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These Greek Ground Beef Meatballs are juicy, flavorful, and packed with fresh herbs, feta, garlic, and lemon. Serve them with homemade tzatziki, rice or bulgur, and fresh vegetables for an easy Mediterranean-inspired meal.
I love making these Greek beef meatballs when I want a dinner that feels fresh and flavorful without being complicated. The combination of feta, fresh herbs, garlic, and lemon gives the meatballs so much flavor, and the cool tzatziki is the perfect finishing touch.
Recipe Overview
Key Ingredients
Below are the ingredients I used to make these meatballs. Full measurements are listed further down in the recipe card.
- Ground Beef: I use 90/10 lean ground beef for these meatballs. It has enough fat to keep the meatballs juicy while still being fairly lean.
- Feta Cheese: Crumbled feta adds a salty, creamy bite and gives the meatballs their classic Greek flavor.
- Fresh Herbs: Parsley, dill, and mint add lots of fresh flavor. You can adjust the herbs based on what you have on hand, but I recommend using at least two.
- Garlic and Shallot: Fresh garlic and grated shallot add flavor while helping keep the meatballs moist.
- Lemon Zest: A little lemon zest brightens up the meat mixture and pairs especially well with the feta and herbs.
- Greek Yogurt: Full-fat Greek yogurt provides a thick, creamy base for quick tzatziki.
Tips for the Best Greek Meatballs
- Don’t overmix the beef mixture. Mix just until everything comes together.
- Use slightly damp hands when rolling the meatballs to make shaping easier.
- Make the meatballs similar in size so they cook evenly.
- Don’t overcrowd the skillet. Cook in batches if needed.
- Squeeze the cucumber well before adding it to the tzatziki.
- Use fresh herbs when possible. They make a big difference in the flavor.
- Use a meat thermometer to check that the meatballs are fully cooked if you have one.
How to Make Greek Beef Meatballs
Make the Meatball Mixture: Add the ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, feta, shallot, garlic, parsley, dill, mint, oregano, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, lemon zest, salt, and pepper to a large bowl.
Gently mix everything together until just combined. Try not to overmix the beef, as this can make the meatballs tough.
Shape the Meatballs: Using slightly damp hands, roll the mixture into meatballs. You should get about 35 smaller meatballs.
Cook the Meatballs: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs in a single layer and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, turning them every couple of minutes so they brown evenly.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the skillet, and continue cooking for another 5 to 6 minutes, or until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 160°F.
Make the Tzatziki: While the meatballs cook, mix the Greek yogurt, squeezed cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, dill, mint, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Assemble the Bowls: Add cooked rice or bulgur to each bowl and arrange the tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, feta, and Kalamata olives around the edges. Add the warm meatballs and drizzle generously with tzatziki.
Finish with fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon.
What to Serve With Greek Meatballs
There are so many ways to serve these meatballs. Try them with:
- Rice or Bulgur
- Pita bread or homemade dinner rolls
- Greek Orzo Pasta Salad
- Grilled Onions
- Chopped tomatoes and cucumber or a simple tomato cucumber salad
- Top with some Kalamata olives or Feta cheese
- Roasted vegetables
- Store-bought or Homemade Hummus
- Lemon wedges
For an easy dinner, I like turning them into Mediterranean bowls with rice, cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, feta, olives, and plenty of tzatziki.
Ways to Serve Them
- Greek Meatball Bowls: Serve the meatballs over rice or bulgur with vegetables, feta, olives, and tzatziki.
- With Pita: Stuff warm meatballs into pita with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and tzatziki.
- As an Appetizer: Serve the meatballs on a platter with tzatziki, pita, olives, and fresh vegetables.
- In a Salad: Add warm meatballs to a Greek salad for a filling lunch or dinner.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overmixing the Meat: Mix the ingredients gently and stop as soon as everything is combined. Overmixing can make the meatballs dense.
- Not Squeezing the Cucumber: Cucumber holds a lot of water. Squeezing it dry before adding it to the yogurt keeps your tzatziki thick and creamy.
- Making Uneven Meatballs: Try to keep the meatballs close to the same size so they finish cooking at the same time.
- Cooking Over High Heat: High heat can brown the outside too quickly while the center is still raw. Medium heat followed by gentle cooking works better.
Variations
Use Ground Turkey: You can swap the ground beef for ground turkey or ground chicken. Watch the cooking time, since smaller meatballs may cook faster.
Make Them Spicier: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or cayenne to the meat mixture.
Add More Herbs: Fresh oregano, parsley, dill, or mint can all be added to the mixture or used as a garnish.
Make Smaller Meatballs: For an appetizer, make smaller meatballs and serve them with toothpicks and tzatziki for dipping.
Storage
- Storing: Store leftover meatballs and tzatziki separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheating: Gently reheat the meatballs in a skillet or microwave until warmed through. The tzatziki is best served cold.
- Freezing: You can also freeze the cooked meatballs for up to 3 months. Let them thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
Common Questions
Yes. You can shape the meatballs a day ahead and keep them covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to cook them.
Yes. Arrange the meatballs on a lined baking sheet and bake at 400°F until cooked through. Cooking time will depend on their size, so check the internal temperature.
Yes, although fresh herbs give these meatballs the best flavor. If substituting dried herbs, use less since dried herbs are more concentrated.
Overmixing the beef is one of the most common reasons meatballs turn out tough. Mix the ingredients gently and only until combined.
Yes. You can leave out the feta, although the meatballs will have a slightly different flavor and texture.
I like using 90/10 lean ground beef because it has enough fat to keep the meatballs juicy without being overly greasy.
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Thank you so much for being here and for cooking along with me. If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Leave a comment and ⭐️ rating below.
Greek Ground Beef Meatballs
Ingredients
Greek Beef Meatballs:
- 2 pounds lean ground beef, 90/10
- 2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- 2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 1 small shallot, finely grated
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, for cooking
Quick Tzatziki:
- 1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
- ½ cup grated cucumber, squeezed dry
- 1 garlic clove, finely grated
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint, optional
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Optional for the bowls:
- 3 cups cooked bulgur wheat, jasmine or brown rice
- 2 cups chopped tomatoes
- 1 English cucumber, diced
- ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup cubed feta cheese
- Kalamata olives
- Lemon wedges
- Fresh parsley or dill for garnish
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the 2 pounds lean ground beef, 2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs, 1 large egg, 2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese, 1 small shallot, 4 garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, 2 tablespoons fresh mint, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 teaspoon fine salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Mix gently until combined.
- Using slightly damp hands, roll the mixture into 35-36 meatballs.
- Heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs in a single layer and cook for 8-10 minutes, turning every couple of minutes, until they're evenly browned on all sides.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the skillet, and continue cooking for another 5 to 6 minutes, or until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 160°F.
- While the meatballs cook, stir together the 1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt, ½ cup grated cucumber, 1 garlic clove, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint, 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- For the bowls, divide 3 cups cooked bulgur wheat or rice among four serving bowls. Arrange the tomatoes (2 cups chopped tomatoes), 1 English cucumber, ½ small red onion, and 1 cup cubed feta cheese around the edges.
- Add the warm meatballs, drizzle generously with tzatziki, and garnish with Fresh parsley or dill for garnishKalamata olives, and a squeeze of lemon or Lemon wedges.
Notes
- Mix the meat mixture gently and avoid overmixing.
- Use slightly damp hands when shaping the meatballs.
- Keep the meatballs similar in size so they cook evenly.
- Squeeze the grated cucumber well before adding it to the tzatziki.
- Cook the meatballs until they reach an internal temperature of 160°F.
- Serve with rice, bulgur, pita, salad, or your favorite Mediterranean toppings.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- The cooked meatballs can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
