Gluten-free meatball recipe: Greek meatballs with lemon yogurt sauce
This family and community favorite turkey meatball recipe is juicy, full of flavor, and doesn't need breadcrumbs to hold it together. We make it for dinner, meal prep for lunches or snacks, and even when company is coming!
Servings: 6
By: Heather Bursch
Equipment
- 1 tongs
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground turkey or chicken, dark or light meat
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons of olive oil
- 1/2 cup shredded cucumber (peeled and seeded first)
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red pepper
- 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions, green and white parts
- 1/4 cup crumbled or finely chopped feta cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, or 2 teaspoons dry
- 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil, more for brushing pan
- 1/4 teaspoon salt - optional for the lightest sprinkling on tops of meatballs before broiling
Dressing Ingredients
- 1 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill or mint finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed & strained lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot (optional)
- 1/2 teaspooon salt
- 3-5 creacks pepper
Optional Toppings
- Lettuce wraps like romaine leaves
- Additional chopped red peppers, cucumbers, green onions, feta, kalamata olives, and herbs like mint or dill.
Instructions
Dill Yogurt Sauce
- Dump all ingredients in a small bowl and stir together. Refrigerate or set aside until ready to eat.
Meatball Instructions
- Preheat oven to broil and lightly brush a broiling pan or cookie sheet with some avocado oil or oil that can withstand high heat.
- In a large bowl, combine both types of meat using two forks. Mix by pulling the meat apart with forks just until combined. Don't over-mix.
- Add the remaining meatball ingredients and gently mix with forks. Evenly distribute ingredients.
- Using a small scoop or heaping tablespoon, scoop together meatballs about the size of a golf ball. Set on the prepared pan. You should have 16-20 meatballs depending on the size you want them.
- Brush the tops of each meatball lightly with avocado oil and a very slight sprinkle of salt. (I use one pinch of salt over the whole pan of raw meatballs, barely any!)
- Broil on a rack about 6 inches from the top of your oven for 4-6 minutes. Remove from oven, turn each meatball, brush with avocado oil (optional, and broil for 5 minutes longer until browned and cooked through. To check the internal temperature of a meatball, use 160-165° as your guide. If you are using olive oil and don't want to broil your meatballs, you can bake them at 375°- 400° for 15-20 minutes.
- Serve meatballs with lettuce wraps and dill yogurt dressing. Top with olives, red peppers, cucumbers, onions, and herbs.
Notes:
For my more simple and original yogurt sauce, stir together yogurt, lemon juice and zest, salt, and herbs.
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