Keftedes – Greek meatball recipe

I only have been in Greece a few time, but I clearly remember the Greek food I ate there. Like keftedes, they’re Greek meatballs, but slightly different from the ones (like these Dutch meatballs) I usually make at home.

They’re extra tasty thanks to the addition of mint. Eating keftedes transported me back to Greece for a moment, and I’ll definitely be making them again. They go together really well with a Greek salad or some pita bread. And if you love meatballs you might want to check these meatballs in apricot chipotle sauce too!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• all the flavors of Greece without needing to bring your passport!
• easy – making these delicious meatballs is super easy and very tasty as a snack or as part of a meal focused on greek cuisine.

Recipe Ingredients

• ground meat – you can use ground lamb, ground pork, or whatever meatball mixture you prefer. I’ve gone with a beef and pork mixture as I find that gives the best juicy meatballs
• herbs – for making the keftedes, you will need fresh mint and fresh parsley
• shallot – you can replace this with red onion instead or regular yellow onion if you prefer

For full recipe ingredients and quantities, make sure to check the recipe card below. Another fun twist on these keftedes is to add some feta cheese through the meat. Not traditional, but so tasty!

How To Make Keftedes

Start by slicing the shallot, garlic, and the fresh herbs. Then mix it all together using your hands. I use a large bowl and start with two tablespoons of the bread crumbs. I add more if needed. Depending on how wet the meat mixture is. Instead of breadcrumbs, you can also use stale bread for this.

Now form small balls of around 4 cm in diameter (about 1.5 inches). Using a large skillet fry the meatballs in a pan with a little oil or butter. Cook for about 10 minutes or until they’re fully cooked. Serve with homemade tzatziki.