Meze Meatballs with Fresh Salad, Hummus, and Pita Interludes Recipe
These Meze Meatballs are a flavorful Greek-inspired dish made with tender beef or lamb mince mixed with herbs, garlic, and onion, coated in flour, and pan-fried until golden and cooked through. Served with fresh cucumber, cherry tomato, and red onion salad alongside creamy hummus, refreshing tzatziki, and toasted pittas, they make a perfect communal meal for sharing or a delicious, easy-to-assemble feast.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: 24 meatballs (serves 4) 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Greek
- Diet: Halal
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 100g breadcrumbs
- 50ml milk
- 400g beef or lamb mince
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1 onion, coarsely grated
- 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Salad and Serving
- ½ cucumber, chopped into chunks
- 12 cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1 red onion, finely sliced
- hummus, to serve
- tzatziki, to serve
- 4 pittas, toasted
Instructions
- Soak Breadcrumbs: Place the breadcrumbs in a bowl and pour in the milk. Leave for about 5 minutes until the milk is fully absorbed into the breadcrumbs.
- Prepare Meatball Mixture: Add the beef or lamb mince, egg, dried oregano, finely chopped parsley, coarsely grated onion, and finely grated garlic to the soaked breadcrumbs. Season well with salt and pepper. Mix everything thoroughly using your hands until well combined.
- Shape Meatballs: Form the mixture into meatballs roughly a bit larger than cherry tomatoes, aiming to make about 24 meatballs. Cover them and chill for at least 30 minutes. They can be refrigerated covered for up to 24 hours if preparing in advance.
- Coat Meatballs: When ready to cook, spread the plain flour into a shallow bowl. Roll each meatball in the flour to evenly coat the exterior.
- Fry Meatballs: Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Fry the meatballs for 10 to 12 minutes, turning regularly for even browning and to ensure they are cooked through.
- Prepare Salad and Serve: On a serving platter, arrange the cooked meatballs with a salad made of chopped cucumber, quartered cherry tomatoes, and finely sliced red onion. Place bowls of hummus and tzatziki nearby. Toast the pittas and allow everyone to assemble their own meatball kebabs by stuffing the meatballs, salad, and dips inside the bread.
Notes
- For best flavor, use fresh herbs if available rather than dried.
- Chilling the meatballs helps them hold their shape during cooking.
- You can substitute the beef or lamb with a mix of both or with ground chicken or turkey if preferred.
- Adjust seasoning to taste before shaping the meatballs.
- Leftover meatballs keep well refrigerated for 2 days and can be reheated gently in a pan or microwave.
Keywords: Meze meatballs, Greek meatballs, lamb meatballs, beef meatballs, pan-fried meatballs, Mediterranean recipe, hummus, tzatziki, pita bread, easy dinner
