Greek meatballs, or keftedes, are made with minced meat mixed with egg, breadcrumbs, and spices including oregano and mint. They are often fried to create a crispy crust and can contain other meats like pork and lamb. Other common additions include onion, garlic, lemon juice, and ouzo. The meatballs are rolled in flour before frying and can be served with rice or pita bread. The size of the meatballs affects the texture, with smaller ones being crispier. Leftover meatballs can be reheated but are not as crispy as when first cooked.
Greek meatballs, or keftedes, are a protein that can be served as a dinner with rice or as a lunch with pita bread. While they’re prepared in a similar style to other types of meatballs like Swedish and Italian, the Greek version contains distinct spices and is often fried rather than deep-fried to create a crispy crust. Plus, instead of just ground beef, Greek meatballs can also contain other meats like pork and lamb.
The minced meats are mixed with beaten egg, breadcrumbs and spices. Oregano and mint are important herbs to use in Greek-style meatballs to define the flavor. Italian meatballs are seasoned with basil and garlic in a tomato sauce, and the Swedish version typically contains dill and is served in a cream sauce, but the meatballs are usually fried either way. The crispy, deep-fried Greek meatballs are supposed to surrender to a whiff of a mint-oregano flavored interior, and can be eaten without the sauce. Fresh herbs are often used in Greek meatball recipes, but dried herbs can usually be substituted.
Although oregano and mint are the main seasonings in Greek meatball recipes, some of them also call for other spices such as parsley, allspice and cumin. Ground onion and garlic, as well as lemon juice and/or ouzo, a Greek alcoholic beverage, are other common additions to Greek meatballs. Beer or wine can be used in place of ouzo. After all the ingredients of the meatball have been mixed with a spoon, then mixed well with your hands and formed into balls, the balls should be rolled in flour.
Coating the patties in flour before frying helps create the crispy crust. All the different steps involved in making Greek meatballs, including coating, heating the oil, and batch frying, can be time consuming. While not difficult to make, Greek-style meatballs take several hours to put together. Some cooks like to get the recipe right down to the flour coating and frying part and save the final steps for the next day. Raw Greek meatballs, or keftedes, can be left in the refrigerator up to a day before cooking.
The size of the meatballs varies depending on the desired texture. The smaller the Greek meatball, the crispier the overall texture. Keftedes should not only have a crispy outer crust but also be golden brown in color and naturally cooked through to the core. Cooked leftover meatballs tend to freeze well and can be reheated in a moderate oven, but are usually not as crispy as they originally were.
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