Mediterranean Meatball Pita Recipes

KOFTEDES GREEK MEATBALLS

Steps:

• If serving in bowls as suggested in this post, first prepare the Greek salad according to this recipe (dress salad later, if you prefer) and Tzatziki sauce according to this recipe. Set aside or refrigerate for now.
• In a large skillet like this one, heat 2 tbsp Private Reserve olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until golden and translucent, stirring regularly. Transfer the onions and garlic mixture to a large mixing bowl to cool. Set skillet aside for later.
• Wring the excess milk out of the soaked bread. Add the bread to the mixing bowl.
• To the mixing bowl add the ground beef and lamb (or pork), 1 egg, fresh mint, spices, salt and pepper, and 1 tbsp lemon zest. Mix by hand until until mixture is fully incorporated.
• Form the meat mixture into balls (each the size of a heaping tablespoon.) Roll meatballs into the flour to lightly coat and place them on a large tray for now.
• In the large skillet you used earlier, add 1/4 cup Private Reserve olive oil. Heat over medium-high. Turn heat to medium and add the meatballs to cook (do this in batches if you need to.) Cook meatballs for 10 minutes or so, turning occasionally, until fully cooked and well-crusted on all sides.
• With a slotted spoon, remove meatballs from skillet onto paper towels to drain any excess fat. Meanwhile, carefully discard most of the cooking fat from skillet (best to dump into a tin can until cooled). Return skillet to stove-top over medium heat.
• Whisk the 1 egg yolk with the chicken broth and lemon juice. Add to cooking skillet with the remaining lemon zest, then add the meatballs back in. Cook over medium heat for another 5 minutes until the lemon sauce thickens.
• Serve hot in bowls with pita bread, Greek salad and Tzatziki sauce. Or serve in pita pockets as sandwiches, if you prefer.

MEDITERRANEAN KOFTA MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Place onion, parsley, mint, oregano and garlic in bowl of food processor. Pulse until minced. In large bowl, combine herb mixture, lemon pepper, salt, paprika and cumin. Add lamb; mix lightly but thoroughly. With wet hands, shape into 16 balls. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Brown meatballs in batches; drain. Remove and keep warm. Serve meatballs over cooked couscous. Top with yogurt, tomato wedges, and red onion. Garnish with mint leaves and lemon wedges.

SLOW COOKER MEDITERRANEAN MEATBALL PITAS

Steps:

• Spray inside of 4.5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Stir together eggs, bread crumbs, onion, parsley, garlic and spices in large bowl until well combined. Add meat to egg mixture and mix until just combined. Divide and roll meat mixture evenly into 20 meatballs.
• Working in batches, brown meatballs in skillet until browned on all sides. Pour 1 can tomato sauce into bottom of slow cooker. Place meatballs on top of sauce. Pour remaining tomato sauce over meatballs. Cook on LOW 4 hours or HIGH 2 hours.
• To serve: Place 2 meatballs in each pita half and top with some sauce. Top each pita with cheese, parsley and mint.

SLOW COOKER MEDITERRANEAN MEATBALL PITAS

Steps:

• Spray inside of 4.5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Stir together eggs, bread crumbs, onion, parsley, garlic and spices in large bowl until well combined. Add meat to egg mixture and mix until just combined. Divide and roll meat mixture evenly into 20 meatballs.
• Working in batches, brown meatballs in skillet until browned on all sides. Pour 1 can tomato sauce into bottom of slow cooker. Place meatballs on top of sauce. Pour remaining tomato sauce over meatballs. Cook on LOW 4 hours or HIGH 2 hours.
• To serve: Place 2 meatballs in each pita half and top with some sauce. Top each pita with cheese, parsley and mint.

MEDITERRANEAN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine roasted red peppers, bread crumbs, egg product, tomato sauce, basil, parsley, salt, pepper. Add ground beef; mix well. Shape meat mixture into 48 meatballs. Place meatballs in a foil-lined 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Bake about 20 minutes or until done (160 degrees F).

MEDITERRANEAN MEATBALLS IN PITA POCKETS

Steps:

• Toss tomatoes, shallots, and parsley with red wine vinegar, olive oil, and some salt and pepper.
• Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add cooking oil and then meatballs to heated oil. Sear on both sides for 3 minutes each.
• Lower heat to medium, and add chicken stock. Cover pan with lid or foil and cook for another 4 to 6 minutes, until meatballs are done.
• While meatballs cook, mix cucumbers with yogurt and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt.
• Halve pitas on a sheet pan and broil for 2 to 3 minutes.
• When meatballs are done, halve. Place into pita pockets and drizzle with tzatziki. Enjoy with tomato salad on the side!

