February 17, 2022

Mediterranean Meatballs

Anytime I am doing a really good job at meal prep, I always add these meatballs to the menu. Not only are they a perfect main dish, but they make a perfect snack when you want a little something savory.

We are a huge fan of these in our house and enjoy them hot and cold! On their own they are great with a creamy dip or hot sauce and as a main dish, my favorite side is a vegetable couscous.

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Why I love these

I make these meatballs every couple of weeks. They are packed with flavor and are so satisfying. I love anything that I can throw many ingredients into and get good nutrients. While this recipe uses ground turkey, you can easily substitute using ground chicken, ground salmon, ground lamb, anything ground basically. Sometimes, I grind my own meat or fish in the food processor and make a version of this meatball. I enjoy having these as a midday snack or as the protein element in a main dish. I’ve made protein bowls with brown rice or quinoa or had this with a greek salad, but my favorite way to serve these meatballs is with a side of vegetable couscous. It’s super satisfying and the flavor combination is delicious.

What you need

As I mentioned earlier you can use any ground meat. For this recipe, I’ve used 2 pounds of ground turkey. I’ve added some fresh ingredients like spinach, onion, garlic, chili, and feta as well as a variety of spices. To make the meatballs stick together I use panko crumbs and eggs; however, a great substitute is to use quinoa — especially if you have it leftover. When making meatballs I prefer to cook them in the air-fryer — cooking them this way helps them maintain a round shape, they cook much faster, and the best part is no oil needs to be used. Also, they get a little caramelized as well on the outside. This recipe yields about 20 meatballs.

PREP TIME

First, I begin by making sure I remove as much liquid as possible from the frozen spinach. I do this by squeezing out all excess liquid and then laying it on a few sheets of paper towel to dry. I sat that aside while I begin the meatball mixture.

I prefer to start by mixing the dry spices into the ground meat first. Anytime I make meatballs I love to use latex gloves. The meat does not stick to your hands and you can really release all inhibitions and just go right in and mix until you blend those spices in really well. Next, I add the garlic, chili, feta cheese, red onion (you can use any onion), and frozen spinach. Once that’s well mixed, I add the panko and egg. I put int the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to marinate, if not longer.

Now it’s time to make the meatballs, this is when the latex gloves really come in handy. This recipe yields about 20 meatballs. You can have more or less depending on the size you make them.

How to Serve

So far I haven’t found any way I don’t like to have these meatballs. They are great hot or cold, on their own or with your favorite side dish.

My favorite way to serve these is with a side of vegetable couscous with a sour cream-based sauce (that I make from scratch) using ingredients I have on hand. Here you can see a few different ways you can flavor sour cream.

Meditteranean Meatballs

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 1 40

Cook Time: 40

Total Time: 1 20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Keyword: main dish, meatballs, protein

Servings: 6

Equipment

Air-fryer

Ingredients

2 lb Ground Turkey
8 oz Frozen Spinach
2 cup Feta Cheese
1 cup Diced Red Onion
1 tbsp Chopped Garlic
1 tbsp Chopped Chili
2 cup Panko Crumbs
2 Eggs
2 tbsp Chili Powder
1 tbsp Cayenne Pepepr
2 tbsp Smoked Paprika
1 tbsp Onion Powder
1 tbsp Garlic Powder
1 tbsp Cumin
2 tbsp Sugar I prefer brown sugar
2 tbsp Salt I prefer to use Lawry's Seasoning Salt

Instructions

Preparation

Add all dry spices and mix well.
Dry frozen spinach. Then chop onion, garlic, and chilis. Add to meat mixture and mix well. Then add panko crumbs and eggs. Mix well. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Make meatballs. Makes about 20 meatballs.

Cooking Instructions

Place meatballs in airfyer at 375 for 15-20 minutes checking them every 10 minutes. Make sure to give them a shake. Meatballs can touch slightly but don't smush them in.

Notes

Whenever I make meatballs I like to use latex gloves. They are super handy and prevent the meat from sticking to your hands.

Have you tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!

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