
KEFTEDES: GREEK MEATBALLS
Yield:
25 medium (golf ball sized) meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium onion, very finely chopped
- 3/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup shredded parmesan
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- about 1/2 cup all purpose flour for dredging
- olive oil for frying
Instructions
- Keftedes are a classic Greek appetizer. They are surprisingly light and super delicious. Serve them with tzatziki sauce, which is a Greek yogurt and cucumber dip, or with ketchup. My kids love them with ketchup. Wait a minute! They love everything with ketchup....
- Chop the garlic in the food processor until minced. Add the onion and pulse until very finely chopped.
- Put the garlic and onion in a bowl lined with paper towel to catch the juices and to dry the onion before adding to the meat.
- Chop the bell pepper in the food processor until very finely chopped.
- Whisk the milk and egg together.
- Combine the ground beef, onion, garlic, bread crumbs, parmesan and all of the ingredients except the flour and oil obviously 🙂
- Mix well with your clean hands.
- Cover the mixture with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour up to overnight if you can. This allows all of the flavors to really come together. I have made these in a hurry without refrigerating the mixture and it comes out very good.
- Form the meatballs into round golf ball sized pieces. Roll them in flour. shake off the excess flour and shape them nice and round.
- Heat oil in a frying pan. I like to use a cast iron pan since it retains heat very well.
- Fry the meatballs in batches of about 8 meatballs each time. They take 6-10 minutes to cook depending on their size. As soon as they turn a dark golden brown, remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon and allow them to drain on a plate covered with paper towels.
- Serve them hot or cold. Enjoy!
Hi Dimitra,
Love your recipes and videos.
I was just wondering… my yiayia used to put mint in her meatballs. Do you ever do that?
Also what part do Greece are you from?
Thanks
Vanessa