Greek Turkey Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce Recipe
These Greek Turkey Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce offer a flavorful, healthy twist on traditional meatballs. Made with lean ground turkey and infused with aromatic herbs like oregano, dill, and cumin, these baked meatballs are paired perfectly with a creamy, refreshing homemade tzatziki sauce. Ideal for a wholesome dinner or appetizer, this recipe brings the vibrant flavors of Greek cuisine to your table with minimal effort and maximum taste.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings (about 16 meatballs) 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Greek
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 lb. ground turkey
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup red onion, chopped
- ¼ cup feta cheese
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried dill
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Tzatziki Sauce
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 Persian cucumbers, grated
- 1 Tbsp fresh dill (or 1 tsp dried dill)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- Cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the tzatziki sauce: Wrap the grated cucumbers in a few paper towels or use a cheesecloth to wring out as much liquid as possible, ensuring the sauce won’t be watery.
- Mix tzatziki ingredients: Add the grated cucumber to a large mixing bowl along with plain Greek yogurt, fresh dill, minced garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and cracked black pepper. Stir everything together until fully combined. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.
- Chill the sauce: Cover the bowl and refrigerate the tzatziki sauce while preparing the meatballs, allowing the flavors to meld.
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly coat a baking dish with cooking spray.
- Combine meatball ingredients: In a large bowl, add ground turkey, panko breadcrumbs, chopped red onion, feta cheese, minced garlic, egg, dried oregano, dried dill, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Mix all ingredients thoroughly using your hands until evenly combined.
- Form meatballs: Shape the mixture into 1-inch balls and evenly place them on the prepared baking sheet, ensuring they aren’t overcrowded for even cooking.
- Bake the meatballs: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake the meatballs for 15-20 minutes until cooked through and slightly browned.
- Optional browning step: For extra flavor, you can brown the meatballs in a sauté pan before baking. If doing so, check for doneness around 13 minutes as they may cook faster.
- Serve: Once fully cooked, serve the meatballs immediately with a generous dollop of chilled tzatziki sauce and lemon wedges on the side for squeezing.
Notes
- Wringing out the grated cucumber is essential to avoid watery tzatziki sauce.
- Using panko breadcrumbs keeps the meatballs light and tender.
- Feta cheese adds a salty tang, grounding the Greek flavors.
- Browning the meatballs before baking enhances flavor and texture but is optional.
- Meatballs can be served as an appetizer or main dish with sides like rice, salad, or pita bread.
Keywords: Greek turkey meatballs, tzatziki sauce, baked meatballs, healthy meatballs, Mediterranean recipe, Greek cuisine, ground turkey, homemade tzatziki
