• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Unicorns in the Kitchen

Easy family approved recipes from our Kitchen to yours. Persian, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean recipes made easy with fresh ingredients and step-by-step instructions.

  • Recipe Index
  • Mediterranean Recipes
  • E-cookbooks
  • About
    • Work with Us
    • Contact
  • Recipe Index
  • Mediterranean Recipes
  • E-cookbooks
  • About
    • Work with Us
    • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Index
  • Mediterranean Recipes
  • E-cookbooks
  • About
    • Work with Us
    • Contact
  • ×

    Home » Mediterranean recipes

    Greek Meatballs Recipe (Keftedes)

    Published: Dec 4, 2020 · Modified: Mar 17, 2021 by Shadi HasanzadeNemati · This post may contain affiliate links .

    1326 shares
    • 1
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Keftedes are Greek meatballs that are juicy, delicious and easy to make. Serve them with some pita, salad and tzatziki for a complete Mediterranean meal!

    These Greek meatballs are the best meatballs ever! You can serve these delicious Greek meatballs as a crowd pleasing appetizer or a complete meal.

    If you love Mediterranean recipes, especially Greek recipes as much as we do, you're going to love these classic Greek meatballs. Like moussaka, pastitsio and chicken souvlaki, keftedes is a well known Greek recipe that's bursting with flavor in every bite!

    Table Of Contents:
    • About this Greek meatballs recipe
    • Ingredients and substitutions
    • Preparation instructions
    • Baking instructions
    • Serving suggestions
    • Storage and freezing
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Step-by-Step Recipe

    About this Greek meatballs recipe

    Keftedes are Greek meatballs and they are made with lamb or a combination of beef and lamb. They are traditionally fried in a pan; however, I'm going to show you how to make them in the oven as well. Like soutzoukakia, these meatballs are juicy and very tender.

    These Mediterranean meatballs are moist and packed with fresh delicious flavors thanks to bold spices and herbs such as thyme, cumin, and mint.

    You can have keftedes with tomato, cucumber, onion and tzatziki.

    Ingredients and substitutions

    Greek meatballs are made of beef and lamb, egg, onion, bread crumbs, garlic, lemon and spices.

    Ground beef and ground lamb: Since this recipe uses a combination of lamb and beef, and because lamb contains fat, I prefer using lean ground beef for balance. If ground lamb is not available, you can use ground beef entirely. If you don't use beef, you can use all lamb. 

    Breadcrumbs: Adding breadcrumbs to the mixture makes it moist and soft. You can use homemade or store bought breadcrumbs.  

    Onion and garlic: Grated onion mixed with ground beef adds a lot of flavor to the meatballs. It's best to use freshly minced garlic and not garlic powder.

    Egg: To bring the ingredients together, we use one egg as a binding agent. You can also use flax eggs instead of eggs.

    Spices: What makes this recipe different from other meatball recipes is the spice combination. You need dried mint, dried thyme, cumin, cinnamon, paprika, salt and pepper. If dried mint is not available, you can use 2 tablespoons of fresh mint.

    Preparation instructions

    Make the mixture

    In a large bowl or in a food processor, mix ground lamb and ground beef. Add in bread crumbs and grated onion to the mixture and mix well. Then, add minced garlic, egg, and the spices and pulse until fully combined.

    This is an easy meatballs recipe that you can make in a food processor.

    Shape and cook

    Shape the meatballs using an ice cream or cookie scoop and set them aside on a baking sheet. If the mixture is too sticky, wet your hands to shape them.

    Heat the olive oil in a pan and cook the meatballs for about 20 minutes, stirring a couple of times so they cook evenly. Serve warm with your favorite side dish.

    These tasty meatballs are easy to make and are perfect with vegetables such as onion, cucumbers and tomato.

    Baking instructions

    Follow the recipe to make the meatballs as described above. Instead of cooking them with olive oil, preheat the oven to 375ºF and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the meatballs on the baking sheet and coat them with just a little bit of cooking spray.

    Bake the meatballs in the oven for about 20-25 minutes until they are brown and fully cooked. This is a great method for making lots of tasty meatballs when you're feeding a crowd.

    Serve Greek lamb meatballs with pitas and vegetables.

    Serving suggestions

    Keftedes can be served as an appetizer with some tzatziki sauce, skordalia or Melitzanosalata. These tasty meatballs can also be served as a complete meal with pita or lavash and some traditional Greek salad or Mediterranean salad.

    You can also serve it with Greek lemon rice, oven roasted Greek potatoes, fasolakia (Greek green beans) or roasted vegetables such as briam.

    You can stuff a pita bread with Greek meatballs and vegetables.

    Storage and freezing

    Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To serve, place them in a pan with 2 tablespoons of water and reheat over medium low heat.

    These Mediterranean meatballs freeze very well. You can freeze these meatballs cooked or uncooked:

    • If cooked: Once all the keftedes are cooked and cooled completely, place them in a Ziploc bag and freeze them up to one month. Thaw them in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or in a pan.
    • If uncooked: Shape the meatballs and place them on a baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for one hour until the meatballs are frozen. Then place them in one single layer in a Ziploc bag and freeze them for up to one month. Thaw them in the fridge and follow the cooking instructions provided above.
    This Greek meatball recipe is perfect with some homemade tzatziki sauce.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How can I make juicy meatballs?

    To make tender meatballs that are not dry, grate the onion and add it directly to the beef and lamb mixture. The juice of grated onion gives moisture to the meatballs.

