Greek Meatball Bowl (Printable)
Juicy Greek meatballs over rice with crisp vegetables, feta, olives, and tangy tzatziki sauce.
# What You Need:
→ For the Meatballs
01 - 1.1 lb 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
→ For the Bowl
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
→ For the Tzatziki
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 - In a large bowl, combine ground meat, grated onion, garlic, egg, breadcrumbs, parsley, mint, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper until just incorporated. Roll into small meatballs approximately 1 inch in diameter.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook meatballs in batches, turning occasionally, until evenly browned and cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain excess fat.
03 - Combine Greek yogurt, grated and squeezed cucumber, minced garlic, dill, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
04 - Divide cooked rice or quinoa among four bowls. Arrange meatballs, diced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, olives, and crumbled feta on top. Drizzle with tzatziki, garnish with fresh dill, and serve with lemon wedges.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The tzatziki does double duty as sauce and salad dressing so you get bold flavor without extra work
- Everything can be prepped ahead which means weeknight dinners feel effortless instead of stressful
02 -
- Squeezing the grated cucumber for tzatziki is not optional, I learned this the hard way when my first batch turned into a watery mess that slid right off the meatballs
- Frying in batches instead of crowding the pan is what gives you that golden crust instead of steamed gray balls
03 -
- Let the meatball mixture rest in the fridge for 20 minutes before shaping, the breadcrumbs hydrate and the meat holds together far better
- Use a microplane to grate the onion and cucumber for the smoothest possible texture in both the meatballs and the tzatziki