MEDITERRANEAN LAMB MEATBALL SANDWICHES WITH YOGURT SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine onion, mint, and garlic in a food processor; process until minced. Add lamb, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper; process until smooth.
• Form 1 1/2 teaspoon of the lamb mixture into a ball. Repeat with remaining lamb mixture to make 20 meatballs.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet with cooking spray.
• Fill a large skillet with 1/4 inch of oil; heat over medium heat until bubbles form around the end of a wooden spoon dipped into the oil. Add half of the meatballs; cook until browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining meatballs.
• Bake meatballs in the preheated oven until center is no longer pink, about 10 minutes.
• Mix yogurt, tahini, and lemon juice together in a bowl to make yogurt sauce.
• Place 2 to 3 tablespoons yogurt sauce in a line down the center of each sheet of lavash. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of feta cheese, 1/4 cup of lettuce, 2 tablespoons of tomato, 2 tablespoons of cucumber, and 5 meatballs. Fold up one end and sides of the lavash to roll into wraps.

MEDITERRANEAN MEATBALL PITAS

Steps:

• Finely dice White Onion (3/4) and Garlic (4 clove).
• Add oil to a frying pan on medium-high heat. Saute onions, garlic, and Ground Cumin (1 teaspoon) for 5 minutes.
• Season onion mixture with Salt (to taste) and Ground Black Pepper (to taste) before setting aside to cool.
• Thinly slice Red Onion (1/4) and dice Lebanese Cucumber (2).
• Thinly slice Fresh Parsley (1/2 cup).
• Halve Cherry Tomato (8) and scoop out the seeds from the tomatoes before dicing.
• Combine Ground Beef (1 pound), Egg (1), cooked onions and garlic, Breadcrumbs (2 tablespoon), Plain Greek Yogurt (2 tablespoon), Salt (to taste), and Ground Black Pepper (to taste).
• Form golf-ball sized meatballs.
• Heat 2 tbsp of Vegetable Oil (4 tablespoon) in a skillet over medium-high heat. Fry balls in batches for 2 minutes on each side, or until completely cooked through.
• Warm Pita Bread (8) in a dry pan for 2 minutes.
• Combine cucumbers, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and fresh parsley together with Olive Oil (1 tablespoon), Salt (to taste), and Ground Black Pepper (to taste).
• Top each pita with Plain Greek Yogurt (1/2 cup), 1-2 meatballs (depending on the size of the pita), and salad.

MEDITERRANEAN MEATBALL SANDWICHES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine onion, parsley, salt and pepper. Add beef; mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into four 4x2-in. oblong patties., Grill patties, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from heat 4-6 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 160°. Serve on pitas with tzatziki sauce and toppings as desired.

MEDITERRANEAN TURKEY MEATBALL SANDWICHES (PITA OR WRAP)

Steps:

• Combine turkey meatball ingredients; mix well. Shape into 18 (1 1/4") balls.
• Using skillet coated with non-stick cooking spray, cook meatballs 8 to 10 minutes or until browned and no longer pink in center; stir occasionally.
• Combine sauce ingredients.
• Place 3 meatballs in each pita half. Add lettuce and tomato. Top with sauce.
• Alternatively, place filling in a flour tortilla, and fold burrito style for a wrap!
• Serves 6.

MEATBALL PITA POCKETS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine cucumber, tomato, onion, olive oil, vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper. Cover and marinate in refrigerator a few hours or overnight.
• In a small bowl combine egg, bread crumbs, milk, the 2 tbsp onion, allspice and pepper to taste. Add beef and pork and mix well. Shape into 24 meatballs.
• Place meatballs in a baking dish in a single layer. Bake at 375F for 25 minutes or till done. Drain well on paper toweling.
• To assemble sandwiches, place 3 meatballs into each pita bread half. Top with some of the cucumber and tomato mixture and a little of the marinating liquid.

EAT-YOUR-VEGGIES MEDITERRANEAN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and coat with cooking spray.
• Put the spinach in a large microwave-safe bowl and microwave according to the package instructions until cooked. Let cool slightly.
• Add the turkey, breadcrumbs, cumin, garlic, carrot, egg, 1 tablespoon of the dill, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Mix with your hands until just combined. Scoop mounds of the meat mixture (about 2 tablespoons each) onto the prepared baking sheet. With damp hands, roll the mounds into balls and space them evenly apart on the baking sheet. Bake until cooked through, 12 to 14 minutes.
• Meanwhile, stir together the yogurt, lemon juice and remaining dill in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
• Serve 3 meatballs in each pita half. Pack in shredded lettuce and sliced tomatoes. Drizzle with the yogurt sauce.

MEDITERRANEAN MEATBALL PITA

Steps:

• 1. Combine the yogurt, lemon juice and chopped mint in a small bowl: set aside.
• 2. Spray a large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and set over med heat. Add meatball and cook , coverd , turning frequently, until heated through ( if using fresh ground turkey make sure its cooked and no pink is left about 10-15 minute) which will add to the cooking time.
• 3. Cut a pocket in the pita. Fill each pocket with 3 meatballs, about 2 tablespoon of the tomato, about 2 tablespoon of the cucumber, and about 2 tablespoon of the yogurt mixture, and mint leaves (if using) Serve at once.