Baked Greek meatballs are juicy and tender, flavorful and delicious, and quick and easy to make. They are packed with fresh dill, garlic, lemon, and feta for the best Mediterranean flavors. Plus, they make the perfect weeknight dinner taking just 30 minutes to make, including prep! Serve with a drizzle of tzatziki sauce and side of pita bread, or over rice and potatoes. The best part? You can make a big batch and freeze any leftovers for an easy freezer meal on a busy day.
Why You’ll Love Greek Meatballs
- They are quick and easy. Meatballs are generally a go to weeknight meal over here because they are so easy to make. They typically take less than half an hour, and most times can be prepped ahead. Some of my other favorite meatballs for busy weeknights include: Swedish Meatballs, Italian Meatballs, and Sticky Honey Garlic Meatballs.
- They are packed with flavor. A twist on classic meatballs, these Greek-style meatballs (known as Keftedes) have added dill, garlic, lemon zest, cumin, and oregano, which incorporates amazing flavor into these meatballs. Plus, the feta adds a delicious and rich salty tang. These are a total crowd pleaser.
- They are oven-baked. Oven-baked meatballs are easier to cook and clean up after than pan-fried meatballs. You literally just roll them up and place then into the oven on a sheet pan. No flipping or turning required.
Ingredients and Substitutions
To make these delicious baked Greek meatballs, you will need the following ingredients:
- ground beef - I recommend lean ground beef for these meatballs.
- breadcrumbs
- fresh dill
- garlic
- lemon - you will need some lemon zest and freshly squeezed lemon juice.
- ground cumin
- dried oregano - you can also use fresh oregano. Use double the amount if substituting with fresh.
- ground black pepper
- feta cheese
- egg
- tzatziki sauce - for drizzling on top when serving. Either homemade tzatziki sauce or store-bought works well. It's really easy to make your own tzatziki, and the flavor is unmatched with store-bought.
You will also need a mixing bowl and large half sheet baking pan.
How to Make the Best Greek Meatballs
- Prepare the beef. In a large mixing bowl, combine beef with breadcrumbs, dill, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, cumin, oregano, pepper, feta cheese, and egg. Mix well to form into a uniform consistency. Set aside for 15 minutes or refrigerate overnight.
- Shape the meatballs. Take 2 spoonfuls of the beef mixture at a time and roll into meatballs. Transfer meatballs onto a parchment-lined half sheet baking pan and lightly coat with some cooking oil spray to keep them from sticking, if needed.
- Bake. Bake in a 400 F preheated oven for 15 minutes until fully cooked. The internal temperature should reach 160F as read on a meat thermometer.
How to Cook Greek Meatballs in the Air Fryer
Preheat the air fryer to 375 F, about 3 minutes. Place meatballs in a single layer in the air fryer basket and lightly spray with cooking oil to coat evenly. Air fry the meatballs for 12-14 minutes until browned and the center of the meatball reaches 160 F as read on a meat thermometer. Shake the basket halfway during cooking to brown evenly.
How to Serve Greek Meatballs
Serve these delicious meatballs with a drizzle of Tzitaziki Sauce and a side of Pita Bread. You could even make a Greek Gyro Wrap using meatballs. Some other ways that you can serve Greek meatballs are over rice and Greek Lemon Potatoes, or with a Greek Salad and roasted vegetables.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
- How to store: Store any leftover Greek meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Allow the meatballs to cool to room temperate before storing.
- How to freeze: Meatballs freeze well both before and after baking.
- To freeze uncooked meatballs: Place the shaped meatballs on a large half sheet baking pan lined with parchment paper. Transfer the pan to the freezer and freeze until hard, about 1 hour. Then, transfer the meatballs into a freezer bag or freezer-safe airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To cook, allow the meatballs to thaw overnight in the refrigerator first, then cook as per recipe instructions on the stove.
- To freeze cooked meatballs: Once cooled, store the meatballs in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.
