I wanted to share the recipe for these traditional Greek meatballs for some time now. As it is often the case with simple, everyday recipes such as this one ingredient measurements were never precise and were never written down as they were passed from generation to generation. For as long I can remember, my mom and my grandmother never measured anything unless it was for a dessert recipe.
Distinctive Greek Flavors
So, when I made these meatballs again for my family yesterday, instead of adding a little of this and a little of that, I measured everything in order that this recipe would finally make an appearance on the blog. All of my favorite ingredients are part of this recipe: caramelized onions and garlic, lemon, oregano, mint, and olive oil. When mixed with ground meat, these aromatics give these meatballs a deliciously assertive and distinctly Greek flavor.
Perfect One-pan meal
These traditional Greek meatballs are usually oven-baked, but when the weather is warmer, they can also be grilled. If baking, and to make this a one-pan meal, I often add some potatoes to the pan as well. To do that, in a bowl, I mix four large Yukon gold potatoes–peeled and cut into small pieces–with olive oil, the juice of a lemon, Greek oregano, salt and pepper. I then add the potatoes to the pan along with 4-5 tablespoons of water. The potatoes will absorb the juices from the meatballs which will give them a great flavor. This recipe is a family favorite–and has been for generations!
How to make the Traditional Greek Meatballs
- 3 TBSP. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely minced
- 3 medium cloves of garlic, finely minced
- 4-5 slices of good quality bread, crusts removed, coarsely chopped
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 TBSP. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp. dry Greek oregano
- 1 tsp. dry spearmint
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1 tsp. sea salt
- ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper
- --- zest of one lemon
- 2 TBSP. red wine vinegar
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 lb. ground pork (or, 1 lb. more ground beef)
- ½ cup fresh parsley, stems removed, finely minced
- Preheat the oven to 350° F using the “convection” (i.e., circulating fan) setting, if available. If not, preheat the oven to 375° F.
- In a medium skillet, heat 3 TBSP. of olive oil and then add the chopped onions. Sauté the onions for a few minutes until they become translucent and then add the garlic and cook until everything is nicely caramelized and golden brown.
- While the onion and garlic cook, place the bread in a bowl then add the milk and 2 TBSP. of olive oil. Mix the bread well and let it soak. To this mixture, add the oregano, mint, paprika, salt, pepper, lemon zest, vinegar and egg. Mix to combine.
- Add the cooked onion and garlic, ground beef, ground pork, and finely chopped parsley. Mix very well with your hands until all of the ingredients are completely combined and the mixture is smooth.
- Pick up some of the meatball mixture and shape it into 12-14 patties. Place them on a parchment paper-lined, rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with some Greek Extra Virgin Olive oil. Roast the patties for about 40 minutes or until there are done to your liking. You can form them larger or smaller, but adjust their cooking time accordingly. If you decide to roast some potatoes in the same pan, make sure they are cut in small pieces so they cook at the same time. In this case, of course you will not need the parchment paper.
- Remove from the oven and serve with some good crusty bread and a Greek salad.
A delicious meal in just 45 minutes!
Greek meatballs and lemony roasted potatoes ready to enjoy! Serve them with some crusty bread and a fresh Greek salad!
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Two more Greek meatball recipes you might like:
Mini Greek Meatballs with Tzatziki
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Excellent! I was home with my sisters, brothers in law, and father this past weekend and wanted to cook a good family dinner. As always the picture alone was tempting, but when I checked the ingredients and the preparation, I was sold. It was easy to make and absolutely delicious. Everyone loved it and had fun trying to guess the different ingredients in the meatballs. Thanks for the beautiful photos and healthy, fun recipes on your blog. Your blog is where I turn for inspiration in cooking these days. Keep it coming!!
I am so glad you made the Greek meatballs for your family and that everybody liked them! It is a recipe I grew up with and my mom made it for us all the time. Thank you so much for taking the time to post your comment Sandy – it is so good to hear from you!
Just made these for the first time and they are delicious! 🙂
So glad to hear that Alice! Thank you for letting me know!
just like my mom use to make…xx
Thank you Antonia! Such a classic Greek recipe!
Made these tonight with roasted lemon potatoes. Fantastic awesome meatballs – moist and tender. Followed the recipe except used a cup of panko instead of bread slices. Fantastic.
I am so happy to know that you liked my recipe so much! Yes, panko breadcrumbs are a good substitute for bread slices. Thank you for taking the time to leave you comment, Marisa!
Just put these in the oven 15 minutes ago and the house smells delicious! Thank you so much for your recipe!
That’s great! So glad you made my recipe, Katerina!
Hi! I’m loving this recipe so far! It’s just in the oven and I’m wishing it was done! Can’t wait to try as it smells delicious!
Thank you so much, I hope it tasted as delicious as it smelled! ?
Made these yesterday and they were so DELICIOUS !!!
Thanks for sharing your recipes with us, I can’t wait to try your other recipe!