How do I know when the meatballs are done?

The easiest way to know when the meatballs are done is to use a meat thermometer. If the center and internal temperature is at 165 or higher, then they are done. Otherwise, you can cut one in half and check to see if the inside is still pink.

Do I need to cook my meatballs in the oven?

No, you can also sear them on a pan on each side, and add 1/2 cup of water and let them braise until they're finished. Alternatively, you could air fry the meatballs for 12-15 minutes at 400F.

Turkey and Beef Greek Meatball Bowls

Name: Turkey and Beef Greek Meatball Bowls
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: global
Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef; 1 lb ground turkey; 2 teaspoons kosher salt; 1 teaspoon paprika; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon ground coriander; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 2 eggs; 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs; 1/4 cup chopped dill; Freshly ground black pepper; 1/2 lemon (1 tablespoon of juice, 1/4 lemon zested); 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 yellow onion, diced; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 4 cups curly kale (pre-chopped for convenience); 1 cup fresh peas (frozen works too); 1 teaspoon kosher salt; Freshly ground black pepper; 2 cups chicken stock; 1 cup water; 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt; 2 tablespoons mayo (optional); 1 tablespoon chopped dill; 1/4 lemon (1 tablespoon juice), save the remaining half of the lemon to wedge for garnish; 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt; Black pepper; 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Description

These greek meatball bowls are made with juicy and tender turkey and beef meatballs, a lemon oregano rice pilaf, and a 5 minute tzatziki. This recipe will show you how to make all three in under 45 minutes for a meal that anyone will love!

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Meatballs:

1 lb ground beef
1 lb ground turkey
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 eggs
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped dill
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 lemon (1 tablespoon of juice, 1/4 lemon zested)

For the Rice Pilaf:

1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups curly kale (pre-chopped for convenience)
1 cup fresh peas (frozen works too)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup water

For Easy Homemade 5-minute Tzatziki:

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons mayo (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped dill
1/4 lemon (1 tablespoon juice), save the remaining half of the lemon to wedge for garnish
1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 Persian cucumber, shredded

For the Bowl:

4 Persian cucumbers
1 lemon, cut into wedges

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Dice the onion, garlic, and dill.
Heat a large pan on medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, diced yellow onion, and a big pinch of salt. Saute for 3-4 minutes, then add chopped kale and another big pinch of salt. Saute until slightly wilted (about 2 minutes), then add minced garlic and dried oregano. Stir, then add green peas.
Wash and drain jasmine rice, add to the pan with a large pinch of kosher salt. Stir, then add chicken broth and water. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, turn off the heat and let sit for 10 minutes with the cover on.
Preheat the oven to 400F. As the rice pilaf cooks, assemble the meatballs. Mix all meatball ingredients (except olive oil) in a bowl. Scoop mixture onto a baking sheet (about 2 tablespoons per ball) and round smooth. Space meatballs 1″ apart, then drizzle olive oil over them.
Bake for 13-16 minutes, until the tops are golden brown.
While meatballs cook, make tzatziki. Shred cucumber, toss with a pinch of salt. In a bowl or jar, add yogurt, mayo, salt, garlic powder, pepper, lemon juice, and dill. Squeeze water out of cucumber and add to the jar. Mix and adjust seasoning to taste.
Plate pilaf with 3-4 meatballs, a lemon wedge, and fresh dill. In a separate container, add 2 scoops of tzatziki and fresh cucumber slices.

Equipment

Global Vegetable Knife

Buy Now →

Notes

Tip 1 – For the lemon oregano rice pilaf, make sure to lower the heat after adding the chicken broth and water. Cooking the rice on low heat helps get that nice fluffy texture, and prevents the rice from sticking to the bottom of your pan.

Tip 2 – Don’t skip the panko breadcrumbs in the meatballs, as this helps absorb the juices and fats from the meatballs, and prevents the juices from seeping out while cooking in the oven. Another trick to keeping the meatball juices inside is to cook them until they are just done (try not to overcook). You know this by using a meat thermometer (165F), or by breaking one open to see if it’s still pink.

Tip 3 – Squeeze the water out of the shredded cucumber to ensure the tzatziki doesn’t get too watery. If you don’t immediately see any water from the cucumber, toss it with a pinch of salt and wait 5 minutes.

Tip 4 – You can make the meatball mixture and form them ahead of time (up to 3 days before you cook them).

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Easy gourmet
Method: Stovetop, oven
Cuisine: global