Keftedes – Greek Meatballs

30 Days of Greek Cooking: Day 12 of 30

Keftedes are made similar to soutzoukakia, but they’re pan-fried instead of baked and the key ingredient is fresh mint instead of cumin. These tiny meatballs are flavorful, round, tender on the inside, & crispy on the outside. Some keftedes recipes are made with a red sauce, but this recipe substitutes a Greek lemon sauce that adds a nice zing to them. The recipe can be made to serve as an appetizer or as a part of your main dish. Check out some of these other side dish recipes for a little inspiration on what to serve with your keftedes. I last served them with fasolakia lathera, but the world really is your oyster when it comes to sides!

What are keftedes?

Keftedes (pronounced “kehf-teh-dehs“) are traditional Greek meatballs fried in extra virgin olive oil. Other Mediterranean cultures have their own variations, but the classic Greek style is made of ground beef, pork, lamb, or a combination of these meats. Additionally, the key ingredient used to make them is fresh mint leaves.

In older days, Greek housewives would deep clean the home on Saturdays in preparation for Sunday, the day of rest. Keftedes were often served on Saturdays for lunch or as an appetizer to snack on because they’re so fast and easy to make in large quantities. They’re still most commonly served as part of a large meze (appetizer) platter.

Items you’ll need to make this recipe:

• Large skillet
• 3 small mixing bowls
• Medium mixing bowl
• Large mixing bowl
• Paper towels
• Cutting board & knife
• Tray (for uncooked meatballs)
• Serving tray (for cooked meatballs to rest)
• Slotted spoon
• Wooden spoon

Keftedes – Greek Meatballs

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• Author: Christina Taylor
• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings

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Description

Traditional Greek flavorful, round meatballs that are pan-fried in extra virgin olive oil. They’re tender on the inside & crispy on the outside. Serve as an appetizer or as part of your main dish.

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Ingredients

7 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 cup flour

1 cup milk (see notes*)

1.5 lbs. lean ground beef

1 yellow onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 large eggs (1 with yolk only), divided

2 slices whole wheat bread, toasted

2 lemons, juiced

1 1/2 cup chicken stock

1/3 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves, chopped & rounded

1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped & rounded

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

water

salt

black pepper

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Instructions

1. Place toasted whole wheat bread in a small bowl and cover it with milk. Set aside.
2. Add flower to medium mixing bowl and set aside. This will be used for dredging meatballs.
3. In a separate small mixing bowl, add a bit of room temperature water and set aside. This will be used for rolling meatballs.
4. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablepsoons EVOO over medium heat until shimmering, but not smoking. Add onion and cook for 4 minutes, stirring regularly. Add garlic and cook for 1 additional minute. Transfer cooked onions and garlic to large mixing bowl and set aside to cool. Set skillet aside for later.
5. Once bread has absorbed milk and becomes soft, squeeze the remaining liquid out of the bread and add to large mixing bowl with onions & garlic. Stir to combine. Discard remaining milk from small mixing bowl.
6. Add lean ground beef, 1 whole egg, chopped fresh mint, coriander, cinnamon, cumin, nutmeg, fresh chopped oregano, fresh chopped dill, salt, & pepper to large mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly with hands.
7. Round small clumps of lean ground beef mixture into golfball-sized balls and lightly roll each in flour to coat. Place on tray or cutting board as you roll. Dip hands in bowl of water as needed to keep meat from sticking to palms. Discard flour when finished.
8. Heat 5 tablespoons EVOO in large skillet set aside from earlier until shimmering, but not smoking. Turn heat up to medium and add meatballs to skillet. Do so in batches if skillet is not large enough to place them all at same time. Cook meatballs for 10 minutes, turning occasionally to ensure they’re cooked thoroughly. Meatballs should be crusted on all sides.
9. Remove meatballs as they become done with slotted spoon. Place on plate or tray with paper towels to absorb excess fat. Discard fat from skillet, leaving about 2 tablespoons for finishing touches. Return skillet to heat.
10. In second small mixing bowl, combine lemon juice, 1 egg yolk, & chicken stock. Whisk together until yolk is beaten and thoroughly combined. Keep heat at medium and add mixture to skillet. Add cooked meatballs to skillet and cook for 5 minutes. Allow lemon sauce to thicken.
11. Serve directly from skillet with lemon sauce drizzled on top. Prepare as an appetizer, lunch meal, or as a main course along with your favorite side.

Notes

water can be used as a substitute for milk if you’re lactose intolerant or don’t wish to use it.

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Category: Appetizer, Lunch
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Greek

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