These Greek Lamb Meatballs with Tzatziki are an easy weekday dinner recipe! Serve them with some rice, maybe my favorite greek feta fries or a Chopped Greek Salad and dinner is served.
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
I've made these Greek Lamb Meatballs with Tzatziki for Greek Easter the last few years and they are always a hit! I’ve been a personal fan of Greek Easter for exactly 17 years. Never mind the fact that I am in fact 30% Greek yet never celebrated growing up!! It wasn’t until one of my best friends from college (who is full Greek) invited me to her house for Greek Easter… you guys, I’ve never looked back. It’s hands down one of the most delicious holidays out there.
The meatballs are pretty straightforward as far as meatballs go. You have almost all the ingredients at home is my guess. The lamb and the mint are a flavor combo you’ll be obsessed with so if you’re game for lamb, go for it! If not, you could easily sub any other ground meat in this recipe and it will still be delish. The secret in literally in the sauce. The feta Tzatziki is truly what dreams are made of. I want to slather this all over every recipe for the foreseeable future. It’s that good. You can also take a little inspiration from the chicken gyros and assemble these in pitas with lettuce and tomatoes if you have leftovers, or just because.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Ground Lamb- Not a fan of lamb? You can easily sub ground beef, ground pork, ground chicken, or ground turkey in this recipe and it will still be delish.
- Red Onion- If you don't have a red onion on hand you could swap it for a shallot, yellow onion, or sweet onion.
- Garlic Cloves
- Flat-Leaf Parsley- While you could sub out dried herbs for the fresh herbs, it’s not quite the same. So I’d encourage you to use the fresh herbs if you can find them!
- Mint
- Egg
- Panko Breadcrumbs- To make this recipe gluten-free, substitute the panko breadcrumbs for gluten-free panko breadcrumbs.
- Salt & Pepper
- Yogurt
- Feta
- Dill
- Cucumber
- Lemon Juice
*For a full list of ingredients and instructions please see recipe card below
How to Make Greek Lamb Meatballs with Tzatziki
Step 1: Start by preheating the oven to broil. Then in a medium bowl, combine lamb with all of the meatball ingredients.
Step 2: Form the meat into golf ball sized balls. Place the meatballs two inches apart on the baking sheet, and position the baking sheet a few inches from the heat source and broil for about five minutes, turning once halfway through.
Step 3: For the tzatziki sauce, in a small bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, dill, parsley, and cucumber.
Step 4: Serve alongside the meatballs for dipping.
How to Store This Recipe
To store this recipe, place leftover meatballs in an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. When ready to eat again, heat the meatballs in the microwave for 45 seconds to a minute.
Similar to the meatballs, the tzatziki sauce can be stored in an air-tight container and refrigerated for 3-4 days.
To freeze the meatballs, store them in a plastic baggie for up to 3 months. You can also freeze the tzatziki sauce, however, there is a chance the texture and consistency will be changed after thawed.
Tips & Tricks
- The Trick to Tender Meatballs - Eggs and breadcrumbs are the trick to tender meatballs. They act as a binder and ensure that as the lamb meatballs cook they don't loose too much moisture and end up tough and dry.
- Broil vs. Fry - Don't fry your meatballs, broiling them takes 5 minutes, keeps your stove clean, and ensures you still get a nice brown crust.
- Feta Tzatziki - The secret to this recipe in literally in the sauce. The feta Tzatziki is truly what dreams are made of and not to be missed. I want to slather this all over every recipe for the foreseeable future. It’s that good.
FAQs
What to eat with lamb meatballs?
If you're wondering what to serve with lamb meatballs a Chopped Greek Salad, rice, pita bread, and tzatziki would all pair well.
What is lamb meatballs made of?
Lamb meatballs are made with a few ingredients ground lamb, red onion, garlic, flat-leaf parsley, mint, egg, panko breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper.
Related Recipes
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Greek Lamb Meatballs with Tzatziki
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground lamb
- ¼ cup red onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh mint minced
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Tzatziki
- 1 cup Greek Yogurt
- 1 Persian cucumbers small dice
- 1 lemon juiced, plus more if needed
- 3 cloves garlic finely minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- ½ cup feta
- chopped parsley to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to broil.
- In a medium bowl, combine lamb with all of the meatball ingredients. Form the meat into golf ball sized balls. Place the meatballs two inches apart on the baking sheet, and position the baking sheet a few inches from the heat source. Broil for about 5-7 minutes, turning once halfway through. Alternatively you can bake these at 425 for 8-10 minutes.
- Combine the ingredients for the feta tzatziki. Serve alongside the meatballs for dipping.
Notes
- The lamb and the mint are a flavor combo you’ll be obsessed with so if you’re game for lamb, go for it! If not, you could easily sub ground beef, ground pork, ground chicken, or ground turkey in this recipe and it will still be delish.
Can the patties be made ahead gor food prep and stored in the fridge ready to cook
yes for sure!
Gaby, these were DELISH! I doubled the meatball recipe for leftovers and served it with buttery rice and watermelon tomato salad. And the feta tzatziki....crazy good!!! I'm glad I have plenty leftover to use on salads, dip veggies into, and drizzle over grilled chicken tomorrow. Thanks for this weeknight crowd pleaser!
Made this exactly as described above, and it was amazing. This was enough for two of us for dinner and to pack one full lunch for the next day. I think the quality of your lamb makes a huge difference. Buy local from your farmer's market if possible!
Both the meatballs and the sauce are so delicious! I made these with the intention of not sharing with my son, who DOESN'T LIKE LAMB and who had leftover shrimp stir fry to eat for his supper. I made the mistake of offering one to him to try. Unfortunately, he LOVED them. Sigh.
These meatballs are DELICIOUS.
I followed the recipe, didn't change a thing. I doubled it and made about 24 meatballs.
I baked at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Turning them over 1/2 way through the cooking.
I also made Gaby's tzatziki sauce. That too is delicious.