Traditional Greek Meatballs with Lemon and Herbs
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
A delicious one-pan recipe for traditional oven-baked Greek meatballs
Author:
Recipe type: Main Course
Cuisine: Greek
Serves: makes 14 meatballs
Ingredients
  • 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
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350° F using the “convection” (i.e., circulating fan) setting, if available. If not, preheat the oven to 375° F.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Remove from the oven and serve with some good crusty bread and a Greek salad.
Notes
If you add potatoes to the pan, cut them in small chunks (about 1") so they roast at about the same time as the meatballs. After 20-30 minutes, give them a stir and check to see if you need to add a little more hot water.
Recipe by Marilena's Kitchen at https://marilenaskitchen.com/traditional-greek-meatballs/