Greek Meatball Salad
If you’re a big fan of Greek or mediterranean food, you’ll absolutely love this Greek Meatball Salad with Minty Feta-Kefir Dressing. This gluten-free and paleo dish is perfect for those wanting a healthy lunch or dinner option. The lamb meatballs take this already flavorful salad to the next level and add delicious and healthy protein to it. This Greek Meatball Salad recipe was shared by Conner Middelmann-Whitney, Nutrition Coach at Modern Mediterranean. She says,
“If you enjoy a juicy gyros nosh-up but can’t spare the two hours needed to prepare this delicious Greek meatloaf, you’ll love this recipe! It provides all the flavors of classic gyros but, thanks to the meatballs’ brief cooking time, it takes a fraction of the time to prepare. To amp up the health factor of the meatballs a little, we serve them on a bed of salad greens (and reds, yellows and purples – remember, folks: eating a highly diverse diet is the best way to stay healthy!) and drizzle the lot with a light and refreshing, minty feta-kefir dressing (kefir is a great source of health-protective probiotics).”
Enjoy!
Greek Meatball Salad with Minty Feta-Kefir Dressing
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 white onion quartered
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 tbsp fresh oregano leaves stripped off their stems
- 1 tsp salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lb ground lamb
Dressing
- 1/2 cup kefir
- 1/2 cup crumbled sheep's feta cheese
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
- 1 small clove garlic
- smidgen of honey optional
- little water to thin optional
- salt and freshly ground pepper
Salad
- 1 small head romaine lettuce washed, dried in a salad spinner and coarsely shredded
- 1/2 cucumber thinly sliced
- 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes red and yellow - halved
- 1/2 red onion thinly sliced
- some sprigs fresh dill for garnish
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Place onion, garlic and oregano in a food processor and pulse for a few seconds until the onions are finely chopped. In a mixing bowl, combine onion mixture with ground meat, add salt and pepper and mix thoroughly. Shape into 20 meatballs. In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil and fry the meatballs, turning frequently, until cooked through (about 10-12 minutes). If you can’t fit all the meatballs into the skillet at once, fry in two batches. Transfer to a serving dish and let cool.
- In a small, electric blender, combine kefir, feta cheese, olive oil, mint leaves and garlic and process to combine. If the kefir is very tart, add a little honey to balance the acidity. If desired, you can add a little water or milk to thin the dressing; it should have the consistency of whipping cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Spread out the shredded lettuce on a large serving platter (or individual serving plates) and top with sliced cucumber, onion, and halved tomatoes. Set the meatballs on top and spoon over the kefir dressing. Garnish with fresh dill fronds and serve immediately.
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