Easy, juicy, and full of flavour! Meatballs with marinara sauce are a quick dinner idea that you’ll love adding to your favourite recipes! Keftedes (pronounced Kef-teh-des) are Greek meatballs and a very popular Greek appetizer.

These homemade beef meatballs are served with marinara sauce and topped with crumbled feta cheese and fresh parsley.  Enjoy them as an appetizer on their own or with your favourite pasta, dandelion greens, and pita bread.

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE

• This is the perfect meatball dish to serve as an appetizer with grilled pita bread or as a part of your mezze (appetizer) platter. You really can’t go wrong with this easy recipe for juicy meatballs with delicious homemade marinara sauce.

• Homemade meatballs are so easy to make that you won’t need to buy frozen meatballs again. The combination of lean ground beef, fresh herbs, and a couple of surprise ingredients creates the most tender meatballs.

HOW TO MAKE MARINARA SAUCE: STEP BY STEP

STEP 1: Prep the Ingredients: Peel the white onion and garlic cloves. Finely dice the white onion and garlic.

STEP 2: Cook the Base: In a small saucepan, heat olive oil over low heat. Add the onion and garlic, simmering for 5-10 minutes until softened and fragrant. Stir occasionally to prevent burning.

STEP 3: Deglaze with Wine (Optional): Stir in a splash of white wine, such as Pinot Grigio, Pinot Gris, or Sauvignon Blanc, for added flavour.

STEP 4: Add in the whole plum Italian tomatoes and 1/2 cup of warm water. Break the tomatoes into smaller pieces using a fork. Mix in 2 teaspoons of sugar to reduce the acidity of the tomatoes. Add seasoning salt and dried oregano.

STEP 5: Stir all ingredients and simmer on low to medium heat, uncovered for an hour. Over time, the water will begin to evaporate, and the marinara sauce will thicken. At the end, add in fresh basil.

 

 

HOW TO MAKE GREEK MEATBALLS (KEFTEDES): STEP-BY-STEP

STEP 1: Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F on convection bake.

 

STEP 2: Grate the Onion: Peel a white onion and grate it using the cheese grater side on a box grater. This step adds moisture and flavour to the meatballs (tears included! haha).

 

STEP 3: Prep the Garlic and Herbs: Mince the garlic and finely chop the fresh parsley and mint. Set them aside.

 

STEP 4: Whisk the Egg: Lightly whisk one egg in a large bowl.

 

STEP 5: Combine Ingredients: Add the lean ground beef, olive oil, grated onion, minced garlic, parsley, mint, dried oregano, Worcestershire sauce, yellow mustard, seasoning salt, and lemon juice to the bowl. Mix until well combined.

 

STEP 6: Add Breadcrumbs: Mix in the breadcrumbs using your hands to ensure everything is evenly combined.

 

STEP 7: Add the breadcrumbs and then use your hands to mix all the ingredients.

 

 

STEP 8: Shape the Meatballs: Using your hands, shape the meat mixture into a small round ball similar in size to a golf ball. Repeat the process until all of the mixture is used. This recipe makes approximately 20 meatballs.

STEP 9: Bake the Meatballs: Place the meatballs in a single layer on the baking tray, leaving about half an inch distance in between the meatballs. Bake the meatballs in the preheated oven at 350°F on convection for 25–30 minutes, or until they’re no longer pink inside and reach an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C). For crispier meatballs, place the meatballs on a wire rack set inside a baking sheet to let the oil drip below. If you don’t have a wire rack, baking them directly on a sheet works just as well!

RECIPE TIPS

• It’s a little messy, but use your hands to mix and shape the meatballs. That way, all the ingredients can mix well together, and you’ll have more control over the size and shape of the meatballs.

• Place the meatballs in a single layer on the baking tray and leave about a 1/2-inch space in between. It’s best to keep the size of each meatball the same so that they can cook evenly.

• Start by making the marinara sauce, as it needs about an hour to simmer on low to medium heat. This gives it time to develop its rich, sweet, and flavorful taste while you prepare the meatballs. The longer it cooks, the more flavourful it will be!

• Place a wire rack inside the baking tray so that the oil from the meatballs can drip to the bottom of the pan. A wire rack is optional, but it helps the meatballs stay crispy on the bottom.

• While you can use other meats, such as ground turkey or ground chicken, fattier meats will result in more tender and flavorful meatballs.

How Long Does It Take To Cook Meatballs at 350 Degrees F In The Oven? 

For meatballs the size of a golf ball bake or approximately 1 inch and a half, you’ll need to bake them on convection bake for about 25-30 minutes or until they are no longer pink on the inside. Or until the internal temperature of the meatballs has reached at least 165 F or 74 Celsius.

Is It Better to Bake or Fry Meatballs? 

A couple of advantages to baking meatballs is that you can cook more meatballs at once, so baking meatballs will be more efficient if you’re making a large batch. Plus, you don’t have to worry about oil splattering and getting on you or your countertops. It’s easy to place the meatballs in the oven and then prep a side dish or finish the marinara sauce while the meatballs bake in the oven.

STORING & REHEATING

Cooked meatballs can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days in an airtight container.

How To Reheat Meatballs? 

You can easily reheat meatballs! Just place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and reheat them in the oven for about 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees F or until warmed through.

What To Serve With Meatballs

• Crispy fries
• Greek salad
• Homemade pita bread
• Easy Spaghetti With Meat Sauce (makaronia me kima)
• The Best Creamy Tomato Pasta Sauce
• Baked Salmon With Creamy Dill Mayo
• Traditional Greek Pork Souvlaki Recipe
• Creamy Lemony Greek Meatball Soup (Youvarlakia)