Keftedes (Greek Meatballs)

Name: Keftedes (Greek Meatballs)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Greek Cuisine
Ingredients: 500 g ground beef (or half beef, half lamb); 2 slices day-old white bread, crusts removed (about 60 g); 120 ml milk or water, for soaking (1/2 cup); 1 medium onion, grated and lightly squeezed; 2 cloves garlic, grated; 1 egg; 1/2 bunch fresh mint, finely chopped (or 1 tbsp dried); 1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tbsp olive oil (for the mixture); 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 60 g all-purpose flour, for dredging (1/2 cup); 240 ml sunflower or olive oil, for frying (1 cup); 1 lemon, cut into wedges (to serve)

Greek meatballs fragrant with mint, oregano and grated onion, dusted in flour and fried until crisp outside and tender inside.

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Prep: 25 min
Cook: 20 min
Total: 45 min
Serves: 4
Level: Easy

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The story of this dish

Keftedes share their roots with Turkish köfte; both words are generally traced to the Persian kufta, meaning pounded or ground meat. Shaping minced meat into balls is a tradition shared from the Middle East to the Balkans, and keftedes are the Greek branch of that family.

What sets Greek keftedes apart is the generous mint and oregano and the flour coating before frying. They appear as meze in tavernas, as a main course at home and as a cold snack on picnics. Some regional recipes mix in pork or add a splash of ouzo; this version uses only beef and is alcohol-free.

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Ingredients

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