

Serve it with

Cook this free in the app

Textual Chef is 4,544 plain-text recipes, free to read and free to cook from. No account, no paywall, no ads, no life stories. Open this one in the app and each quantity sits inside the step that uses it, so you read once and cook.

Every recipe is curated or public-domain sourced, written to one template and checked before it publishes. Nothing here is a scraped blog post.

Cook this free in the appNo download needed. It opens in your browser. The kitchen tools (planner, shopping list, pantry, import) are $5.33 a month billed annually; the first 30 days are free.