I love the Mediterranean and everything about its flavors… the bright tang of lemon, the fresh herbs, the bold spices, and the richness of olive oil and feta. Having spent time traveling through Greece and Turkey, I was captivated by the incredible meals I experienced there.
Some of my favorite culinary memories come from late-night dinners wandering the Plaka in Athens and from savoring off-the-beaten-path lunches in Istanbul. The vibrant, fragrant dishes and the way each bite told a story left a lasting impression on me and have inspired some of my cooking at home. One dish I’ve especially embraced is lamb meatballs. With all the Italian meatball-making I enjoy, I wanted to create a version that celebrates those Mediterranean flavors I fell in love with.
Tender, juicy, and bursting with Mediterranean flavors, these lamb meatballs are anything but ordinary. The combination of garlic, onion, fresh parsley, and aromatic spices like cumin and coriander gives them a savory depth, while pockets of creamy feta add a luscious, tangy surprise in every bite. Lightly fried to golden perfection and finished in the oven, they come out with a beautifully crisp crust and a melt-in-your-mouth center. Serve them with warm pita, fluffy rice pilaf, or a dollop of feta whip or tzatziki for a dinner that’s both comforting and unforgettable.
Ingredients
2 lbs ground lamb
1 small onion, peeled and quartered
2 cloves of garlic, smashed
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup feta cheese crumbles
⅓ cup Italian parsley, chopped
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp ground coriander
1 cup flour
Vegetable oil
2 lbs ground lamb
1 small onion, peeled and quartered
2 cloves of garlic, smashed
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup feta cheese crumbles
⅓ cup Italian parsley, chopped
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp ground coriander
1 cup flour
Vegetable oil
Add the onion, garlic, parsley, and olive oil to a food processor. Run the processor until they get chopped down very finely. You are looking for them to become like pulp.
In a large mixing bowl, add the ground lamb. Pour in the onion-garlic-parsley paste followed by the feta, panko, egg, salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, and coriander.
Using clean hands, gently mix everything together until it is all evenly combined. Be careful not to overwork the meat, just mix it by hand until everything is uniformly combined.
Line a tray with parchment paper. Roll the mixture into golf-ball sized rounds, about 1½ inches across, and place them on the tray.
Pour the flour into a shallow bowl. Roll each meatball lightly in flour to coat, shaking off excess. This will help to create a crust when frying.
Line a tray with parchment paper. Roll the mixture into golf-ball sized rounds, about 1½ inches across, and place them on the tray.
Pour the flour into a shallow bowl. Roll each meatball lightly in flour to coat, shaking off excess. This will help to create a crust when frying.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Place a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Once warm, add a few tablespoons of vegetable oil. Fry the meatballs in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Fry them for about 6-8 minutes per batch, turning them as they fry to ensure they are golden brown on all sides.
Transfer the browned meatballs to a clean baking sheet after you finish frying each batch. Once all of the batches have been fried and all of the meatballs have been placed on the baking sheet, place the sheet of meatballs into the oven. Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the meatballs reaches 160°F.
Remove the meatballs from the oven and let them rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Serve the meatballs with feta whip or tzatziki, warm pita or rice pilaf, and a fresh salad. Enjoy!
Serve the meatballs with feta whip or tzatziki, warm pita or rice pilaf, and a fresh salad. Enjoy!