Greek Beef Meatballs with Tzatziki
A simple weeknight dinner featuring spiced beef meatballs and tangy homemade tzatziki — big Mediterranean flavor with easy prep and minimal cleanup required.
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Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef 80/20
- 1/3 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup red onion finely grated
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil for cooking
For the Tzatziki
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 English cucumber grated and squeezed dry
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp fresh dill or 1 tsp dried
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Make the tzatziki first — Grate the cucumber and squeeze out as much moisture as possible using a clean kitchen towel. Mix it with the Greek yogurt, garlic, dill, olive oil, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, then refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Mix the meatballs — In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, egg, garlic, red onion, parsley, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. Mix until just combined — don't overwork the meat.
- Form the meatballs — Roll the mixture into balls about 1.5 inches in diameter. You should get roughly 20 meatballs.
- Cook the meatballs — Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs in a single layer and cook for 10–12 minutes, turning every few minutes until browned on all sides and cooked through (internal temp of 165°F).
- Serve — Plate the meatballs alongside a generous scoop of tzatziki, warm pita, and your favorite toppings.
Servings: 4