Greek-Style Meatballs

My Favourite Meatballs

Greek Style Meatballs myfavouritepastime.com_3942

Feta cheese, sometimes called ‘pickled cheese’ is traditionally made from sheep’s milk. It became a cheese of protected origin in the European Union in 2002 and can only be produced in Greece. Similar cheeses are produced elsewhere in the EU but are called ‘salad cheese’, ‘Greek-style cheese’, ‘white cheese’ or ‘Balkan cheese’. The main ingredients in the meatballs are Feta cheese, Kalamata olives and Oregano.

Greek Style Meatballs myfavouritepastime.com_3943

Oregano is an important culinary herb, used for the flavour and aroma of its leaves. Dried oregano is much more aromatic than fresh. I used dried oregano for this recipe. The recipe is straightforward and easy to make, and I hope it will appeal to you too!

Greek Style Meatballs

Preparation time: 40 minutes; Cooking time: 40 minutes; Serves: 4

Ingredients

Ingredients for Feta Dressing

  • ¼ cup crumbled Feta
  • ½ cup plain Greek yoghurt
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional) the yoghurt may be sour depending on the brand you use
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Meatballs

  • 500g (1Ib) ground chuck steak
  • 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
  • ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
  • ¼ cup minced fresh parsley
  • ¼ cup finely chopped red onions
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • ½ tablespoon olive oil for frying

Ingredients for the Sauce

  • ½ tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small green bell pepper finely chopped (¼ cup when chopped)
  • 3 cloves garlic crushed
  • ½-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 x 796ml (28fl oz) canned whole Italian tomatoes, pureed in a blender
  • ½ cup pitted and halved Kalamata olives
  • ¼ cup 35% cream (double, whipping cream)-optional
  • Diced cucumber to garnish

Instructions:

  1. Dressing: combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix gently. Season with salt and pepper. If the yoghurt you’re using is very sour please omit lemon juice or add sparingly. Cover and chill until ready to use.
  2. Meatballs: combine all ingredients except olive oil and mix lightly until evenly mixed. Shape mixture into 20-22 balls. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat and brown the meatballs on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
  3. Sauce: Heat oil in the same skillet (or just use the rendered fat), and add green pepper, garlic and red pepper flakes. Sauté for 2 minutes. Add pureed tomatoes, bring to the boil and simmer 5 minutes. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, then add meatballs and Kalamata olives and simmer 10-15 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through. If using cream, add just before serving.
  4. Serve meatballs on a bed of rice, pasta, couscous or your favourite carbohydrate. Top with cucumber and Feta dressing.
  5. Last Updated: 30 May, 2019

myfavouritepastime.com

Step By Step Photos

  • Ingredients for Feta Dressing
  • ¼ cup crumbled Feta
  • ½ cup plain Greek yoghurt
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional) the yoghurt may be sour depending on the brand you use
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Greek Style Meatballs myfavouritepastime.com_3929

Ingredients for dressing

Greek Style Meatballs myfavouritepastime.com_3931

To Make Dressing: combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix gently. Season with salt and pepper. If the yoghurt you’re using is too sour please omit lemon juice or add sparingly. Cover and chill until ready to use.

  • Ingredients for Meatballs
  • 500g (1Ib) ground chuck steak
  • 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
  • ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
  • ¼ cup minced fresh parsley
  • ¼ cup finely chopped red onions
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • ½ tablespoon olive oil for frying

Greek Style Meatballs myfavouritepastime.com_3903

Ingredients for meatballs (sorry I forgot to display Feta cheese here) 

Greek Style Meatballs myfavouritepastime.com_3906

For the Meatballs: combine all ingredients except olive oil and mix lightly until evenly mixed. Shape mixture into 20-22 balls.

  • Ingredients for Sauce 
  • ½ tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small green bell pepper finely chopped (¼ cup when chopped)
  • 3 cloves garlic crushed
  • ½-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 x 796ml (28fl oz) canned whole Italian tomatoes, pureed in a blender
  • ½ cup pitted and halved Kalamata olives
  • ¼ cup 35% cream (double, whipping cream)-optional
  • Diced cucumber to garnish

Greek Style Meatballs myfavouritepastime.com_3911

Ingredients for the sauce

Greek Style Meatballs myfavouritepastime.com_3917

For Meatballs: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat, add meatballs

Greek Style Meatballs myfavouritepastime.com_3918

and brown them on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Greek Style Meatballs myfavouritepastime.com_3922

To make the sauce: Heat oil in the same skillet (or just use the rendered fat), and add green pepper, garlic and red pepper flakes.

Greek Style Meatballs myfavouritepastime.com_3925

Sauté for 2 minutes.

Greek Style Meatballs myfavouritepastime.com_3927

Add pureed tomatoes, bring to the boil and simmer 5 minutes. Season the sauce with salt and pepper,

Greek Style Meatballs myfavouritepastime.com_3934

then add meatballs and Kalamata olives and simmer 10-15 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through. If using cream, add just before serving.

Greek Style Meatballs myfavouritepastime.com_3938

Serve meatballs on a bed of rice, pasta, couscous or your favourite carbohydrate. Top with cucumber and Feta dressing.

Greek Style Meatballs myfavouritepastime.com_2813

We had ours on a bed of pasta

myfavouritepastime.com Last Updated: 30 May, 2019

Author: Liz

I love everything food: eating, cooking, baking and travelling. I also love photography and nature.

41 thoughts

  1. Pingback: Olive Bread | My Favourite Pastime

  2. I’m so excited about this recipe. I love pasta and this is a great and really creative twist. I am pinning this on pinterest to save for later!

    Reply

  3. That dressing is a really nice touch! I frequently put sour cream on top of spaghetti, but yours looks more interesting! ;->

    Virtual hugs,

    Judie

    Reply

    1. Hi Lisa,
      You’ve been cooking some great food of late. I love seeing all the lovely food you post. Have a great weekend!
      Liz

      Reply

  10. Hi there Liz, I’ve been trying to think of something that will be quick and easy and nutritious for dinner on the day we arrive back home from our cruise. These will fit the bill nicely. You must be a mind reader! LOL….I think we get back into port of Vancouver around 8 in the morning so we should be home in good time for dinner. I love feta cheese and my two grandkids who will also be on the cruise and coming back home with me have very advanced palates. They will try just about anything and are not shy about it. Thanks Liz! Happy Friday to you!

    Reply

    1. Hi Sandy,
      Enjoy your cruise. It’s nice to live near a port, coz you can leave and dock without any trouble at all. I love Feta too. I always have a container in the fridge. The dressing is the best part of this recipe. Okay I think I have to go to bed now. Have the best of cruising.
      Liz

      Reply

      1. Thanks Liz – just waiting for my sis to pick me up and deliver me to the ferry – 2 hr ride over to Vancouver. Son and wife and kidlets picking me up to overnight that side of the pond and then onboard in the morning. So excited!

        Reply

        1. Omg Sandy, I am so excited for you. I hope you’re going to have a great time with the all those lovely family members and the little kids. Enjoy your cruise. Best wishes!
          Liz

        1. Oh thanks, Please share your recipe for Keftedes. I would love to try them! I hope all is okay with you!
          Liz

        4. Thank you Liz! I appreciate that. I will be cleaning up my recipes this next week to make it easier for people to search my recipes 🙂 Please feel free to tag me if you post your photos of the keftedes tonight. 🙂

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