Keftedes (Greek Meatballs)

This is one of my favorite tried and true recipes. I’ve been making this recipe for over 10 years and I’ve made it dozens and dozens of times. I make them just for my husband and me. I make them for guests and they love them. Young children love them too and ask their parents if they can have more. Of course, I’m thrilled when this happens. These meatballs have a unique spice combination of dill and cumin and more importantly, they are homemade. Have you read some of the ingredients in store-bought frozen meatballs lately? If I don’t know what the ingredient is then I’m not buying. I know. I know. Those frozen meatballs are convenient. These are worth the extra work and you’ll know exactly what’s in your meatball. Some weekends I make double or triple batches so we can have leftovers throughout the week. You can crush them up and add them to a Greek omelette or a Greek salad, or pop one in your mouth cold as a quick snack. I grew up in the suburbs of Detroit and visited Detroit’s Greek Town on a regular basis throughout my twenties.  These meatballs bring back the flavor of my youth.

Keftedes (Greek Meatballs)
1 lb of lean ground beef
1/3 cup whole wheat panko bread crumbs—or, two slices of sprouted Ezekiel bread or gluten-free bread with the crusts removed, 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 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 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 beef add the bread crumb mixture, egg, salt, and pepper.

3) Mix well by hand and form into one large ball.

4) Divide the large meatball in half, those halves in halve and continue until you have 16 meatballs.

5) Roll each meatball between the palms of your hands then flatten. Optional: dredge in flour (gluten-free flour or cassava flour works just fine). Repeat with all 16 pieces.

6) Line up all the meatballs on a parchment covered sheet pan.

7) 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).  

8) Serve with a mixed green salad and tzatziki.

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Keftedes (Greek Meatballs)

March 18, 2014

Servings: 6

Cook:

Total: 15 min

Difficulty: Easy

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By: Michele Tedrick, NBC-HWC, A-CFHC, Holistic Chef

Ingredients

• 1 lb of lean ground beef
• 1/3 cup whole wheat panko bread crumbs—or, two slices of sprouted Ezekiel bread or gluten-free bread with the crusts removed, 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 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 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 beef add the bread crumb mixture, egg, salt, and pepper.
• Step 3 3) Mix well by hand and form into one large ball.
• Step 4 4) Divide the large meatball in half, those halves in halve and continue until you have 16 meatballs.
• Step 5 5) Roll each meatball between the palms of your hands then flatten. Optional: dredge in flour (gluten-free flour or cassava flour works just fine).  Repeat with all 16 pieces.
• Step 6 6) Line up all the meatballs on a parchment covered sheet pan.