Plant-Based Keftedes and Zucchini with Herb-Yogurt Sauce
By America's Test KitchenPublished on January 31, 2022
Time
50 minutes
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
5 tablespoons minced fresh mint, dill, and/or parsley, divided3 garlic cloves, minced, divided1 teaspoon ground cumin ½ teaspoon table salt, divided⅛ teaspoon pepper ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon 12 ounces plant-based ground meat ½ cup plain plant-based or dairy yogurt 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon juice1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1½ pounds zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut on bias into 2- to 3-inch lengths
Before You Begin
For a more substantial meal, serve with bulgur, couscous, or rice.
Instructions
- Stir ¼ cup mint, two-thirds garlic, cumin, ¼ teaspoon salt, pepper, and cinnamon in large bowl until evenly combined. Break ground meat into small pieces and add to bowl with mint mixture. Gently knead with your hands until mixture is well combined. Using your moistened hands, pinch off and roll meat mixture into 1½-inch meatballs. (You should have 12 meatballs.) Transfer meatballs to plate and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- Whisk yogurt, chives, lemon zest and juice, remaining 1 tablespoon mint, and remaining garlic together in bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 days.
- Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Add meatballs and cook, gently shaking skillet and turning meatballs frequently, until browned on all sides and meatballs register at least 135 degrees, 6 to 9 minutes. Transfer meatballs to clean plate.
- Add zucchini cut side down to fat left in skillet and sprinkle with remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook over medium-high heat, turning zucchini as needed, until tender and deep golden brown, 6 to 10 minutes. Serve meatballs with zucchini and yogurt sauce.
Time
50 minutesYield
Serves 4Ingredients
5 tablespoons minced fresh mint, dill, and/or parsley, divided
3 garlic cloves, minced, divided
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon table salt, divided
⅛ teaspoon pepper
⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 ounces plant-based ground meat
½ cup plain plant-based or dairy yogurt
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1½ pounds zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut on bias into 2- to 3-inch lengths
Ingredients
5 tablespoons minced fresh mint, dill, and/or parsley, divided
3 garlic cloves, minced, divided
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon table salt, divided
⅛ teaspoon pepper
⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 ounces plant-based ground meat
½ cup plain plant-based or dairy yogurt
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1½ pounds zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut on bias into 2- to 3-inch lengths
Ingredients
5 tablespoons minced fresh mint, dill, and/or parsley, divided
3 garlic cloves, minced, divided
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon table salt, divided
⅛ teaspoon pepper
⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 ounces plant-based ground meat
½ cup plain plant-based or dairy yogurt
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1½ pounds zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut on bias into 2- to 3-inch lengths
Why This Recipe Works
Keftedes, herby Greek meatballs traditionally made with lamb, are often served as part of a meze platter with tzatziki. Here, we make them a light main by pairing them with seared zucchini and an herbed yogurt sauce. First we mix plant-based meat with mint, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, salt, and pepper and form the mixture into meatballs. The yogurt sauce is made lemony-bright with both zest and juice; chives add a mild oniony flavor, and more mint ties the flavors of the sauce and meatballs together. After a brief chill to help them keep their shape (frequent turning helps, too), the meatballs take just a few minutes to brown and cook through; searing the zucchini, which we cut on the bias into generous lengths, turns it tender and brown in just a few minutes more.
Before You Begin
For a more substantial meal, serve with bulgur, couscous, or rice.
Instructions
- Stir ¼ cup mint, two-thirds garlic, cumin, ¼ teaspoon salt, pepper, and cinnamon in large bowl until evenly combined. Break ground meat into small pieces and add to bowl with mint mixture. Gently knead with your hands until mixture is well combined. Using your moistened hands, pinch off and roll meat mixture into 1½-inch meatballs. (You should have 12 meatballs.) Transfer meatballs to plate and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- Whisk yogurt, chives, lemon zest and juice, remaining 1 tablespoon mint, and remaining garlic together in bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 days.
- Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Add meatballs and cook, gently shaking skillet and turning meatballs frequently, until browned on all sides and meatballs register at least 135 degrees, 6 to 9 minutes. Transfer meatballs to clean plate.
- Add zucchini cut side down to fat left in skillet and sprinkle with remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook over medium-high heat, turning zucchini as needed, until tender and deep golden brown, 6 to 10 minutes. Serve meatballs with zucchini and yogurt sauce.
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