Greek Meatballs with Tzatziki

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   MAKE THE TZATZIKI FIRST: Grate the cucumber on the large holes of a box grater. Place in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible - this is essential or your tzatziki will be watery. In a bowl, combine the drained cucumber with Greek yogurt, 1 clove minced garlic, chopped dill, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate while you make the meatballs - it tastes better when the flavors have time to meld.

2. 2

   PREHEAT THE OVEN: Preheat to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease with olive oil.

3. 3

   MIX THE MEATBALL MIXTURE: In a large bowl, combine ground lamb, ground beef, egg, remaining 2 cloves minced garlic, chopped mint, oregano, cumin, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper. Mix with your hands until just combined - don't overmix or the meatballs will be dense and tough.

4. 4

   FORM THE MEATBALLS: Wet your hands slightly to prevent sticking. Roll the mixture into 1.5-inch balls (about 1 heaping tablespoon each). You should get about 16-18 meatballs. Place on the prepared baking sheet with a little space between each one.

5. 5

   BAKE THE MEATBALLS: Bake 18-20 minutes until the meatballs are browned on the outside and cooked through - the internal temperature should reach 160°F (71°C). The lamb fat will render out, creating some browning on the bottom.

6. 6

   SERVE: Arrange meatballs on a platter with the chilled tzatziki for dipping. Garnish with extra fresh mint and dill if desired. Great served with warm pita bread (GF version), Greek salad, or over rice.