Yes, you can make Greek meatballs using ground turkey. My husband and I love my all-beef Greek Meatballs. We often serve them to guests with rave reviews. I wondered if they would taste just as good with extra-lean ground turkey. The answer is yes! The meatballs are a little stickier to work with as you are making them, but you would never know it after they are cooked. This recipe is for a single batch but I always make a double batch so we can have leftovers for salads and omelettes during the week.
Greek Turkey Meatballs (Keftedes)
1 lb of extra-lean ground turkey
1 slice of gluten-free bread, sprouted Ezekiel bread, or your bread of choice, torn, and preferably toasted in the oven.
1/3 cup milk—any milk will work: cow, goat, oat, or nut
1 teaspoon of dried dill
1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
1 egg
salt
pepper
1/4 cup arrowroot flour for dusting, optional (I often skip this step to reduce carbs, but when I want them to taste extra special for guests I dredge them in flour. Most flours work well and the meatballs can easily be made gluten-free).
olive oil for pan
1) Place torn bread in a bowl, add spices, and milk.
2) In a bowl with the ground turkey add the bread crumb mixture along with, the egg, salt, and pepper. Mix well by hand.
3) Divide into 10 equal portions. The beef meatballs are easier to make smaller while the turkey is easier to make a little larger.
4) Form each potion into a flattened meatball. Optional: dredge in flour (I used arrowroot but gluten-free flour or cassava flour works just fine). Repeat with all 10 pieces. Line up all the meatballs on a parchment covered sheet pan.
5) Heat oil over medium heat, and place the meatballs in the frying pan cooking for 5 minutes or until brown. Flip the meatballs over cover with a lid and cook five more minutes. (Make sure the pan still has some oil, if it does not add a couple of tablespoons of water). Keep in a warm oven if you need to make in batches.
6) Serve with a Greek salad and tzatziki.
Greek Turkey Meatballs (Keftedes)
Ingredients
- 1 lb of extra-lean ground turkey
- 1 slice of gluten-free bread, sprouted Ezekiel bread, or your bread of choice, torn, and preferably toasted in the oven.
- 1/3 cup milk—any milk will work: cow, goat, oat, or nut
- 1 teaspoon of dried dill
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
- 1 egg
- salt
- pepper
- 1/4 cup arrowroot flour for dusting, optional (I often skip this step to reduce carbs, but when I want them to taste extra special for guests I dredge them in flour. Most flours work well and the meatballs can easily be made gluten-free).
- olive oil for pan
Directions
- Step 1 1) Place torn bread in a bowl, add spices, and milk.
- Step 2 2) In a bowl with the ground turkey add the bread crumb mixture along with, the egg, salt, and pepper. Mix well by hand.
- Step 3 3) Divide into 10 equal portions. The beef meatballs are easier to make smaller while the turkey is easier to make a little larger.
- Step 4 4) Form each potion into a flattened meatball. Optional: dredge in flour (I used arrowroot but gluten-free flour or cassava flour works just fine). Repeat with all 10 pieces. Line up all the meatballs on a parchment covered sheet pan.
- Step 5 5) Heat oil over medium heat, and place the meatballs in the frying pan cooking for 5 minutes or until brown. Flip the meatballs over cover with a lid and cook five more minutes. (Make sure the pan still has some oil, if it does not add a couple of tablespoons of water). Keep in a warm oven if you need to make in batches.
- Step 6 6) Serve with a Greek salad and tzatziki.
