Greek Lamb Meatballs

Chewy, flavorful lamb meatballs inspired by Greek flavors.

Stuff them in pita bread or serve with a fresh salad, these Greek Lamb Meatballs are flavorful, juicy (sorry! I know, we all hate that word), and dangerously delicious. After years of making meatballs, I’ve finally nailed down my preferences: tender, never dry; slightly springy, not crumbly; oven-baked, not pan-fried. The result? A meatball that’s easy to assemble, even easier to cook, and absolutely staple-worthy.

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE

These Greek meatballs are the meatballs to try if you’re looking for an easy, crowd-pleasing recipe. Flavor-wise, they aren’t overpowering. The blend of meats balances out the stronger (slightly funky) lamb flavor, while the pine nuts add a subtle nuttiness that ties everything together. Since they’re baked, there’s no need to hover over the stove pan-frying, and they’re perfect for prepping ahead: make them at the start of the week, or freeze until you’re ready to cook. If I had to pick just one meatball recipe to make for the whole family, this would be it.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED FOR GREEK LAMB MEATBALLS

• Ground Lamb– Ground lamb can often be found in vacuum sealed bricks where other cuts of lamb would be.
  • Substitute: Lamb not for you? No worries! Either use 100% ground turkey to make turkey meatballs or swap the lamb out for ground pork.
• Ground Turkey – Turkey adds a certain—let’s say—spongy texture to meatballs. I like incorporating it into many of my meatball recipes because it creates a slight chewiness that helps prevent the meatballs from becoming too crumbly or even dry. Ground chicken does not work in the same capacity so make sure you grab ground turkey or even “lean ground turkey”.
• Pine Nuts
• Onion – Yellow, Spanish, or white onion works well here.
• Garlic – Fresh only! + additional optional cloves to add to the pan while cooking.
• Panko Bread Crumbs – Plain, unseasoned panko breadcrumbs.
• Eggs
• Broth – Chicken, turkey, or vegetable. Broth is added to rehydrate the breadcrumbs to ensure the end result meatball is super moist.
• Fresh Parsley
• Dried Oregano
• Red Chili Flakes
• Salt & Pepper
• Lemon – Optional.

TOOLS NEEDED

• Oven Safe Dish – These meatballs are baked, not fried, so be sure to use an oven-safe dish (up to 450°F) that’s large enough to hold all the meatballs.

HOW TO MAKE GREEK LAMB MEATBALLS

Toast the Pine Nuts – Toast the pine nuts in a clean, dry pan on low heat, until lightly golden (approx. 5 minutes). Mixing every 10-20 seconds to ensure even browning. Don’t walk away! The pine nuts will go from not toasted, to burnt very quickly. Once done, put aside and let them cool down.

Prep the Ingredients – To begin, rehydrate the breadcrumbs by placing the panko in a small bowl with the broth. Next, heat the same pan used to toast the pine nuts over low-medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once hot, toss in the onions and garlic and cook for 4–5 minutes, until the onions turn translucent and the garlic is soft and fragrant. If the garlic starts to brown, the heat is too high—lower it. Remove from the pan and set aside to cool.

Make the Meatballs – Add lamb, turkey, rehydrated breadcrumbs, onions garlic mix, pine nuts, eggs, herbs, chili flakes, salt, and pepper to a large bowl. For best results, mix with your hands, making sure that you thoroughly combine the lamb and turkey. Form the mixture into ping pong size balls (yielding 20-22 meatballs).

Kitchen Hack! The meatballs are on the wetter side than most, which may result the ground meat to stick to your hands during assembly. To prevent this, keep a bowl of water nearby and wet your hands in between rolling balls.

Cook the Meatballs – In a glass or ceramic baking dish, drizzle in 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil and arrange the meatballs. They can touch, but avoid overcrowding the dish. For extra flavor, you can tuck in a few small garlic cloves, a squeeze of lemon juice, or lemon wedges, though this step is completely optional. Bake for 20–23 minutes, or until the meatballs are cooked through.

HOW TO SERVE

I love these Greek Lamb Meatballs because they’re so versatile. Serve them alongside a fresh Greek salad or my Pickled Cabbage Salad as the main star of the plate. Thanks to their size, they also work perfectly as an appetizer or as part of a mezze platter with Hummus, Baba Ganoush, or Crazy Feta (IYKYK). Or, keep it simple and serve them over rice with homemade Tzatziki, topped with fresh herbs, for an easy yet flavorful dinner.

FAQS

WHY DO YOU ADD TURKEY TO THESE LAMB MEATBALLS?

Confession, I add ground turkey to a lot of my meatballs, beef, lamb, whatever they may be. Why? Turkey makes them moist, it gives them a softer spongy texture. Don’t worry these meatballs still taste primarily of lamb. When mixing make sure you are combining the lamb and turkey throughly.

WHY DO YOU HYDRATE THE BREADCRUMBS?

I find that baked meatballs without sauce can sometimes lean on the drier side. By rehydrating the breadcrumbs with broth, you add moisture back in, which helps keep the meatballs tender instead of dry. The mixture might feel a bit wet at first, but they hold together beautifully once baked.

WHY DO YOU COOK THE ONIONS AND GARLIC BEFOREHAND?

These are fast meatballs, like 20-23 minutes fast. To ensure that there aren’t any crunchy onions still around, I cook the onions and garlic. This also allows the onions and garlic to establish their flavor, because 23 minutes in the oven won’t cut it.

STORING/REHEATING

These meatballs are a fantastic option to make ahead and meal plan the week with. In fact when I worked a corporate job I would bring these to work all the time. Store in the fridge for 3-4 days in an airtight container. These are also great meatballs to freeze. Lay them out in a single layer on a baking sheet and place them in the freezer for 20-30 minutes. Once the outside is firm pop them in a zip lock back and store for 2 months.