Greek Lemon Meatballs in Lemon Sauce Recipe
These Flavorful Greek Meatballs in Lemon Sauce combine tender, seasoned meatballs with a vibrant and tangy lemon sauce, delivering a deliciously satisfying Mediterranean-inspired meal perfect for weeknight dinners or entertaining guests.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 lb (450g) ground beef (90% lean) or ground lamb
- ½ cup (60g) plain or Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ⅓ cup (15g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ small onion, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Lemon Sauce
- 1 large lemon, zested and juiced (zest divided)
- 1½ cups (360ml) low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Finely chop the onion and parsley, mince the garlic, and zest and juice the lemon, setting aside half of the zest for the sauce.
- Mix Meatball Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, breadcrumbs, egg, parsley, garlic, onion, half the lemon zest, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix gently but thoroughly using clean hands to evenly incorporate all ingredients.
- Shape Meatballs: Wet your hands with water to prevent sticking and shape the mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs, about 1½ inches in diameter. Place them on a plate or baking sheet ready for cooking.
- Brown Meatballs: Heat the olive oil in a 10 to 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs in batches and brown each side for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown. Remove browned meatballs and drain on paper towels.
- Make Lemon Sauce: Reduce the heat to medium and add chicken broth, remaining lemon zest, and lemon juice to the skillet. Scrape up the browned bits from the pan and let the sauce simmer for about 2 minutes to develop flavor.
- Simmer Meatballs: Return the browned meatballs to the skillet, spoon the lemon sauce over them, cover with a lid, and simmer gently for 15 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce thickens slightly.
- Serve: Taste the sauce and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with extra chopped parsley and serve hot alongside your preferred sides such as rice, roasted vegetables, or a fresh salad.
Notes
- For a lighter option, use ground turkey instead of beef or lamb.
- If you don’t have fresh parsley, dried parsley can be used but add less as it’s more concentrated.
- Breadcrumbs can be substituted with gluten-free breadcrumbs to accommodate dietary needs.
- The lemon sauce can be adjusted for more tang by adding extra lemon juice according to taste.
- These meatballs can also be cooked entirely in the oven by baking at 375°F for about 20-25 minutes if you prefer not to brown them in a skillet.
Keywords: Greek meatballs, lemon sauce, Mediterranean recipe, ground beef meatballs, easy dinner, flavorful meatballs, lemon garlic meatballs