Greek Keftedes and Pita with Yogurt Sauce

Name: Greek Keftedes and Pita with Yogurt Sauce
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 27 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 1 lb (450 g) ground lamb, at room temperature; ¼ cup (15 g) fresh mint leaves, finely chopped; 2 tablespoons (6 g) fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped; ¼ cup (30 g) panko breadcrumbs; ¼ medium onion (50 g) yellow onion, finely minced; 2 cloves (10 g) garlic cloves, minced; 1 (50 g) large egg, lightly beaten; ½ teaspoon (2 g) ground cumin; ¾ teaspoon (5 g) kosher salt; ¼ teaspoon (½ g) black pepper, freshly ground; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil; 1 cup (240 ml) plain Greek yogurt, at room temperature; 3 tablespoons (9 g) fresh dill, finely chopped; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice; 1 clove (5 g) garlic clove, minced; to taste kosher salt; 4 pitas (200 g) pita bread; 1 medium (150 g) ripe tomato, thinly sliced (optional); ½ cucumber (150 g) English cucumber, thinly sliced (optional); ¼ small (40 g) red onion, thinly sliced (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Fragrant pan-fried lamb meatballs with mint and oregano, served warm in soft pita bread with a cooling dill yogurt sauce. These Mediterranean-spiced keftedes are crispy outside and tender inside—a classic Greek street food that comes together in under an hour.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 12 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 37 min
Makes: 12 meatballs, enough for 4 sandwiches (1 pita per person with 3 meatballs)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the keftedes
1 lb (450 g) ground lamb, at room temperature
¼ cup (15 g) fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons (6 g) fresh oregano leaves, finely chopped
¼ cup (30 g) panko breadcrumbs
¼ medium onion (50 g) yellow onion, finely minced
2 cloves (10 g) garlic cloves, minced
1 (50 g) large egg, lightly beaten
½ teaspoon (2 g) ground cumin
¾ teaspoon (5 g) kosher salt
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) black pepper, freshly ground
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
For the yogurt sauce
1 cup (240 ml) plain Greek yogurt, at room temperature
3 tablespoons (9 g) fresh dill, finely chopped
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 clove (5 g) garlic clove, minced
to taste kosher salt
For serving
4 pitas (200 g) pita bread
1 medium (150 g) ripe tomato, thinly sliced (optional)
½ cucumber (150 g) English cucumber, thinly sliced (optional)
¼ small (40 g) red onion, thinly sliced (optional)

Equipment (7)

Large bowl
Small bowl
Measuring spoons and cups
12-inch (30 cm) nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet
Wooden spoon or spatula
Paper towels
Instant-read thermometer (optional)

Steps

Before you start

Bring yogurt and ground lamb to room temperature (30 minutes)
Have all ingredients measured and prepped before mixing the meat mixture
Preheat your skillet over medium-high heat while shaping meatballs

