For years I swore up and down that I did not like oregano. The smell of it used to make me gag. Seriously. In fact, it was one of maybe three food/flavors I didn't like (parsley and strong ginger are still on my “list”) and I was pretty bull-headed about never bringing it into my world. But, as with most things I teach, I like to practice what I preach. And I frequently advise people to try foods and flavors they maybe didn't like in the past, because, over time, your palate may change. Beyond your tastes changing, the way you use certain ingredients and flavors can change vastly. For the longest time, I likely had adverse reactions to foods containing oregano because they were pizza, pasta (sauce), and other gluten-laden foods.
Clearly those foods didn't sit well with me, but lamb sure does! Enter my good friend Tony Kasandrinos, “the olive oil guy.” Last summer he introduced me to his family's olive oil (Kasandrinos Imports) poured generously over a traditional Greek salad: large chunks of chopped cucumber, tomatoes, kalamata olives, sea salt, lemon… and oregano. Oh boy! I honestly could not say no. I had to at least try this salad. And I did. And I liked it.
If this bull (I'm a Taurus, didn't you know?!) can try something new and change her mind, you certainly can. Enjoy this oregano-rich recipe, I sure do!
greek-style lamb meatballs
Yield: 2-3 servings (1 pound of meatballs)
ingredients
- 1 pound of ground lamb (or other ground meat)
- 1 large clove of garlic, minced or grated
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
- 2-3 thin slices of fresh lemon
- 1-2 tablespoons of Kasandrinos Imports extra virgin olive oil
preparation:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In a mixing bowl, combine the ground lamb, garlic, lemon zest, oregano, garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper until the spices are all well incorporated into the meat.
Form the meat into approximately 9-12 meatballs and place into an oven safe dish. Place the lemon slices into the pan on top of some of the meatballs.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked all the way through or is just slightly pink in the center.
Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil over the meatballs upon serving.
These meatballs are fantastic with the tomato & olive salad as a side (add cucumbers to make it a more traditional Greek salad).
Yes, you can enjoy this recipe while on The 21-Day Sugar Detox.
Comments 26
yumm, looks delicious! i have a ton of ground beef in the freezer, i’ll definitely have to try this out!
which one of the olive oils do you like better? the Phileos Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil or the Kotinos Extra Virgin Olive Oil? whats the difference?
I like the Kotinos- it’s milder but VERY bold in flavor. The organic is very spicy and tasty, but it’s too strong for me. I recommend the Kotinos for most people but the other would be fun to have around for special uses. The regular is organic by US standards, just not something they pay to label it as— olive trees in Greece are simply watered. That’s it. Listen to my podcast with Tony on the topic! 🙂
I have all the ingredients ready to make this recipe tomorrow, can’t wait to try it. Thanks!
Hello! I made these the other night and they were fantastic. Who knew lamb was so tender and juicy! The lemon added a nice fresh flavor. Loved them and will definitely make them again.
These are YUMMMMMMMY…I made a bunch w/lamb, and a bunch w/ ground bison. The recipe is quick and easy and is a great alternative to burgers. I just ate them w/ salad, but they’d be great w/ sauces or in a sauteed vegie mix…in fact I”m about to make another batch to have for lunch the next few days.
I just made these for lunch. Super yummy & super easy. I used a combination of turkey, pork sausage, and ground beef. The hint of lemon was really great. Finished it off with organic, local EVOO. Delish!
Love lamb and am definitely going to try these! However I don’t understand why u use garlic powder in your recepies? Why not only fresh garlic? Maybe not understanding this is a European thing – I would definitely not use powder when fresh is available!
I don’t remember why, but I used both! I was feeling quite garlicky that day!
Garlic powder has a different flavor than fresh garlic; it is more mellow and smoky, where fresh garlic is much more pungent, bright, green, and sharp. In roasts and stews and things that are cooked for longer time, garlic powder is lost, and fresh garlic is called for. But for quickly-cooked foods, it’s either, or both (I often use both.)
Yummmm. Made these today with 4 lbs of grass fed lamb that I got for $12.00! (I’m Canadian, trust me that’s cheap) I used fresh oregano from the garden instead of dried. Nice lemon flavours. Ate many for lunch and froze the rest to take to work for lunches.
I used this recipe to make a Greek meatloaf. I added chopped spinach & onions, an egg, and 1/4 cup flax meal for the binder. Opa!
I made these tonight just as the recipe said excerpt I sliced the whole lemon in the skillet. Yum, will make these again.
help! going in the oven soon, do you bake them with lid on or off
Lid? No lid! It would say baked covered if they should be covered 🙂
I’m a life long vegetarian who is trying out paleo for health reasons and this was a great recipe for me. Quick, easy, and very tasty! Thanks! 🙂
I love this post
Oh my. We had these for dinner tonight and they were AMAZING.
I just made these yesterday using a pound of venison and a pound of lamb mixed together. They were amazing!! Even my picky kids who hate lemon gobbled them right up. Somehow we ate all of it between the four of us! I also made the tomato and olive salad (with cucumbers) to go with it, and it was a perfect accompaniment. Thanks, Diane! We’ve loved every one of your recipes so far.
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I was thinking of mixing pork with the lamb for these, do you think it will alter the flavor or be too greasy?
Made these tonight and my hub gave it 3 thumbs up. The first 3 bites he thumbed up. I thought they were tasty and hub says he wants them again, so again they will be.
Author
Yay!! So glad!
I don’t see an oven temperature for baking these. Can anyone help me?
Author
The recipe says how to pre-heat the oven 🙂 That’s your cooking temp!
Making these this evening with Balanced Bites Greek Spice Blend!