Baked Greek Meatballs with Tahini Sauce

Inspired by Greek keftedes, these baked Greek meatballs are full of Mediterranean-inspired herbs and spices. Instead of lamb, this Greek meatball recipe is made with grass-fed lean beef, garlic, onion, fresh herbs and spices.

There are lots of meatball recipes out there but this recipe switches things up with Mediterranean-inspired herbs, spices and a hint of lemon zest. Made with beef, instead of lamb, my take on Greek keftedes is versatile and healthy. These baked Greek meatballs are baked instead of fried making them not only healthier but the clean-up is much easier!

Is Beef Healthy?

This recipe calls for grass-fed 93% lean beef. After about 20 years of eating very limited red meat, I’ve started to incorporate a little more organic, grass-fed lean beef into my diet. This is because research has shown incorporating certain cuts of beef as part of a diet rich in fruit, vegetables and whole grains does not raise a person’s cardiovascular disease risk. Grass-fed beef also includes many important nutrients. Read below for more information on the health benefits of grass-fed beef or skip to the recipe.

What’s the Difference Between Grass-Fed and Grain-Fed Beef?

Cattle are meant to graze on grass, preferably within open pastures. As the demand for meat has grown over the past century, farmers started feeding their herds grain-based products, usually made from corn and soy. Grass-fed cows are only fed grass. The cattle get important phytonutrients from eating only grass.

• Grass-fed beef is slightly higher in protein and iron than chicken, turkey and grain-fed beef. Grass-fed beef has been shown to be lower in fat, saturated fat and calories than its grain-fed counterparts.

• Beef from grass-fed cows contain a beneficial fatty acid called CLA (conjugated linolic acid). CLA can help prevent several diseases and conditions like obesity and diabetes.
• Grass-fed beef provides up to six times more omega-3 fatty acids than grain fed beef and is high in vitamin B-12 (which you can’t get from plant sources).

When you’re in the market for grass-fed beef, keep an eye out for products with the stamp of approval by the American Grassfed Association (AGA).

Greek Meatball Ingredients

• Grass-fed 93% lean ground beef – Look for 100% grass-fed 93% lean beef. Grain-finished and organic are not the same thing.
• Fresh breadcrumbs– I used sourdough that was a few days old to make fresh bread crumbs in the food processor.
• Milk – Use cow’s milk or dairy-free unsweetened, plain milk.

• Eggs – Eggs act as the binding agent for these meatballs.

• Onion – Can use white, yellow or red onion. Mince or grate the onion to avoid big chunks.

• Garlic – Finely mince the garlic or use a microplane zester.

• Lemon zest – Use a microplane zester to collect the zest of 1 lemon.

• Fresh herbs – Use fresh mint, parsley and dill.

• Spices – A mix of cumin, coriander and oregano. The cumin and coriander lend distinctive flavor with bitter, lemony undertones.

How to Make Baked Greek Meatballs

Here is quick overview on how to make this recipe. See recipe card below for more specific details.

Step 1: Make the panade. Combine the breadcrumbs with the milk and let soften for 5-10 minutes. This mixture makes the meatballs more tender.

Step 2: Chop the herbs, garlic, onion and zest the lemon. Pre-measure the spices. Set aside.

Step 3: In a large mixing bowl, add the ground beef. Beat the egg mixture in a separate bowl and add to the bowl. Add the panade, herbs and spices. Use your hands to combine the ingredients.

Step 4: Form the meatballs using a cookie scoop. Roll into even size balls. Place on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper.

Step 5: Bake in oven heated to 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Step 6: While the meatballs are baking prepared the herbed rice and the tahini yogurt sauce.

Step 7: Serve the meatballs with herbed cauliflower rice pilaf.

Cooking Tips for Making Meatballs

• Don’t over-mix: Mix all of your meatball ingredients together until they are justcombined and avoid over mixing, which can lead to overly tough and dried-out meatballs.
• Use a cookie scoop or scale: To ensure that your meatballs are roughly the same size, which will help them to evenly bake, use either a cookie scoop (I scooped out rounded tablespoons using a 1-tablespoon scoop) or a kitchen scale to measure the meatballs (about 1 oz).
• Don’t overbake: Keep an eye on the meatballs and remove them from the oven once the internal temperature measures 160°F and the meatballs and are no longer pink inside.
• Serve with a veggie-rich side dish. Serve with my herbed cauliflower rice pilaf and/ or a cucumber tomato salad.

How to Store and Reheat

Store – Meatballs can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight glass container.

Freeze – Meatballs are great for freezing. Make a double batch. Let them cool to room temperature once they have been cooked. Place them in a sealed container. To let them thaw, place in refrigerator for about 24 hours.

Reheating – You can reheat cold/thawed meatballs using the following methods: microwave (using 30 second intervals until they are warmed through), stovetop (in a ceramic/non-stick pan with a little avocado oil) or oven (bake at 350 for about 10 minutes).

Frequently Asked Questions

Additional Recipes You May Like

• Greek Marinade for Chicken or Fish
• Herbed Cauliflower Rice Pilaf
• Mediterranean Cucumber Tomato Salad with Quinoa
• Mediterranean Baked Halibut

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