Description
A flavorful and nutritious Greek Meatball Bowl featuring tender ground beef or lamb meatballs, fluffy rice, fresh veggies, and creamy homemade tzatziki sauce. Perfect for a wholesome Mediterranean-inspired meal that’s easy to prepare and packed with vibrant tastes.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Meatballs:
- 1 pound ground beef or lamb
- 1/4 cup grated red onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or mint
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (for cooking)
For the Bowls:
- 2 cups cooked white or brown rice
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
- Lemon wedges for serving
For the Tzatziki Sauce:
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cucumber, grated and squeezed dry
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Make the tzatziki sauce: In a small bowl, mix together the Greek yogurt, grated cucumber, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and dill. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve to allow flavors to meld.
- Prepare the meatball mixture: In a large bowl, combine ground beef or lamb, grated red onion, minced garlic, breadcrumbs, egg, chopped parsley, chopped dill or mint, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Mix gently until just combined to keep meatballs tender.
- Form and cook meatballs: Shape the mixture into small meatballs, about 1 tablespoon each. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add meatballs in batches, cooking and turning occasionally until browned on all sides and cooked through, about 8–10 minutes total.
- Assemble the bowls: Divide cooked rice evenly among 4 bowls. Top each with cooked meatballs, cherry tomatoes, diced cucumber, sliced red onion, Kalamata olives, and crumbled feta cheese. Add a generous dollop of tzatziki sauce on top.
- Serve: Garnish with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over the bowl just before eating, enhancing the fresh Mediterranean flavors.
Notes
- For meal prep, store cooked components separately and assemble just before serving to maintain freshness.
- Substitute ground turkey or chicken for a leaner meatball option if preferred.
- Add a side of hummus or pita chips to enhance texture and flavor variety.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Greek
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