1
Mix the meatball base
- In a large bowl, combine ground lamb, chopped mint, oregano, panko breadcrumbs, minced onion, minced garlic, lightly beaten egg, cumin, salt, and black pepper.
- Using your hands, mix gently until just combined—don't overwork the mixture or the meatballs will be dense.
- The mixture should hold together when squeezed but feel light.
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Ready when: Mixture holds together and is light and fluffy when squeezed
Tip: Don't squeeze the lamb constantly while mixing—it releases moisture and makes tough meatballs. Mix until just combined, then stop.
2
Shape the meatballs
- Using a ¼-cup (60 ml) measure or your hands, shape the mixture into 12 equal meatballs, each about 1½ inches (4 cm) in diameter.
- Place them on a clean surface or small baking sheet.
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Ready when: 12 uniform meatballs, roughly 1½ inches in diameter
Tip: Dampening your hands slightly with water prevents the mixture from sticking while you shape.
3
Prepare the yogurt sauce
- In a small bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, chopped fresh dill, lemon juice, and minced garlic.
- Taste and adjust with a pinch of salt.
- The sauce should be smooth and creamy with visible flecks of bright green dill.
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Ready when: Sauce is smooth, creamy, and bright green with dill
Tip: Use room-temperature yogurt so the sauce mixes smoothly without lumps.
4
Heat the skillet
- Place a 12-inch (30 cm) nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and let it preheat for 2 minutes until hot.
- Add 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom evenly.
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Ready when: Oil shimmers and moves quickly across the pan
Tip: Use a medium-high heat rather than high to avoid burning the outsides before the insides cook through.
5
Pan-fry the meatballs
- Carefully place the 12 meatballs into the hot skillet in a single layer, leaving about ½ inch (1 cm) of space between each one.
- Do not move them for 3–4 minutes, allowing the bottoms to brown deeply.
- This creates a flavorful crust.
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Ready when: Bottoms are deep golden brown and don't stick when gently nudged
Tip: Resist the urge to move them around—stationary cooking creates better browning and crust.
6
Turn and finish cookingOven 160°F / 70°C
- Using a wooden spoon or spatula, roll each meatball a quarter turn to expose a new side to the heat.
- Continue cooking for another 2–3 minutes, then rotate again.
- Repeat once more so all sides are evenly browned, about 8–10 minutes total.
- The meatballs are cooked when they feel firm but not hard, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest one reads 160°F (71°C).
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Ready when: All sides are deep brown, meatballs feel firm but yielding, internal temperature is 160°F (71°C)
Tip: Turning in stages ensures even browning without overcooking any side. Don't flip rapidly or they'll stay pale.
7
Rest the meatballs
- Transfer the cooked meatballs to a paper towel–lined plate and let rest for 5 minutes.
- This allows the juices to settle and keeps them tender.
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Tip: Resting prevents the juices from running out onto your plate, keeping the pita bread from becoming soggy too quickly.
8
Warm the pita bread
- Wrap the 4 pita breads loosely in a damp paper towel and microwave for 30–45 seconds until warm and pliable, or warm them directly over a gas flame for 10–15 seconds per side if you prefer a slight char.
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Ready when: Pita is warm to the touch and has softened
Tip: Warm pita is much easier to fill without tearing. The damp paper towel prevents them from drying out.
9
Assemble the sandwiches
- Place each warm pita on a plate.
- Spread about 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of the yogurt sauce inside each pita.
- Tuck 3 warm meatballs into each pita.
- If using optional toppings, add thin slices of tomato, cucumber, and red onion on top of the meatballs.
- Serve immediately.
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Ready when: Sandwiches are fully loaded with meatballs and sauce
Tip: Assemble just before serving so the pita bread stays warm and the yogurt sauce doesn't soak in too much.

Good to know

Tips

Mint and oregano are the soul of keftedes—don't skip them or substitute dried for fresh, as the flavor difference is significant.
Panko breadcrumbs help keep the meatballs light and tender; regular breadcrumbs will work but may yield denser results.
Serve with extra yogurt sauce on the side for dipping and drizzling.
A squeeze of fresh lemon juice over the finished sandwich brightens all the flavors just before eating.

Make ahead

Prepare the meatball mixture and shape into balls up to 8 hours ahead; cover and refrigerate. Cook the yogurt sauce up to 2 days ahead and store in the fridge. Cook the meatballs just before serving for best texture and warmth.

Storage & reheating

Cooked meatballs keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 10 minutes. The yogurt sauce keeps refrigerated for up to 4 days. Do not freeze cooked meatballs as they become dry; the uncooked mixture freezes well for up to 3 months and can go straight to the skillet from frozen, adding 2–3 minutes to cooking time.

Substitutions

ground lamb → ground beef or ground turkey. Beef will give a richer flavor; turkey is leaner but slightly less flavorful. Use the same weight and expect beef to be slightly fattier.
fresh mint leaves → 0.5 tablespoon (1.5 g) dried mint. Dried mint is stronger, so use less. The flavor will be less fresh but still aromatic.
fresh dill → 0.5 tablespoon (1.5 g) dried dill or 1 tablespoon (3 g) fresh parsley. Dried dill works but lacks the bright flavor; parsley provides color and freshness but a different herbaceous note.
plain Greek yogurt → sour cream or strained regular yogurt. Sour cream adds tang and works well; strained yogurt is slightly less thick but still creamy and cool.