Mediterranean Diet Meatballs Recipe Is Delish (8 Ingredients, 30 Minutes) by Jan Mostrom

Eating foods from the Mediterranean has long been known to be good for us. Foods from the heart-healthy Mediterranean Diet are my favorites to cook and eat. These stuffed Mediterranean meatballs are so delicious and ready in just 30 minutes. The meatball recipe is loaded with protein and good nutrition. And the salty addition of melted feta inside makes just about anything better.

The prep for these high-protein Mediterranean meatballs is so easy, and once you have the meatballs formed it only takes about 15 minutes to bake them. We liked them so much on their own we didn’t even bother with a pasta underneath. (But feel free to try that, too!) They are great on salads, in a sandwich or freeze them to have ready to go on a busy night.

Photo credit (all photos): Jan Mostrom

Here is what you will want to have on hand to make these wonderful high-protein Mediterranean meatballs today: eggs, baby spinach, fresh mint, red onion, garlic, ground turkey or ground chicken, breadcrumbs, salt, black pepper, feta and optional tzatziki sauce. Serve the moist meatballs for dinner, lunch or as appetizers with a dipping sauce and toothpicks.

Cuisine: Mediterranean
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 to 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 to 30 minutes
Servings: 24 (makes about 24 meatballs)

Ingredients

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 4 cups baby spinach, chopped
• 1 small bunch fresh mint, chopped
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 pounds ground turkey or ground chicken
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 2/3 cup feta, crumbled
• tzatziki sauce, for serving (optional)

Here's how to make it: 

1. Add eggs, chopped spinach and mint, onion and garlic to a large mixing bowl. Mix.
   
2. Mix in the ground meat.
   
3. Add the breadcrumbs, salt and pepper (to taste) and feta. (You can substitute almond flour or gluten-free breadcrumbs to make this a gluten-free recipe. I made my own gluten-free breadcrumbs from a leftover loaf of bread.)
   
4. Mix together well.
   
5. Roll into meatballs and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. I made 24 good-sized meatballs.
   
6. Bake in a preheated 400-degree F oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the meat is cooked to a temperature of 165 degrees F.
   
7. Serve alone, on top of pasta or a salad, or drizzled with tzatziki sauce. Store the meatballs in the refrigerator for up to five days or freeze them to keep for up to a month in an airtight container.
   

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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