Greek-Style Meatballs

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.

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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

1. Preheat your oven to 350 F.
2. In a bowl, combine the ground meat, egg, parsley, garlic, tomato paste, oregano, mint, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Mix with your hands until everything is well combined.
4. Form the mixture into equally-sized meatballs using your hands or an ice cream scoop.
5. Place the meatballs on a baking sheet and cook in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes.