Easy Greek Meatballs Recipe

Name: Greek Meatballs Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef; 1 egg; ¼ cup milk; 1 tsp lemon juice; 2 tsp minced garlic; ¼ cup finely diced onion; ½ cup breadcrumbs (or quick cooking oatmeal); 2 tsp oregano; 1 tsp ground coriander; 1 tsp cumin; 1 tsp sea salt; ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper; Olive oil (for frying); Optional: ¼ cup finely diced fresh parsley or dill

Jump to Recipe

These Greek Meatballs are a quick & easy, flavorful main dish or appetizer ready in 20 minutes! Serve them with tzatziki, wrapped in a pita, or over a Greek salad!

overhead view of Greek Meatballs in a bowl with tzatziki, pita, red onion, fresh dill and feta cheese

This Greek meatballs recipe has become a staple in our house. We make it at least twice a month with our homemade tzatziki, Mediterranean chickpea salad, and naan bread and it's a meal that every person in our family loves.

These Greek meatballs are so easy that my 10 year old daughter makes them by herself from start to finish (including the tzatziki)!

They are a quick, flavorful main dish or appetizer that's ready in 20 minutes! Serve them wrapped in a pita, or over a Greek salad for a delicious meal.

overhead view of Greek Meatballs in a bowl with tzatziki, pita, red onion, fresh dill, avocado and feta cheese

Greek Meatballs: Ingredients & Substitutions

overhead photo of the ingredients in this Greek Meatballs recipe

Ground beef. I have used 85% up to 93% lean ground beef to make this recipe. I have also subbed ground turkey with great results.
Whole milk. 2% milk, half and half or cream can be used in place of whole milk.
Lemon juice. I have replaced lemon juice with Worcestershire sauce and it tastes amazing!
Minced Garlic. 1 tsp garlic powder can be substituted for 1 TBS minced garlic.
Onion. ½ tsp onion powder can be substituted for the diced onion.
Breadcrumbs. For a different binding agent use quick-cooking oats or oat flour.
Spices/herbs. feel free to adjust to your tastes, however I believe the recipe is best as written.
Fresh herbs. Adding fresh parsley or fresh dill to the meatballs is delicious but optional.

font view of Greek Meatballs in a bowl with tzatziki, pita, red onion fresh dill, avocado and feta cheese

How to make Greek Meatballs

Like I've said already, this recipe is very easy to make. We'll walk through the process step-by-step, and don't forget to watch the video.

Make the meatball mixture:

Begin by making the meatball mixture. Combine ground beef, egg, milk and lemon juice in a large bowl.

Then, add the breadcrumbs, oregano, coriander, cumin, sea salt, pepper, garlic and onion and stir until evenly distributed.

Use a 1 tablespoon measuring spoon to portion out heaping tablespoon portions of the meatball mixture. Roll them into balls and place them on a prepared baking sheet (if baking).

two overhead photos showing How to Make Greek Meatballs - making and portioning out the meatball mixture

Cook

There are two ways to cook these Greek meatballs - on the stove or in the oven. I usually opt for the oven because it's easier (in my opinion).

Stovetop

To cook on the stovetop, add 1-2 TBS olive oil to a nonstick fry pan or cast-iron skillet and turn heat to medium.

Then, put half of the meatballs in the pan and cover it to cook over medium heat on one side for 4-5 minutes or until they are golden-brown.

Remove the lid and flip the meatballs. Cook for another 4-5 minutes until meatballs are golden brown and the internal temperature is 160 degrees F.

Repeat with remaining meatballs.

two overhead photos showing How to Make Greek Meatballs in a pan on the stovetop

In the oven

To cook the greek meatballs in the oven, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Then spread 1 TBS olive oil on a large baking sheet or spray the baking sheet with olive oil spray.

Arrange the meatballs in an even layer, evenly spaced out on the prepared baking sheet. Then bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes. Meatballs should reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.

two overhead photos showing How to Make Greek Meatballs - baking on a baking sheet in the oven

Serve

Once the meatballs are cooked, serve them warm dipped in tzatziki sauce, stuffed in a pita (or with a side of homemade naan), over a Greek salad, with a side of roasted veggies, or Mediterranean chickpea salad, etc.

11 Greek Meatballs on a plate with lemon and fresh dill

Store

Store any leftover Greek meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Freeze

To freeze

Place baked meatballs in an even layer on a baking sheet.
Flash-freeze in the freezer until hardened.
Transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to two months.
Thaw slowly in the refrigerator or at room temperature then use in your favorite recipe. You can also thaw them quicker by warming them in your favorite sauce.

Greek Meatballs FAQs

What are Greek meatballs made of?

Check out the ingredients list in the recipe card to find out.

Can I double this recipe?

Yes! If you are feeding a crowd you can easily double this recipe and make 60 meatballs. Or if you want to make a double batch and freeze some for later. This recipe, using 1 lb. of ground beef, makes 30 meatballs 1 TBS in size.

overhead view of Greek Meatballs in a bowl with tzatziki, pita, red onion fresh dill, avocado and feta cheese, one is cut in half so the inside is visible

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Photos in this post were taken by Jamie from Dishing Out Health.

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Greek Meatballs

Greek Meatballs: Ingredients & Substitutions