Description
Flavor-packed Greek Keftedes, juicy meatballs in a creamy lemon sauce, perfect for any dinner occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb Ground Pork
- 1 lb Lean Ground Beef
- 1 large Egg
- 2 slices Crustless Bread
- 1 medium Onion
- 2 cloves Garlic
- 1 tsp Ground Cumin
- 1 tsp Dried Oregano
- 1 tsp Dried Parsley
- 1 tsp Fine Sea Salt
- 1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 2 tbsp All-Purpose Flour
- 1 cup Hot Water or Stock
- 1/4 cup Lemon Juice
- Olive oil for cooking
Instructions
- Soak crustless bread in white wine for about 5 minutes until softened. Tear into small pieces.
- In a mixing bowl, combine ground pork, lean ground beef, egg, chopped onion, minced garlic, cumin, oregano, parsley, salt, and pepper. Add the soaked bread pieces.
- Mix thoroughly until well combined. Shape the mixture into approximately 15 Greek Keftedes meatballs.
- Refrigerate the meatballs for 1 hour to firm up.
- Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Carefully add the Greek Keftedes meatballs in batches, searing each side for 3-4 minutes until they develop a golden-brown crust.
- Transfer the seared meatballs to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
- In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium heat until foamy.
- Whisk in all-purpose flour and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly until the mixture turns sandy.
- Gradually whisk in hot water or stock and lemon juice until smooth.
- Allow the sauce to simmer and thicken for roughly 5 minutes, adjusting seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Carefully place the seared Greek Keftedes into the sauce.
- Cover the pan with a lid and let the meatballs simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes, occasionally turning them to ensure even coating and cooking.
- Plate the Greek Keftedes with a generous helping of the creamy lemon sauce.
- Garnish with freshly ground pepper and a sprinkle of oregano. Serve warm.
Notes
- Chill your meat mixture and sear carefully for the best results.
- These Greek Keftedes freeze well for later meals.
- For a lighter dish, try using chicken or turkey instead of pork.
- Ground lamb can provide a unique twist to your Greek Keftedes.
- Shallots are a milder choice for onion.
- Using garlic powder offers a quick alternative to fresh garlic.
- Coriander is a wonderful alternative to cumin for a fresh flavor.
- Fresh oregano will elevate the taste of your Greek Keftedes even further.
- Fresh parsley offers an even brighter flavor.
- Try low-sodium salt options.
- Freshly ground pepper delivers the best flavor.
- Replace butter with olive oil for a lighter sauce option.
- Use gluten-free flour if necessary.
- Vegetable or chicken stock can enhance the dish even more.
- Fresh lemon zest can intensify the citrusy flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Pan-Seared and Simmered
- Cuisine: Greek
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 meatballs
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg