Meatballs: stick them on toothpicks, throw them over a plate of Paleo noodles, slather them in sauce, or wolf them down straight off the pan (hey, if you’re the cook, who’s going to know?). They’re a family favorite for a reason, and this Greek-style variation adds just a little twist to keep things interesting. The herbs give them a summery, Mediterranean flavor, and the tomato paste adds that rich, savory-sweet taste.
The egg in the recipe is there as a binder; that’s why you don’t need any breadcrumbs or oats or other grains to hold the meatballs together. They’ll come out a little denser than “normal,” bread-crummy meatballs, but that’s why they’re so good over vegetables instead of a huge heavy plate of pasta!
Serve these meatballs with a salad of baby greens and a squeeze of lemon for a summer meal, or take them into winter comfort-food territory with some roasted root vegetables. And don’t forget to save some for lunchboxes and leftovers; they’re great for packing because it’s so easy to take exactly as much as you want.
Greek-Style Meatballs Recipe
SERVES: 4
PREP: 20 min.
COOK: 25 min.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs. ground beef or lamb;
- 1 egg, beaten;
- 2 garlic cloves, minced;
- ¼ cup fresh parsley. minced;
- 2 tbsp. tomato paste;
- 1 tbsp. dried oregano;
- 1 tsp. dried mint;
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper;
Preparation
- Preheat your oven to 350 F.
- In a bowl, combine the ground meat, egg, parsley, garlic, tomato paste, oregano, mint, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Mix with your hands until everything is well combined.
- Form the mixture into equally-sized meatballs using your hands or an ice cream scoop.
- Place the meatballs on a baking sheet and cook in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes.