Keftedes – Greek Meatballs

Keftedes – Greek Meatballs – are crispy on the outside and super juicy within! Made with lean turkey mince, red onion, feta, wholemeal breadcrumbs, mint and oregano. Serve as appetiser or mezze spread with tzatziki and Greek salad or turn into a meal.

You will also love my Swedish Meatballs!

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What Are Keftedes?

Keftedes (κεφτέδες) are not something exotic… they are Greek Meatballs and a staple of my childhood. My mum used to make these fried meatballs at least once a week and serve them plain or add them to tomato sauce. One bite and I am ten again!

The beauty of meatballs is that they can be eaten hot or cold, as a main meal or mezze. They are also very popular with children, because, hello!, bite-sized food yumminess.

Greek Meatballs are usually the size of a ping pong ball but you can also roll them smaller if you want to serve as part of a mezze platter. In that version they are called keftedakia = mini meatballs 🙂

What Are Keftedes Made Of?

You can make keftedes with any type of ground meat (mince). Traditionally in Greece they are made with beef, pork or lamb mince. I have used turkey mince as it is lean and generally inexpensive and tastes great with all the Greek seasonings in this meatball recipe.

Greek Meatballs Ingredients

• Lean ground turkey – you can substitute with lean beef, pork or lamb mince if preferred.
• Wholemeal breadcrumbs – choose high fibre bread (gluten free if preferred) and blitz to breadcrumbs in a food processor. You can also use Panko breadcrumbs.
• Minced red onion – you can either grate this or use a food processor
• Egg to bind everything together
• A little finely crumbled feta cheese
• Fresh chopped parsley and mint
• Dried oregano
• Garlic powder and salt

Getting the mixture right: fresh breadcrumbs give you the most forgiving mix – if yours feels too wet, soak a handful briefly in a splash of milk and squeeze them out before mixing in (a classic panade). Chill the shaped meatballs for 20–30 minutes before cooking so they hold their shape.

How to Make Greek Meatballs

↓ For the full ingredients and detailed method, jump to the recipe card.

STEP 1. Put your turkey mince into a large bowl and add the remaining ingredients (breadcrumbs, onion, egg, crumbled feta cheese, herbs, garlic powder and salt).

STEP 2. Use a wooden spoon to roughly combine everything together then use your hands to mix well for a few minutes. If you have time cover the bowl and pop in the fridge for 30 minutes. It will make it easier to roll the meatballs.

STEP 3. Roll the meatballs with slightly damp hands – they should be about the size of a ping pong ball (1.57” | 4cm). This recipe makes 35 meatballs.

STEP 4. Heat the oil in a large skillet or frying pan and fry in batches over medium heat. The meatballs will need 5-7 minutes until they are nicely browned on all sides and cooked all the way through. Do not crowd the pan as the temperature will drop and they will take longer to cook. Place the cooked meatballs on a plate lined with paper towel as you cook the batches.

Oven Baked Meatballs

These turkey meatballs are already pretty healthy but they can be made even healthier by baking them in the oven. I usually use this option if I am pressed for time.

Spread the meatballs on a baking tray covered with greaseproof paper and spray with a little cooking oil. Bake in a 180C (350F) preheated oven for about 20 minutes, flipping over half way through.

These meatballs make an excellent high protein snack for when you are feeling like reaching for the crisp packet – I usually have a few stashed in the fridge for such emergencies!

What to Serve with Keftedes

These meatballs are incredibly easy going! You can serve them with rice, with potatoes, or add them to tomato sauce and serve with pasta. You can  dip them into Tzatziki, eat them as a healthy midnight snack or add them to kid lunchboxes.

Freezing Instructions

These healthy turkey meatballs are excellent for freezing both cooked and raw. Follow the instructions below on how to freeze them.

• To freeze meatballs raw: Place on a tray lined with greaseproof paper, spaced slightly apart. Put the tray in the freezer for a few hours until the meatballs are solid. Pop the frozen meatballs in an airtight container or freezer bags and use within a month. Thaw overnight in the fridge (in a single layer) then cook.
• Freezing cooked meatballs: Cool the cooked meatballs then pop them in freezer bags labeled with the date. Use within three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and then heat until completely hot all the way through, or add them to pasta sauce.

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