- How to Reheat: You can reheat Greek meatballs in the microwave, oven, air fryer or on the stovetop. For the best results, reheat at 350 F in the oven for 10 minutes, or in the air fryer for 5-10 minutes.
More Meatball Recipes
- Swedish Meatballs
- Sticky Honey Garlic Meatballs
- Italian Meatballs
- Lion's Head Chinese Meatballs
- Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Baked Turkey Meatballs
- Vegetarian Meatballs
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Recipe
Greek Meatballs
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 20-25 meatballs
Description
Baked Greek meatballs are juicy, tender, flavorful, and delicious. They are quick and easy to make in 30 minutes, and freezer-friendly.
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup fresh dill, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)
- ¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 1 egg
- tzatziki sauce (for serving)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine beef with breadcrumbs, dill, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, cumin, oregano, pepper, feta cheese, and egg. Mix well to form into a uniform consistency. Set aside for 15 minutes or refrigerate overnight.
- Take 2 spoonfuls of the beef mixture at a time and roll into meatballs. Transfer meatballs onto a parchment-lined half sheet baking pan and lightly coat with some cooking oil spray to keep them from sticking, if needed.
- Bake for 15 minutes until fully cooked. The internal temperature should reach 160F as read on a meat thermometer.
- Serve with a drizzle of tzitaziki sauce, extra dill sprinkled on top, and a side of pita bread.
Notes
Air fryer instructions: Preheat the air fryer to 375 F, about 3 minutes. Place the meatballs in a single layer in the air fryer basket and lightly spray with cooking oil to coat evenly. Air fry the meatballs for 12-14 minutes until browned and the center of the meatball reaches 160 F as read on a meat thermometer. Shake the basket halfway during cooking to brown evenly.
How to store: Store any leftover Greek meatballs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Allow the meatballs to cool to room temperate before storing.
How to freeze: Meatballs freeze well both before and after baking.
- To freeze uncooked meatballs: Place the shaped meatballs on a large half sheet baking pan lined with parchment paper. Transfer the pan to the freezer and freeze until hard, about 1 hour. Then, transfer the meatballs into a freezer bag or freezer-safe airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To cook, allow the meatballs to thaw overnight in the refrigerator first, then cook as per recipe instructions on the stove.
- To freeze cooked meatballs: Once cooled, store the meatballs in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months.
How to Reheat: You can reheat Greek meatballs in the microwave, oven, air fryer or on the stovetop. For the best results, reheat at 350 F in the oven for 10 minutes, or in the air fryer for 5-10 minutes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Beef
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Greek
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Amor says
Tried this and thought there was wrong as the salt was forgotten so I went ahead put about 1tbsp and when I taste-tested, it was a little salty. The original recipe without the salt is already perfect! If you're on the salty side I guess you can put just a pinch.
Denise D. says
These meatballs are delicious! I made these with my daughter for her 6th grade Greek studies project to share with her classmates and they were a hit. I will definitely be making them for my family soon. Thanks for the easy to follow instructions and printable recipe card too.
Shirley says
Wow! This was so good. I made the recipe with no changes. I served it gyro style like our local Greek restaurant but with naan because I can’t find soft pitas. I also used the link to the Tzatziki recipe. It is also tastes great. Naan with 3-4 meatballs topped with shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion and topped with tzatziki. It was delicious! This will be my go-to when I’m craving gyros!
Cassandra says
I LOVED THEM. I did not put any cumin or feta cheese (they are both ingredients I despise), so was not expecting much. They were still delicious. I did add some salt to the mix just because I know feta is extremely salty.
Shadi Hasanzadenemati says
Thank you for the recipe, it was absolutely delicious and we all loved it!
Sam Hu | Ahead of Thyme says
Thank you so much Shadi!
Hanna says
I love the dill and feta in these! They were a hit last night!
Sam Hu | Ahead of Thyme says
Yay! So happy you liked it!