Greek Keftedes with Tzatziki

Name: Greek Keftedes with Tzatziki
Prep time: 39 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 51 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 1 small (about 7 oz) (200 g) English (seedless) cucumber, unpeeled, coarsely grated; ½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt, divided use: some to draw water from the cucumber, the rest to adjust the finished sauce to taste; 1 cup (240 g) full-fat Greek yogurt, cold, thick, plain; 1 large clove (5 g) garlic, finely grated or minced to a paste; 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice; 1 tbsp (14 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tbsp (3 g) fresh dill, finely chopped; 3 slices (about 2.5 oz) (75 g) white sandwich bread, crusts removed, torn into small pieces; ⅓ cup (80 ml) whole milk, cold; 1½ lb (680 g) ground beef, 80/20, cold; 1 medium (about 6 oz) (170 g) yellow onion, peeled and grated on the large holes of a box grater, with excess liquid pressed out in a sieve; 3 cloves (15 g) garlic, finely minced; 1 large (50 g) large egg, lightly beaten; ¼ cup, packed (12 g) fresh mint leaves, finely chopped; ¼ cup, packed (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; 1 tsp (2 g) dried oregano, crumbled between your fingers; ½ tsp (1 g) ground cumin; 1 tbsp (15 ml) red wine vinegar; 1¼ tsp (7 g) kosher salt; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; ⅓ cup (45 g) all-purpose flour, spread in a shallow dish for dredging; ⅓ cup (80 ml) olive oil (regular, not extra-virgin) for frying, divided between 2 batches

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender pan-fried Greek meatballs scented with fresh mint, parsley, oregano and grated onion, served with a thick, garlicky cucumber-yogurt tzatziki for dipping. Bite-sized and ideal for parties.

Prep: 39 min
Cook: 12 min
Wait: 45 min
Total: 1 hr 36 min
Makes: About 30 meatballs (8 party servings) plus about 1¾ cups (420 g) tzatziki

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the tzatziki
1 small (about 7 oz) (200 g) English (seedless) cucumber, unpeeled, coarsely grated
½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt, divided use: some to draw water from the cucumber, the rest to adjust the finished sauce to taste
1 cup (240 g) full-fat Greek yogurt, cold, thick, plain
1 large clove (5 g) garlic, finely grated or minced to a paste
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp (14 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp (3 g) fresh dill, finely chopped
For the keftedes
3 slices (about 2.5 oz) (75 g) white sandwich bread, crusts removed, torn into small pieces
⅓ cup (80 ml) whole milk, cold
1½ lb (680 g) ground beef, 80/20, cold
1 medium (about 6 oz) (170 g) yellow onion, peeled and grated on the large holes of a box grater, with excess liquid pressed out in a sieve
3 cloves (15 g) garlic, finely minced
1 large (50 g) large egg, lightly beaten
¼ cup, packed (12 g) fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
¼ cup, packed (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp (2 g) dried oregano, crumbled between your fingers
½ tsp (1 g) ground cumin
1 tbsp (15 ml) red wine vinegar
1¼ tsp (7 g) kosher salt
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
⅓ cup (45 g) all-purpose flour, spread in a shallow dish for dredging
⅓ cup (80 ml) olive oil (regular, not extra-virgin) for frying, divided between 2 batches

Equipment (8)

12-inch (30 cm) heavy skillet, preferably cast iron or stainless steel
Box grater
Fine-mesh sieve
Large mixing bowl
Rimmed baking sheet or large plate
Shallow dish for flour
Instant-read thermometer
Paper towel-lined plate

Steps

Before you start

Use 80/20 ground beef; leaner beef gives drier keftedes.
Total time includes 15 minutes for the cucumber to drain and the bread to soak, plus 30 minutes of chilling the meatballs. Make the tzatziki while the meatballs chill.
Have a rimmed baking sheet or large plate ready for shaped meatballs, and a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth for squeezing the cucumber.
Use a food thermometer: the meatballs are done at 160°F (71°C).

