These flavorful and juicy Greek meatballs are a quick and easy recipe that can be on the table in 30 minutes. Not only are they flavorful, these meatballs are also so simple to make. I like to pan fry them in a cast-iron pan, and then transfer them directly to the oven so there is less cleanup involved. The golden raisins add sweetness and texture which compliment the "rice" nicely. The trick to making these meatballs so juicy is by soaking the panko breadcrumbs in water before adding them to the rest of the meat mixture. Everyone will love these, and what’s great is you can serve them as an easy weeknight dinner, or as a flavorful appetizer or hors d’oeuvre. I serve this dish with a nice Greek style salad. Check out my recipe for The Best Greek Dressing here.
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
- ¼ cup + 1 tbsp Panko bread crumbs
- 1 tbsp lukewarm water
- 1 pound ground beef or lamb
- 1 large egg
- 3 tbsp crumbled feta cheesev(omit if dairy-free)
- 1 tsp chopped fresh mint
- ½ red onion, finely minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced on microplane
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp oregano
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ~¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, for cooking
For the Cauliflower Rice:
- 1 head cauliflower
- 1 clove garlic
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- Golden raisins & chopped mint for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix together the breadcrumbs and water and set aside.
- Then combine the beef, egg, feta cheese, mint, onion, garlic, salt, oregano and pepper. Using your hands, mix the ingredients together. Blend the bread crumb mixture into the meat mixture.
- Using a portion scoop, shape the meatball mixture into 1 oz balls (about 2 tbsp).
- Heat oil in a large sauté pan. When oil is very hot but not smoking, fry meatballs in batches. When the bottom half of the meatball is brown and slightly crisp, turn and cook the top half.
- Remove from heat and drain on paper towels.
- Finish the meatballs in the oven so they are fully cooked, about 10 minutes.
- For the cauliflower, cut into florets and pulse in the food processor until the texture is “rice”- like. Heat 1-2 tbsp olive oil in a pan on medium-high heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the riced cauliflower and mix frequently so they garlic doesn’t burn. Add salt, mix and set aside.
- Garnish with golden raisins and chopped mint.
Notes
Check out my recipe for The Best Greek Dressing here.
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