Greek Turkey Meatballs with Cucumber Mint Sauce
Easy authentic grilled Greek Turkey Meatballs with Cucumber Mint Sauce. A healthy and flavorful appetizer that will wow your guests this summer. Paired with homemade tzatziki.
Within this recipe post you’ll make healthy Greek turkey meatballs that could easily pass for authentic gyro meat. Plus you’ll learn why you add eggs to the meatballs, surprisingly it’s not to moisten them.
When you think of grilling I’m sure certain meats come to mind. One that may or may not be on the top of that list is turkey. With this Grilled Greek Turkey Meatballs recipe that’s about to change.
It’s not only the standard ingredient in Fall and holiday recipes, it’s wonderful year round. Ground turkey lends itself to meatballs and has a unique flavor ideal for a Greek themed dished. You might even fool your guest into thinking these were authentic gyro meatballs.
Ingredients in Greek meatballs
- Distinct flavors like cumin, cucumber, mint and lemon gives it a fresh flavor, and keeps them healthy with natural ingredients
- Egg and a bit of bread crumbs holds them together and adds moistness.
- To make threm even more authentic serve with the cucumber tzatziki sauce in this recipe
Pro tip: Cooking meatballs on the grill creates crisp, charred edges paired with a juicy, tender center.
Grilled Greek turkey meatballs are a perfect appetizer and party food.
Use a food processor to easily blend together ingredients for the cucumber mint sauce.
Why do you add eggs and breadcrumbs to meatballs?
Why do you add eggs and breadcrumbs to meatballs?Eggs are commonly mixed into ground turkey (or other meats) to make meatballs or meatloaf, but why? A common misconception is it adds moisture. Eggs make them slightly more dense, as eggs are a protein that hardens as it cooks. Therefore they act as a binder to hold the ingredients together.
What softens and moistens meatballs is breadcrumbs, which create spaces and soft spots between the meat that soak up liquids and allows them to fluff up as it cooks.
Greek Turkey Meatballs recipe at-a-glance:
Difficulty: Medium
Flavor profiles: Meaty and savory paired with minty sauce.
Texture: Chewy, tender and moist.
Dietary options/substitutions: For gluten-free use GF bread crumbs
Leave a comment below and star rating if you made this recipe or want to share your thoughts.
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Greek Turkey Meatballs with Cucumber Mint Sauce
Ingredients
Greek Turkey Meatballs
- 1.25 pounds ground turkey
- 1 egg
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs, or sub gluten-free
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 green onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Cucumber Mint Sauce
- ½ cup shredded cucumber
- 3 cups fresh mint leaves
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 large garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 2 green onions
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Greek Turkey Meatballs
- Preheat grill to medium heat. In a large bowl combine all meatball ingredients; it’s easiest to mix together by hand. Roll mixture into 12-15 roughly 1.5 inch balls.
- Lightly grease grill and place meatballs in center about 1 inch apart. Cook 10-15 minutes, rotating as needed. Meatballs should reach an internal temperature of at least 165° F and have browned grill marks on outside. Remove from grill and serve with both sauces.
Cucumber Mint Sauce
- Place shredded cucumber in a strainer and press down firmly to remove liquid. Pulse cucumber and remaining ingredients in a food processor until well blended, scraping sides as necessary.
- ½ cup shredded cucumber
- 1 cup plain greek yogurt
- 1 clove minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- Place shredded cucumber in a strainer and press down firmly to remove liquid.
- Stir together cucumber and remaining ingredients in a medium bowl.
Wow so delicious! I’m sure my kids would love it, thanks for sharing.
I bet they would! Thanks for the feedback.
how far ahead can you make the meatballs/sauce? does the green keep or go brown at a certain point?
Hi Kim. You could prep the meatballs a day or two early then cook, or they would be fine a few days once cooked. I’m not sure on the sauce, but there’s a good amount of lemon so the acid should prevent it from browning.
These look so good. Meatballs are a favorite of mine. A healthier version is ALWAYS welcomed 🙂
HOLY YUM! That cucumber mint sauce sounds to die for, and your photos are absolutely stunning. It is hard to make meatballs look this good!
These look so good! I love turkey meatballs and almost always make that kind. The dipping sauce sounds very tasty. A Greek salad on the side would be perfect.
LOVE the Greek flavors in these. So yummy and full of tons of flavor.
Sumptuously! It seems you love to cook 🙂 Your sauce is a potential hit!
This sounds so delicious! I love Greek food and the Cucumber Mint sauce sounds delicious!
xo Brie
YUM these look so good.
We love making a variety of flavors of meatballs, but that cucumber mint sauce looks too good to pass! Wonder what else I could add it to…???
This sound absolutely delicious! Our family is turkey and chicken eaters so this is right up our alley! I love the hear that this product is antibiotic free and is raising the birds responsibly because that is a huge factor for me. Thanks for sharing
This looks so amazing. I am a huge appetizer lover! Something about serving up a variety of dishes to my guests is just so fun. I need to try this!
What delicious-looking meatballs! My husband and I entertain a lot, and I’m always looking for new recipes to wow our guests. Your recipes are always beautiful, flavorful and unique, and you make them easy for your readers to reproduce. I absolutely LOVE that about your blog. I’ve just pinned the top image to a group recipe board to share the love! And as I go shopping for ingredients I will be searching out the Honeysuckle White turkey brand that you’ve recommended. 🙂
Looks so yummy! I must try your recipe. I absolutely LOVE Greek food and Greek flavors.
Yum! This is one of my favorite flavor profiles, yet I’ve never thought to serve at a party. But I will now!
I saw Greek and had to check it out. Mint sauce and meatballs sound delicious. Your tazatiki sauce is similar to what I make.
Parties and food blogging are a challenge…especially after that first glass of wine! These sound like a nice dinner change up!
I love little nibbles like meatballs. I especially love cucumber mint sauce, so this is right up my alley!
My OH is a Meatball-aholic. I’m serious, if he could get away with it, we would have meatballs every night. He is going to LOVE this, and I’m really digging that mint sauce. Great recipe! I can’t wait to share this one!
Marvelous combination of flavors – cumin in the meatballs and that sauce! And I never thought of grilling meatballs – interesting.
First time for me too but adds a lovely flavor. Thanks Anne!
This is the whole package! You are actually right i have never thought of grilling turkey meat, amazing recipe, can’t wait to try
I works so well and the Honeysuckle turkey with cumin tastes exactly like a Greek dish! Thanks Khadija!
Sounds cool!
Thanks Gunjan!
YUM! That mint sauce sounds sooooo good!
It totally is!!! Thanks Trish!