Greek Food Meze

Keftedes: Greek Meatballs with Mint and Oregano

Name: Keftedes (Greek Meatballs)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 65 min
Ingredients: 500 g beef mince (or half beef, half pork); 1 onion (coarsely grated); 2 garlic cloves (finely grated); 60 g stale white bread (crusts removed, about 2 slices); 1 egg; 2 tbsp fresh mint (finely chopped); 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley (finely chopped); 1 tsp dried oregano; 1 tbsp red wine vinegar (or ouzo, optional); 1 tsp fine sea salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 50 g plain flour (for dusting); olive oil (for shallow frying); 1 lemon (cut into wedges)

Juicy beef meatballs with grated onion, mint, oregano and soaked bread. Pan-fried until crisp, or baked.

Serves

Calories

420 kcal

Cuisine

Greek

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Plate of crisp Greek keftedes meatballs with mint and parsley, lemon wedges and tzatziki

On this page: What is it · History · What you need · Step by step · Serving & storage · Recipe card

Keftedes are Greek meatballs: small, flattened and packed with fresh mint, oregano and grated onion, then fried until crisp and brown. They are juicy inside, full of herbs and best eaten with tzatziki and a squeeze of lemon.

They are a favourite meze in tavernas and a standard family dish at home, served hot, warm or even cold the next day.

This recipe gives you the fried version and an oven option for bigger batches.

What Is It?

Keftedes (κεφτέδες) are fried meatballs made with minced beef, pork or lamb, or a mix, bound with soaked bread and egg and flavoured with onion, garlic, mint and oregano. They are usually shaped into small, slightly flattened rounds and dusted in flour before frying.

Unlike Italian meatballs, keftedes are not cooked in sauce. They are eaten as they are, with lemon and a dip. When meatballs are simmered in tomato sauce in Greece, they usually become a different dish, such as soutzoukakia.

The grated onion and the bread soaked in water are what keep them soft and juicy.

A Little History

Keftedes served on a Greek meze table with tzatziki, Greek salad, bread and lemon

The name shares its roots with köfte and kofta, words used for minced-meat dishes from the Balkans to India, which trace back to a Persian word for pounded meat.

In Greece, keftedes became a fixture of meze culture and family cooking, served at name days, parties and Sunday lunches. Every family has its own herb balance and its own opinion on whether to add a splash of ouzo or vinegar.

Vegetable versions also exist across the country, from tomato fritters on Santorini to courgette balls known as kolokithokeftedes.

At a glance

Serves

Calories

420 kcal

Protein

28 g

Course

Meze, Main

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Why it works

01 Fresh mint and oregano in every bite

02 Soaked bread keeps them juicy

03 Fry or bake: both work

Greek keftedes meatballs with mint, lemon and tzatziki, seen from above

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What You Need

Exact amounts are in the recipe card

For the Meatballs

beef mince, or half beef, half pork
onion, coarsely grated
garlic cloves, finely grated
stale white bread, crusts removed, about 2 slices
egg
fresh mint, finely chopped
flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
dried oregano
red wine vinegar, or ouzo, optional
fine sea salt
black pepper

To Cook and Serve

plain flour, for dusting
olive oil, for shallow frying
lemon, cut into wedges

Ingredients for keftedes: beef mince, onion, garlic, stale bread, egg, mint, parsley, oregano, vinegar and flour

Step-by-Step Instructions

Mix the meatballs with your hands, rest them in the fridge so they hold their shape, then fry in batches.

Squeezing soaked bread and crumbling it into a bowl for keftedes

1. Soak the bread

Soak the bread in cold water for 1 minute, then squeeze it out firmly and crumble it into a large bowl.

Kneading beef mince with onion, bread, egg, mint and parsley for keftedes

2. Mix the meat

Add the mince, grated onion with its juice, garlic, egg, herbs, oregano, vinegar, salt and pepper. Knead with your hands for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is smooth and slightly sticky.

Tip: Fry a small piece first to check the seasoning before you shape the whole batch.

Walnut-sized keftedes shaped and slightly flattened on a lined tray

3. Shape and chill

With wet hands, roll the mixture into balls the size of a walnut, about 30 g each, and flatten them slightly. Put them on a lined tray and chill for 30 minutes.

Rolling keftedes lightly in flour before frying

4. Dust with flour

Roll each meatball lightly in flour and tap off the excess.

5. Fry the keftedes

Heat 1 cm of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Fry the keftedes in batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deep brown and cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper and serve hot with lemon.

Tip: To bake instead, brush with oil and bake at 200 °C (180 °C fan) for 18 to 20 minutes, turning once.

Serving & Storage

Serving

Serve keftedes hot with lemon wedges, tzatziki and warm pita as part of a meze spread. For a main meal, add Greek lemon potatoes or rice and a Greek salad.

Leftovers are excellent stuffed into pita with tomato, onion and tzatziki.

Storing Leftovers

Let the keftedes cool, then keep them in an airtight container in the fridge.

Cooked keftedes	up to 3 days
Uncooked, shaped	up to 1 day
Freezer, cooked or raw	up to 3 months

Reheat in the oven at 180 °C for 10 minutes so they stay crisp. The microwave makes them soft.

Keftedes (Greek Meatballs)

Juicy beef meatballs with grated onion, mint, oregano and soaked bread. Pan-fried until crisp, or baked.

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine Greek

Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 15

Chill 30

Total Time 1 5

Servings servings

Calories 420

Equipment

Large mixing bowl
Large frying pan
Tray lined with baking paper
Kitchen paper

Ingredients

Meatballs

500 g beef mince or half beef, half pork
1 onion coarsely grated
2 garlic cloves finely grated
60 g stale white bread crusts removed, about 2 slices
1 egg
2 tbsp fresh mint finely chopped
2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp red wine vinegar or ouzo, optional
1 tsp fine sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

To Cook and Serve

50 g plain flour for dusting
olive oil for shallow frying
1 lemon cut into wedges

Grate the onion rather than chopping it. The juice adds moisture and the pieces disappear into the meat.

For lamb keftedes, swap half the beef for lamb mince and add a little extra mint.

Instructions

Soak the bread in cold water for 1 minute, then squeeze it out firmly and crumble it into a large bowl.
Add the mince, grated onion with its juice, garlic, egg, herbs, oregano, vinegar, salt and pepper. Knead with your hands for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is smooth and slightly sticky.
With wet hands, roll the mixture into balls the size of a walnut, about 30 g each, and flatten them slightly. Put them on a lined tray and chill for 30 minutes.
Roll each meatball lightly in flour and tap off the excess.
Heat 1 cm of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Fry the keftedes in batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deep brown and cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper and serve hot with lemon.