Greek Meatball Bowl (Printer-friendly)
Juicy Greek-style meatballs with crisp veggies, feta, and cool tzatziki over rice.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Meatballs
01 - 1.1 lb ground beef or lamb
02 - 1 small onion, finely grated
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 1 large egg
05 - 1 oz breadcrumbs
06 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
07 - 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
08 - 1 tsp dried oregano
09 - ½ tsp ground cumin
10 - Salt and pepper to taste
11 - 2 tbsp olive oil for frying
→ Bowl Components
12 - 7 oz cooked brown or white rice or quinoa
13 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
14 - 7 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
15 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
16 - 3.5 oz Kalamata olives, pitted
17 - 3.5 oz feta cheese, crumbled
18 - 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
19 - Lemon wedges for serving
→ Tzatziki Sauce
20 - 7 oz Greek yogurt
21 - ½ cucumber, grated and squeezed dry
22 - 1 garlic clove, minced
23 - 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
24 - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
25 - Salt and pepper to taste
# How-To Guide:
01 - In a large bowl, combine ground meat, grated onion, minced garlic, egg, breadcrumbs, parsley, mint, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. Mix until just combined—avoid overworking the meat to keep meatballs tender.
02 - Portion the mixture into small rounds about 1 inch in diameter, rolling gently between your palms to form even shapes.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry meatballs in batches without crowding, turning occasionally, until browned all over and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes per batch. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
04 - In a separate bowl, combine Greek yogurt, grated and squeezed cucumber, minced garlic, chopped dill, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Stir until smooth and refrigerate until ready to use.
05 - Divide cooked rice among four bowls. Arrange meatballs, diced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, sliced red onion, olives, and crumbled feta on top of each portion. Drizzle generously with tzatziki, sprinkle with fresh dill, and serve with lemon wedges alongside.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It turns simple ground meat into something that tastes like it came from a seaside taverna
- The tzatziki alone is worth making and you will want to put it on everything afterward
02 -
- Crowding the pan drops the oil temperature and steams the meatballs instead of searing them, so patience with batches pays off
- Squeezing the grated cucumber for tzatziki seems tedious but it is the difference between sauce and soup
03 -
- Let the meatball mixture rest in the fridge for 20 minutes before shaping, the breadcrumbs absorb moisture and hold everything together better
- Pan-frying gives the best crust but you can bake them at 200 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes if you want to skip the stovetop