Best Keftedes Recipes

MARGARET'S KEFTEDES (GREEK MEATBALLS)

Steps:

• Moisten the bread pieces with the milk in a large bowl, and set aside. Mince the garlic in a food processor, then add the onion, mint, salt, and pepper. Process until the onion is finely chopped. Add the onion mixture to the bowl with the moist bread, along with the beef, lamb, and eggs. Mix with your hands until thoroughly blended.
• Roll the mixture into balls measuring 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter. Place the flour in a shallow pan, and roll the balls in the flour to coat. Shake off any excess flour, and place the meatballs onto a plate or baking sheet, pressing to flatten slightly. This will keep them from rolling away.
• Heat 1 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs, 8 or 10 at a time, and cook until nicely browned on the outside, and no longer pink in the center, about 10 minutes; drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with remaining meatballs.

KEFTEDES - GREEK MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Place the lemon juice in a large bowl. Coarsely grate the potatoes into the lemon juice, stirring well to prevent browning. Stir in the ground beef, onion, bread crumbs, parsley, mint, cinnamon, lemon zest, eggs, and salt and pepper. Mix well, and shape into oblong balls about 1 inch thick and 2 inches wide.
• Place meatballs in hot oil in batches; do not crowd. Fry until golden brown, and cooked through, about 6 to 7 minutes per batch. Serve with lemon wedges.

KEFTEDES: GREEK MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Dunk bread quickly in milk and press the liquid out to dampen the bread.
• Combine the beef, bread, onion, garlic, oregano, mint, vinegar, eggs, nutmeg, salt, and pepper in a bowl and mix well. Take a large spoon of the mixture and roll into a ball until all the mixture has been rolled.
• In a saute pan, add the olive oil and bring it to 360-degrees F for frying. Dust the balls in flour and add to the oil. Brown on all sides, leaving room in the pan to roll them around. Pull from the pan and drain on paper towels.
• Serve with pita and cucumber yogurt sauce.
• Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

GREEK MEATBALLS IN AVGOLEMONO SAUCE (KEFTEDES ME AVGOLEMONO)

Steps:

• Meatballs:.
• Apart from the flour and the vegetable oil, mix all the other ingredients together well.
• Make medium-size balls from the mixture.
• Roll the balls in flour and then deep fry them for approximately 15 minutes.
• Sauce:.
• In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat the oil, then add the flour and stir well for 3 minutes.
• Add 1 litre water and mix well.
• Add the meatballs and simmer for 30 minutes, until the sauce is slightly thick.
• Beat the egg yolk thoroughly.
• Add the lemon juice to the egg and keep beating.
• Add 5-6 tablespoons of the sauce to the egg & lemon mixture and stir well.
• Add this mixture to the meatballs in the sauce, shake the pan and remove from the heat.
• Serve with a sprinkling of pepper and fresh mint on top.

KEFTEDES (MEATBALLS)

Steps:

• Put the ground beef in a large bowl and add the grated onion and bread. Mix thoroughly, being careful not to overmix. Add the eggs, mint, oregano, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly. Be careful not to overmix.
• Refrigerate the meatball mixture for 30 minutes. Form into golf ball-size meatballs, flatten and coat both sides lightly with flour. In batches, fry the meatballs over medium to medium-high heat in a large pan with the oil until golden brown and cooked through, 2-5 minutes per side.

ZUCCHINI KEFTEDES WITH FETA AND DILL

Steps:

• Grate zucchini on large holes of box grater onto clean kitchen towel. Sprinkle zucchini with 1 teaspoon coarse salt; let stand at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
• Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment or foil. Wrap zucchini in towel; squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Place zucchini in medium bowl. Mix in green onions, 3 tablespoons chopped dill, mint, garlic, lemon peel, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Gently stir in panko and egg, then feta. Using 2 tablespoons zucchini mixture for each, shape mixture into 1 3/4- to 2-inch-diameter patty; place on baking sheet. Chill at least 1 hour. DO AHEAD: can be made 4 hours ahead. Keep chilled.
• Pour enough canola oil into heavy large skillet to reach depth of 1/4 inch; heat over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add patties to skillet. Cook until golden and cooked through, adjusting heat if browning too quickly, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Using slotted metal spoon, transfer to paper towels.
• Arrange keftedes on platter. Top each with dollop of yogurt. Sprinkle each with dill. Serve warm or at room temperature.

