Keftedes (Beef and Pork Meatballs with Garlic-Yogurt Sauce)
By Leah ColinsPublished on August 27, 2026
Time
1 hour
Yield
Serves 6
Ingredients
For Garlic-Yogurt Sauce
1 cup plain Greek yogurt 2 tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint 2 garlic cloves, mincedFor Keftedes
2 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into 1-inch pieces ⅓ cup plain whole-milk yogurt 2 tablespoons water 3 scallions, minced¼ cup minced fresh mint, dill, and/or cilantro 1 large egg 2 garlic cloves, minced2 teaspoons ground cumin 1¼ teaspoons table salt, divided¼ teaspoon pepper ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon 1 pound 93 percent lean ground beef 1 pound ground pork 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1½ pounds zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut on bias into 2- to 3-inch lengthsInstructions
- Combine 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, and 2 minced garlic cloves in bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 4 days.)
- Mash 2 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into 1-inch pieces; ⅓ cup plain whole-milk yogurt; and 2 tablespoons water in large bowl to make smooth paste. Stir in 3 minced scallions, ¼ cup minced mint, 1 large egg, 2 minced garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons cumin, 1 teaspoon table salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon. Add 1 pound ground beef and 1 pound ground pork and knead with hands until uniformly combined. Pinch off and roll mixture into 2-inch round meatballs (about 26 meatballs total). Transfer meatballs to large plate, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, 15 to 30 minutes.
- Heat 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add meatballs and cook, gently shaking skillet and turning meatballs as needed, until browned on all sides and cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer meatballs to serving platter.
- Add 1½ pounds zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut on bias into 2- to 3-inch lengths, to fat left in skillet, cut side down, and sprinkle with remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook over medium-high heat, turning as needed, until tender and deep golden brown, 6 to 10 minutes. Serve meatballs with zucchini and yogurt sauce.
for the sauce
for the keftedes
Time
1 hourYield
Serves 6Ingredients
Ingredients
Ingredients
Why This Recipe Works
Platters of keftedes are standard fare on a Greek meze spread; the well-spiced meatballs provide welcomed savory bites among all the fresh dishes. This recipe pairs the keftedes with a creamy yogurt sauce as well as generous planks of zucchini. Different versions of the meatballs call for ground lamb, beef, or pork or a combination. Here, we use equal parts beef and pork. A healthy dose of garlic, scallions, warm spices, and fresh herbs rounded out the flavor profile. Mashing yogurt, water, and torn bread pieces together created a panade to bind the meatballs for easier shaping and for keeping them tender. To flavor the zucchini, we seared the planks in the fat rendered from the meatballs.
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