Mediterranean Meatballs with Homemade Tzatziki (Gluten-Free)
Beef and lamb meatballs with feta, fresh parsley and warm spices, baked and served with homemade tzatziki and a simple Greek salad. Makes 24 to 28.
A cozy, nourishing Sunday dinner made with fresh, real ingredients.
Lately, James and I have started a new tradition: slow, intentional Sunday dinners made from whatever catches our eye at the farmers market. It’s a chance to wind down, reconnect, and cook food that feels as good as it tastes. One weekend the gentleman I buy our meat from had lamb available, and immediately Mediterranean meatballs were on the menu.
This recipe is full of flavor and built on ingredients I love: grass-fed and finished beef, lamb, an organ-meat blend (yes, really), and fresh herbs. Paired with a creamy homemade tzatziki and a crisp Greek salad, it’s equal parts comforting and energizing, and one we come back to all summer long.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Plenty of protein. Two pounds of meat across 24 to 28 meatballs makes a filling main course.
- Real ingredients, no fillers. The egg and cheese bind the meatballs, so there are no breadcrumbs and the recipe is naturally gluten-free.
- Made for leftovers. This batch is generous and reheats well, which makes it perfect for meal prep or for company.
A note on the ingredients
Grass-fed beef with an organ blend. I buy from a local farmer and, when it’s available, use a ground beef blend that includes a small proportion of organ meat. Organ meats are concentrated sources of vitamin A, B12 and iron, and blending them into ground beef is the easiest way I’ve found to eat them. Plain ground beef works exactly the same in this recipe.
Full-fat Greek yogurt. Thick, whole-milk yogurt gives the tzatziki its body and a little tang, and it’s a good source of protein. Strained yogurt labeled “live and active cultures” will also contain live bacteria, though how much that matters is an open question and not the reason to use it here. The reason is that it tastes right.
The recipe
Mediterranean Meatballs with Homemade Tzatziki (Gluten-Free)
Ingredients
For the meatballs
For the tzatziki
For the Greek side salad
For the lemon honey vinaigrette
Method
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the beef, lamb, onion, egg, mozzarella, feta, parsley, salt, pepper, paprika, thyme, garlic powder, cumin and honey. Mix until fully combined.
- Optional but helpful: cover and refrigerate the mixture for 2 to 4 hours so it firms up and is easier to shape.
- Roll into medium meatballs and arrange on a baking sheet.
- Bake at 425°F for 25 to 30 minutes, until browned and cooked through (165°F in the center).
- While the meatballs bake, make the tzatziki: combine the cucumber, yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, dill, mint and salt in a bowl and stir well. Chill until ready to serve, then top with a drizzle of olive oil and extra herbs if you like.
- For the salad, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, olives and feta. Shake or whisk the vinaigrette ingredients until emulsified and toss with the salad just before serving.
- Serve the meatballs hot with a generous spoonful of tzatziki and the salad on the side.
Notes
- This recipe is naturally gluten-free because the cheese and egg hold the meatballs together with no breadcrumbs. Check that your feta and any packaged spices are labeled gluten-free if you need to be strict.
- If you squeeze excess water out of the grated cucumber before mixing, the tzatziki stays thicker.
- Also good in lettuce wraps, over cauliflower rice, or in a bowl with roasted vegetables and quinoa.
Storage
- Cooked meatballs keep covered in the fridge for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Tzatziki keeps 2 to 3 days.
From wellnesswithtia.com/2025/06/16/healthy-mediterranean-meatballs-with-homemade-tzatziki-gluten-free-option/ · © Tia Ebeling