1
Drain cucumber, soak bread
- Grate the unpeeled cucumber on the large holes of a box grater into a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl.
- Toss with ¼ teaspoon of the tzatziki salt and let it drain.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the torn bread and the cold milk, pressing the bread down so it is fully moistened.
- Leave both for 15 minutes.
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Ready when: Bread is completely soft and the bowl under the cucumber has collected a few tablespoons of liquid
Tip: Salted cucumber is what keeps the tzatziki thick instead of watery.
2
Prep the aromatics
- Grate the onion on the large holes of a box grater, then press it in a sieve with the back of a spoon to remove excess liquid; you should have about ½ cup (120 g) of onion.
- Mince the 3 garlic cloves, finely chop the mint, parsley and dill, and measure the oregano, cumin, vinegar, salt and pepper so everything is ready to go.
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Ready when: Onion is a damp pulp, not dripping; herbs are finely chopped
Tip: Excess onion liquid makes the meatballs loose and hard to shape.
3
Mix the meat
- Squeeze the soaked bread gently with your hands to remove most of the milk, then mash it back into the bowl until it looks like a coarse paste.
- Add the ground beef, drained onion, minced garlic, beaten egg, mint, parsley, oregano, cumin, vinegar, salt and pepper.
- Mix with your hands for about 1 minute, just until the mixture looks evenly combined and slightly sticky.
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Ready when: No streaks of herbs or bread remain and the mixture holds together when squeezed
Tip: Don't overmix; working the meat too long makes the keftedes dense and rubbery.
4
Shape the meatballs
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
- With slightly damp hands, scoop about 1½ tablespoons (about 33 g) of mixture and roll into a smooth ball about 1¼ inches (3 cm) wide.
- Place on the sheet and repeat to make about 30 meatballs.
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Ready when: About 30 uniform balls, each roughly the size of a large walnut
Tip: Damp hands stop the mixture from sticking to your palms.
5
Chill the meatballs
- Cover the tray loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Make the tzatziki (next step) during this time.
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Ready when: Meatballs feel firm and cold to the touch
6
Make the tzatziki
- Gather the drained cucumber in a clean kitchen towel and wring it firmly over the sink until it is very dry, about 3 tablespoons of liquid.
- In a bowl, stir together the Greek yogurt, cucumber, grated garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and dill.
- Taste and stir in up to ¼ teaspoon more salt if needed.
- Refrigerate until serving.
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Ready when: Sauce is thick and spoonable, with a clear garlic and lemon tang
Tip: Raw garlic gets stronger as it sits, so start with one clove and add more only if you like it punchy.
7
Dredge the meatballs
- Spread the flour in a shallow dish.
- Roll each chilled meatball lightly in the flour, shaking off excess, and return to the tray.
- The coating should be thin and almost invisible.
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Ready when: Each meatball has a light, dry, matte dusting of flour
Tip: Dredge just before frying; flour left on the meat turns gummy.
8
Fry in two batches
- Heat half the frying oil (about 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons, 40 ml) in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat for about 2 minutes, until it shimmers.
- Add about 15 meatballs in a single layer with space between them.
- Fry 5–6 minutes, turning every minute or so with tongs, until browned on all sides.
- Check one with a thermometer: it should read 160°F (71°C).
- Move to a paper towel-lined plate, wipe out any burnt bits, add the remaining oil, and fry the second batch the same way.
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Ready when: Deep golden-brown crust on all sides and 160°F (71°C) in the center, with no pink in the middle
Tip: If the meatballs brown in under 3 minutes, lower the heat; they will be burnt outside and raw inside.
9
Serve
- Let the keftedes rest for 3 minutes, then pile them on a platter with toothpicks and serve warm with the chilled tzatziki in a bowl for dipping.
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Ready when: Meatballs are warm, not piping hot, and the tzatziki is cold
Tip: Spoon a little olive oil and a pinch of dill on top of the tzatziki for a nicer presentation.

Good to know

Tips

Press and squeeze the onion and cucumber well; excess water is the main reason keftedes fall apart and tzatziki turns runny.
Fry one test meatball first and taste it, then adjust salt in the remaining mixture if needed.
For a lighter option, bake the meatballs on a parchment-lined sheet at 425°F (220°C) for 15–18 minutes, though they won't have the same crisp crust.
Serve with warm pita, olives and tomato wedges to turn it into a meze spread.

Make ahead

"Shape the meatballs (through step 4) up to 24 hours ahead, covered in the refrigerator, and dredge and fry just before serving. The tzatziki can be made up to 24 hours ahead; stir before serving and pour off any water that collects on top. Fried keftedes can be made 1 day ahead and reheated."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: up to 2 hours for serving. Refrigerator: keftedes up to 3 days and tzatziki up to 3 days, in airtight containers. Freezer: cooked keftedes up to 3 months (freeze on a tray, then bag); do not freeze tzatziki. Reheat keftedes from the fridge in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 10–12 minutes, or from frozen for 15–18 minutes, until they reach 165°F (74°C) in the center."

Substitutions

ground beef, 80/20 → half ground beef and half ground lamb, or ground pork. Lamb adds a more traditional flavor; keep the total weight at 680 g and use the same cooking time and 160°F (71°C) doneness.
white sandwich bread → ¾ cup (45 g) plain dry breadcrumbs. Soak in the same amount of milk for 5 minutes before mixing.
fresh mint leaves → 1 tablespoon (3 g) dried mint. Dried mint is common in Greek cooking, but use only 1 tablespoon since the flavor is concentrated.
full-fat Greek yogurt → plain full-fat regular yogurt, strained through cheesecloth for 1–2 hours. Strain until it is as thick as Greek yogurt, or the tzatziki will be thin.