Greek Meatball Bowl (Printable)
Juicy Greek meatballs over rice with veggies, feta, and tzatziki.
# What You Need:
→ Meatballs
01 - 1 lb 2 oz ground beef or lamb
02 - 1 small onion, finely grated
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 1 large egg
05 - 1 oz breadcrumbs
06 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
07 - 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
08 - 1 tsp dried oregano
09 - ½ tsp ground cumin
10 - Salt and pepper to taste
11 - 2 tbsp olive oil for frying
→ Bowl Components
12 - 7 oz cooked brown or white rice, or quinoa
13 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
14 - 7 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
15 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
16 - 3.5 oz Kalamata olives, pitted
17 - 3.5 oz feta cheese, crumbled
18 - 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
19 - Lemon wedges for serving
→ Tzatziki Sauce
20 - 7 oz Greek yogurt
21 - ½ cucumber, grated and squeezed dry
22 - 1 garlic clove, minced
23 - 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
24 - 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
25 - Salt and pepper to taste
# How to Make It:
01 - Combine ground meat, grated onion, garlic, egg, breadcrumbs, parsley, mint, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper in a large bowl, mixing until just incorporated. Roll into 1-inch meatballs.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook meatballs in batches, turning as needed, until deeply browned and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes per batch. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
03 - Stir together Greek yogurt, squeezed grated cucumber, minced garlic, dill, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
04 - Portion cooked rice or quinoa among four bowls. Arrange meatballs, diced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, sliced red onion, olives, and crumbled feta over each portion. Drizzle with tzatziki, scatter fresh dill on top, and serve with lemon wedges alongside.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The tzatziki does double duty as a sauce and a cooling contrast to the warm spiced meat
- You can prep everything in under 25 minutes and still feel like you made something genuinely impressive
02 -
- Squeezing every drop of liquid from the grated cucumber for tzatziki is the difference between a creamy sauce and a watery mess
- Frying in batches rather than crowding the pan is what gives you that caramelized crust instead of steamed pale meatballs
03 -
- Let the meatball mixture rest for 10 minutes before shaping so the breadcrumbs can absorb moisture and hold everything together better
- Using a small cookie scoop ensures uniform size which means even cooking and no underdone centers