    How to make meatballs that are all the same size?

    Use a cookie or ice cream scoop to ensure evenly shaped and portioned meatballs.

    Can I make this recipe without a food processor?

    Yes, you can mix all the ingredients using your hands. Make sure the ingredients are very well incorporated.

    Easy and tasty Greek meatballs make a perfect family dinner.

    More Greek Recipes

    • Tirokafteri (Greek Spicy Feta Dip)
    • Revani Cake (Turkish Semolina Cake)
    • Avgolemono (Greek Lemon Chicken Soup)
    • Fasolakia - Greek Green Beans

    Did you make this recipe? I'd love to hear about it! Please comment and leave a 5-star🌟 rating below. You can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest or subscribe to our newsletter to get a free e-Cookbook!

    Step-by-Step Recipe

    Easy Greek Meatballs Recipe (Keftedes)

    Shadi HasanzadeNemati
    Keftedes are Greek meatballs that are juicy, delicious and easy to make. Serve them with some pita, salad and tzatziki for a complete Mediterranean meal!
    4.81 from 21 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Appetizer, Main Course
    Cuisine Mediterranean
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 570 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 lb ground beef 90% lean
    • ½ lb ground lamb
    • 2 tablespoon bread crumbs
    • 1 onion grated
    • 5 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 egg
    • 1 tablespoon dried mint
    • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
    • ½ teaspoon paprika
    • 2 tablespoon lemon juice
    • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
    • 1 ½ teaspoon cumin
    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
    • 1 tsp salt
    • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    • 2 tablespoon olive oil for cooking

    Instructions
     

    • Place the ground beef and lamb in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times so they're combined. 
    • Add in bread crumbs, onion and garlic. Pulse again for a couple of times. 
    • Add in the egg, dried mint, thyme, paprika, lemon juice, lemon zest, cumin, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Pulse for about 30 seconds until all the ingredients are perfectly combined. 
    • Shape the meatballs using an ice cream or cookie scoop and place them on a baking sheet. If the mixture is too sticky, wet your hands and then shape them. 
    • In a large pan, heat the olive oil and place the meatballs to cook. 
    • Cook the meatballs for about 10 minutes and stir them a couple of times to make sure they're brown on all sides and cook evenly. 
    • Serve with pita, Greek salad and tzatziki sauce. 

    Notes

    • You can use 1 ½ lb ground lamb instead of beef. 
    • Baked Greek meatballs: Preheat the oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the meatballs on the baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes until they are brown and fully cooked. 
    • To make tender meatballs that are not dry, grate the onion and add it directly to the beef and lamb mixture. The juice of grated onion gives moisture to the meatballs.
    • Use a cookie or ice cream scoop to ensure evenly shaped and portioned meatballs.
    • If you don't use a food processor on hand, make sure you mix the ingredients very well in a large bowl using your hands.
    • If dried mint is not available, use two tablespoons of fresh chopped mint.
    • When cooking the meatballs in a pan, make sure you don't overcrowd the pan. Overcrowding the pan will cause the meatballs not to cook evenly.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 570kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 32gFat: 45gSaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 163mgSodium: 748mgPotassium: 526mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 102IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 81mgIron: 5mg
    Did you make this recipe? Let us know how it was by leaving a comment and a 5-star review!

    « Virgin Strawberry Daiquiri Recipe
    Zaatar Manakish (Manakeesh) »
    1326 shares
    • 1

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Andreas

      March 16, 2022 at 6:35 am

      How long will the keftede mix last in fridge uncooked?
      I see they last a month in the freezer but want to know how many days in the fridge. Thanks.

      Reply
      • Shadi HasanzadeNemati

        March 19, 2022 at 7:12 am

        The uncooked mixture for keftedes will last in the fridge for about 24 hours.

        Reply
    2. Erin

      February 25, 2022 at 10:29 am

      5 stars
      I've made meatballs but not Greek meatballs. These were easy to make and tasty. Will definitely be making again.

      Reply
    3. Allison

      February 25, 2022 at 10:26 am

      5 stars
      The whole family loved these meatballs. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    4. Gail Montero

      January 13, 2022 at 1:26 pm

      5 stars
      With all the delicious herbs and spices added to these meatballs - it is such a sure winner! Love it!

      Reply
    5. Michaela

      January 13, 2022 at 12:18 pm

      5 stars
      I love the combo of beef and lamb in these greek meatballs, perfect with a greek salad.

      Reply
    « Older Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    • Instagram
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Pinterest

    Welcome to Unicorns in the Kitchen, where we share delicious recipes from our kitchen to yours. You’re in for a delicious adventure and collection of unique and tasty recipes.

    Read more...

    Fall Dinner Ideas

    • Tomato Rice Persian Style (Dami Gojeh Farangi)
    • Easy Greek Pastitsio Recipe
    • Roasted Chicken and Vegetables Turkish Style
    • Mujadara - Lebanese Lentils and Rice with Crispy Onions

    Latest Recipes

    • Best Mother's Day Brunch Ideas
    • Ful Medames Recipe (Egyptian Fava Beans)
    • Best Blackened Salmon Recipe
    • 65+ Best Persian Recipes To Try

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Accessibility

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Services
    • About US

    All images and content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images or recipes without prior permission. Read about privacy policy and copyright Here. Our site contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting.

    Copyright 2019, All rights reserved.
    Read about privacy policy and copyright Here.

    1326 shares