Lamb and Mint (Greek Style) Meatballs are a delicious, versatile dish that can be enjoyed by the whole family. Tender and juicy, these Greek lamb meatballs can be eaten with a variety of sides like pita bread and fresh salad (the perfect spread!) or couscous and vegetables. They’re flavourful enough to eat plain, but tzatziki sauce drizzled over makes them even better! These easy lamb meatballs make the perfect lunch, dinner or even lunchbox food.
I’ve written before of my love of meatballs in my Vietnamese-Style Pork Meatballs recipe (check it out for another meatball recipe packing lots of flavour!). Meatballs are a guaranteed-to-be-eaten meal with our kids. They’re easy to make, easy to bake and so versatile! Baking is a great way to cook meatballs, and for me is a given – I very rarely fry them. With two small children there’s just no time for that, and baking is a healthier alternative anyway. These Lamb and Mint (Greek Style) Meatballs stay wonderfully moist when baked. Whilst some people prefer a crisp exterior on their meatballs, baking them makes them easier for little people to eat too.
Meatballs for toddlers
Homemade meatballs are the perfect finger-food meal for toddlers! They can actually be served to babies from 6 months old if prepared properly – making your own is a great way to control the size, sodium levels and texture of the meatballs. They’re easy for toddlers to eat, as you can shape or chop them to the appropriate size. I either have to make extra-large meatballs or chop them once cooked for Baby LJ, as he persistently tries to fit whole meatballs in his mouth only to then not be able to chew 😆. He loves them!
Meatballs can be a choking hazard [1] for babies and toddlers because of this whole-meatball-in-mouth issue, and so serving larger meatballs is best. If serving to young children, make at least 2 inch/ 5cm diameter balls to reduce the risk. Using an ice cream scoop to size them out is really handy! It’s also important that meatballs are soft, to further reduce the risk of choking, and so these moist lamb meatballs are a great option!
Ingredients for Lamb and Mint (Greek Style) Meatballs
This lamb meatball recipe needs just a few simple ingredients:
Lamb mince – I use high quality store-bought lamb mince/ground lamb.
Fresh mint – Fresh mint leaves really lift the flavour of these meatballs. Use fresh herbs if you can! If fresh mint isn’t available, dried mint can be substituted but it just won’t be quite the same 😊.
Onion and garlic – I use brown onion, but any will do really. If substituting fresh garlic clove for minced garlic, then use 1 to 2 teaspoons depending on your love of it.
Bread – Just one slice of bread with the crusts removed adds lightness to this recipe and softens the meatballs. White or wholemeal will work best.
Dried oregano – For added flavour.
White pepper and salt – To taste. Leave out the salt if serving to family under 12 months [2] of age. You can substitute white pepper with black pepper, which has a stronger flavour.
Egg – To bind.
How to make these lamb meatballs
These Greek meatballs are an easy meal to make either in a thermo cooker, food processor or by hand. I use my Thermomix for ease, but you can just as easily make this recipe the conventional way.
Thermomixer? Chop all ingredients except for the lamb mince and egg in your machine. Once finely chopped, add the mince and egg. Pulse a couple of times and you’re ready to roll the meat mixture into balls.
Conventional cook? Use a food processor or blender to finely chop your ingredients, or alternatively do it by hand. Mix it all together in a large mixing bowl until well combined. Then, simply roll the lamb meatball mixture into balls.
Everyone! Bake the meatballs while you assemble your chosen sides (red onion, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, rocket, feta cheese, pita bread, tzatziki?), unless your personal preference is for pan-fried meatballs. To pan fry, just heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and add the meatballs in a single layer. Cook until they are golden, around 2 to 3 minutes per side. Whether baking or pan frying, just be mindful that cooking times may vary a little depending on how large you rolled the meatballs.
See the recipe card below for ingredient amounts and detailed steps for both thermo cooker and conventional methods.
How to serve these meatballs
These Lamb and Mint (Greek Style) Meatballs are a really versatile meal. We love serving them with pita, all the fresh salad items and tzatziki sauce. This makes for an amazing lunch or dinner spread! You can also serve these lamb meatballs with couscous or rice and vegetables. And of course, most kids love meatballs with tomato sauce 😁.
How to store Lamb and Mint Meatballs
Cooked, these lamb meatballs can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If freezing, allow to cool completely before transferring them to a labelled freezer bag. Frozen, they can keep for up to 3 months.
If you try these Lamb and Mint (Greek Style) Meatballs, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you! Then, consider trying chicken meatballs for next time! This Chicken, Lemon and Garlic Meatballs recipe is another meal loved by our family. Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest too for more delicious recipes.
Happy cooking,
Chloe x
Lamb and Mint (Greek Style) Meatballs
Category: Family MainsTap or hover to scale
Ingredients
- 150 g / 1 brown/yellow onion peeled and quartered
- 2 garlic cloves peeled
- 1 slice bread quartered (Note 2)
- 10 g / 1/4 cup packed fresh mint
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp salt for family over 12 months
- 1/2 tsp ground white pepper
- 500 g lamb mince/ground lamb
- 1 egg
Thermo Cooker Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 180° C. Line a baking tray with grease proof paper.
- Put onion, garlic, bread, mint, oregano, salt and pepper into the mixing bowl, and chop 5 seconds, speed 7, MC on. Scrape down the mixing bowl. If large pieces of ingredients remain, chop 2 seconds, speed 7, MC on. Scrape down the mixing bowl.
- Add lamb mince and egg. Using Turbo mode, pulse 4 to 5 times until the mixture combines. Transfer to a bowl.
- Roll lamb mixture into meatballs and place on baking tray. Bake meatballs in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes.
Conventional Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 180° C. Line a baking tray with grease proof paper.
- In a food processor or blender, finely chop the onion, garlic, bread, mint, oregano, salt and pepper.
- Add the lamb mince and egg, and pulse until mixture combines. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Roll lamb mixture into meatballs and place on baking tray. Bake meatballs in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Information
[1] Mutton for Babies, 2023, Solid Starts Inc.
[2] Sodium and babies, 2023, Solid Starts Inc.
