Greek Meatballs (Biftekia)

These Greek Meatballs (Biftekia) are my own spin on a classic Greek BBQ recipe. They’re juicy, flavorful, and make an amazing appetizer!

I love how effortless these are to make. Especially if they’re oven baked, although you get a nice char on them if you make them on the bbq. They’re super tasty, juicy and bite sized which makes them easy to serve to a crowd! I love serving them with a side salad and some pita.

These Biftekia are a family recipe. They’re part of my childhood memories and I hope they mean as much to Zoe as they did to me. I’m so excited to share them and for you guys to try them!

By the way, I have some really delicious Greek recipes on the site. These would go really well with my Greek Feta Fries which are also oven baked. A simple Greek Salad is also delicious with these as is my Greek Pitas! I have a longer list at the bottom of the post!

How do I serve Greek Meatballs?

Greek meatballs are commonly BBQed or pan fried. You get a nice crust cooking them that way especially on the BBQ where they char a little while they cook, giving them a nice flavor.

But I love baking these in the oven because you don’t have to stand over a hot flame while they cook. The oven perfectly bakes them while you can multi-task making a salad or some pita. Serve these on their own, serve them with tzatziki, or even as appetizers with toothpicks! They’re a great recipe for a weeknight meal or making ahead of time, in bulk to serve to a crowd!

Ingredients You Need To Make Bifetkia

Note: the whole recipe, including the ingredient quantities, can be found at the bottom of this page – just scroll down to the bottom, or click the ‘Jump to Recipe’ button at the top of this post.

• Red onion – I like using red onion for its sweetness. You can use 1/2 a white or brown onion instead. The onion in this recipe adds moisture and helps make these meatballs ultra-juicy!
• Pork mince – the beauty about this recipe is that you can use any type of mince you like! Chicken, Beef, Turkey or Lamb! I often use leaner mince. 10% fat 90% meat.
• Garlic cloves – freshly minced is best!
• Breadcrumbs – you can use regular breadcrumbs, I used panko because I always have it in my kitchen.
• Oregano – I used dried. You can use Italian herb mix for a bit of extra flavor if you like, it has oregano in it as well as other Mediterranean herbs.
• Dill – Mint is what people commonly use in Biftekia, but I used dill because I like the flavor better in these.
• Egg – I used a large egg.
• Parsley – I used curly parsley.
• Olive oil – if using beef mince, add 1 tbsp of olive oil. You won’t need this for pork or lamb mince.
• Salt – I used fine salt.
• Black pepper – to taste.

How to make Greek Meatballs!

1. Grate the onion
2. Add the remaining ingredients into the
3. Mix together
4. Use an ice cream scoop to roll into balls
5. Place on a baking tray
6. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.

Tips and Tricks For Recipe Success!

• That grated onion is what keeps these juicy as they bake so don’t skip it! Alternatively, you can soak a couple slices of stale bread in some crushed tomato, about 1/2 cup and add them to the mince.
• Use a low-fat ratio of mince for this recipe. They add less rubbish to it and less fat which means you get more meat.
• You’ll get better flavor and quality buying your meat at a butcher than the rubbish at supermarkets. It costs more, but supermarkets add things to their mince to make it last longer so it’s often not as fresh as a reputable butcher’s mincemeat. Same goes with chicken and fish.

Frequently Asked Questions about Greek Meatballs

What do they taste like?

These are flavorful and use traditional Greek flavors like oregano, and dill. They’re juicy because of the grated onion which also helps give them loads of flavor with a slight sweetness.

How do I store this?

Once baked, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Can I make these bigger?

Yes! Just make sure they’re fully cooked in the center. They’ll need a little longer in the oven, maybe 5-10 minutes. You can even use this recipe to make burgers or you could give my Greek Lamb Burgers a go!!

How do I make the yogurt sauce?

You can serve these with tzatziki, or make a really quick version by mixing 1 cup of Greek yogurt, 1 garlic clove crushed, 1/4 tsp salt, 1 tbsp olive oil and some freshly chopped dill in a bowl.

Gave this a go? Don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! Hungry for more? Join me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and TikTok for more great recipes!

Looking for more Greek recipes?

• Greek Lamb Burgers

• Easy Greek Tzatziki Recipe

• Greek Chicken Gyro

• Delicious Greek Slow Roasted Lamb

• Greek Chicken Gyro

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @thescranline on Facebook and Instagram!