SWEET AND SPICY GREEK MEATBALLS (KEFTEDES ME SALTSA DOMATA)

Steps:

• For the meatballs: In a large bowl, mix together the lamb, couscous, scallions, garlic, egg, parsley, olive oil, mint, oregano, salt, cumin, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper. Form the mixture into 15 to 16 (2-inch diameter) meatballs.
• For the sauce: Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook until brown on all sides, about 6 minutes. Add the marinara sauce, cinnamon sticks, and ground cinnamon. Bring the sauce to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, turning occasionally, until the meatballs are cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Discard the cinnamon sticks. Transfer the meatballs and sauce to a large bowl and serve.

GREEK PORK MEATBALLS: PORK KEFTEDES

Steps:

• Combine the ground pork and onion in a mixing bowl. Add the tomato, mint, salt, and pepper, and knead well for 3 minutes to combine. Pour in the milk and continue kneading until the liquid is completely absorbed. If the mixture is so loose that the keftedes do not retain their shape, add a few tablespoonfuls of plain fine bread crumb. Cover the mixing bowl and refrigerate the mixture for at least 1 hour or up to 6 hours, so that the flavors meld.
• To form, season the flour with salt and pepper, and spread out on a large plate. Have a second, clean plate ready. Take a tablespoonful at a time of the meat mixture and form into a small ball, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Roll in the flour and shake in the palm of your hand to remove the excess flour. Place the dredged meatball on the clean plate. Continue with the remaining mixture until all the meatballs are shaped.
• To fry, heat about 1-inch of olive oil or other oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Using a tablespoon or small spatula, gently place as many meatballs as will fit in the pan without crowding. Fry them, turning once or twice so that all sides are browned. Remove, drain slightly on paper towels, and serve, either hot or at room temperature. The meatballs may be made several hours ahead and stored, covered, at room temperature.

KEFTEDES WITH RED SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place bread crumbs on cookie sheet and place in oven on center rack. Toss bread crumbs every couple of minutes, for about 5 to 7 minutes. Set aside to cool. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a saute pan over medium-low heat. Add onions, cumin, and season with salt and pepper. Saute onions until transparent, stirring occasionally about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat, set aside and cool. Place sliced bread in a bowl and add milk to cover. Soak until bread becomes soft, pressing on bread to absorb liquid. Drain excess milk. In a mixing bowl, combine ground meats and Sauteed onion with garlic, parsley, egg and milk-soaked bread. Work mixture with your hands until ingredients are well combined. Add toasted bread crumbs a bit at a time, thoroughly mixing with each addition. The meat mixutre should be moist to the touch, but not wet. Form meat into small balls about 1-inch in diameter. Set a large, heavy bottomed saute pan over medium heat and add the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Heat until oil is hot, but not smoking. Cook meatballs, turning, until all sides are browned, about 5 minutes. Move meatballs from heat and drain on paper towels.;
• Place a sauce pot over low heat and add olive oil to warm. Add onions and saute, stirring, until translucent, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add cumin and oregano and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper and add red wine. Reduce liquid by half. Crush tomatoes with your hands and add to sauce along with tomato juice. Bring sauce to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Skim sauce to remove any impurities from the top. Add chicken stock, stir to combine, and add meatballs. Cook 25 to 30 minutes, uncovered.
• To serve, plate 4 meatballs per person, sprinkled with additional cumin, fresh parsley and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

KEFTEDES ( GREEK MEATBALLS)

Steps:

• Skin the tomato and crush in blender.
• Add to meat, mixing well.
• Add remainder of ingredients except the flour and oil; mix lightly but thoroughly.
• Form into small ( about the diameter of a quarter) balls and roll lightly in flour.
• Fry in hot oil until evenly browned; drain on paper toweling.
• Serve hot as an appetizer.
• May be made ahead; refrigerate until ready to serve, then reheat in a 350 degree oven for 15- 20 minutes, or until heated through.
• May be frozen; defrost and reheat in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes, or until heated through.

KEFTEDES

Steps:

• Break the baguettes into pieces, then grind the baguettes into crumbs in a food processor. Add the onions and parsley and mix again.
• Whisk all the eggs in a bowl. Add the pomace oil, salt, pepper and 1/8 cup water to the eggs. Add to the food processor, then turn on to low speed for 3 minutes. Mix this mixture and the garlic into the beef by hand in a bowl. Form into 2-ounce meatballs.
• Bring oil to 375 degrees F in a deep-fryer.
• Dredge the meatballs in flour and deep-fry for 5 1/2 minutes.

KEFTEDES

Steps:

• Meatballs: Mix all ingredients. Form into 3 inch oval meatballs. Grill over charcoal for 30 minutes. Cinnamon-Tomato Sauce: Melt butter in saute pan. Add garlic. Allow to brown. Add tomato sauce and stir thoroughly. Add cinnamon stick and let simmer for 30 minutes. *Excellent with side of orzo