Grilled Gyro Meatballs

Category
Yields6 Servings
Prep Time40 minsCook Time20 minsTotal Time1 hr
For the Tzatziki
 1 English cucumber, or 3 Persian cucumbers
 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
 1 garlic clove, microplaned or minced finely
 3 sprigs fresh mint leaves, finely chopped, or 1 tsp dried mint
 3 sprigs fresh dill fronds, finely chopped, or 1 tsp dried dill
 ½ lemon, juiced
 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
 2 tsp kosher salt
 ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
For the Tomato-Feta Salad
 2 Roma tomatoes
 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
 ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems (about 6 large sprigs), chopped
 ¼ red onion, sliced thinly
 ½ lemon, juiced
 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
 2 tsp kosher salt
 ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
For the Gyro Meatballs
 1 lb ground veal
 1 tsp Dijon mustard
 1 egg, beaten
 ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
 1 tbsp dried onion flakes
 2 tsp ground coriander
 2 tsp ground cumin
 1 tsp garlic powder
 1 tsp sweet paprika
 1 tsp dried marjoram
 1 tsp dried oregano
 1 tsp kosher salt
 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
 ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
 6 -8 Greek-style pocketless pita bread
 Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
1

For the Tzatziki: Using the large hole side of a box grater, grate the cucumber into a fine-mesh trainer. When finished, squeeze all the water out of the cucumber and set aside to continue draining. Add the remaining ingredients to a mixing bowl, along with the grated cucumbers and combine. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. Set aside while you make the Tomato-Feta Salad.

2

For the Tomato-Feta Salad: Remove the core from the tomatoes, cut the tomatoes in half, then remove and discard the seeds using a spoon. Dice the tomatoes into 1/4-inch pieces and place in a mixing bowl. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl, mix thoroughly, then taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. Set aside while you make the Gyro Meatballs.

3

For the Gyro Meatballs: Preheat an outdoor grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Put the ground veal in a mixing bowl and gently break apart the meat so it’s not a solid block. Add the mustard and egg to the bowl and set aside. In another small mixing bowl, add the breadcrumbs, onion flakes, coriander, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, marjoram, oregano, salt, cinnamon, and pepper and mix to incorporate. Then, add the breadcrumb mixture to the meat. Very gently with your hands, mix the ingredients together until evenly distributed, then form balls that are about 1-inch in diameter. Be careful not to compact the meatballs too forcefully as this will result in a dense and chewy meatball.

4

Once all the meatballs are formed, add them to the preheated grill and cook for 12-14 minutes, turning every 3 minutes to grill all sides evenly. The meatballs will be fully cooked when their internal temperature reaches 160F using an instant read food thermometer. Remove the meatballs from the grill when cooked and let rest for 3 to 5 minutes before eating.

5

Right before serving, drizzle about 1 teaspoon of olive oil on each side of the pita bread then warm them up on the grill until soft and pliable, about 2 minutes.

6

To serve, place the warmed pita bread on a plate, cut two or three meatballs in half and place on the pita, then top with a generous spoonful of the Tzatziki and Tomato-Feta Salad. Repeat with remaining ingredients and enjoy!

Ingredients

For the Tzatziki
 1 English cucumber, or 3 Persian cucumbers
 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
 1 garlic clove, microplaned or minced finely
 3 sprigs fresh mint leaves, finely chopped, or 1 tsp dried mint
 3 sprigs fresh dill fronds, finely chopped, or 1 tsp dried dill
 ½ lemon, juiced
 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
 2 tsp kosher salt
 ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
For the Tomato-Feta Salad
 2 Roma tomatoes
 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
 ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems (about 6 large sprigs), chopped
 ¼ red onion, sliced thinly
 ½ lemon, juiced
 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
 2 tsp kosher salt
 ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
For the Gyro Meatballs
 1 lb ground veal
 1 tsp Dijon mustard
 1 egg, beaten
 ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
 1 tbsp dried onion flakes
 2 tsp ground coriander
 2 tsp ground cumin
 1 tsp garlic powder
 1 tsp sweet paprika
 1 tsp dried marjoram
 1 tsp dried oregano
 1 tsp kosher salt
 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
 ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
 6 -8 Greek-style pocketless pita bread
 Extra virgin olive oil, as needed

Directions

1

For the Tzatziki: Using the large hole side of a box grater, grate the cucumber into a fine-mesh trainer. When finished, squeeze all the water out of the cucumber and set aside to continue draining. Add the remaining ingredients to a mixing bowl, along with the grated cucumbers and combine. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. Set aside while you make the Tomato-Feta Salad.

2

For the Tomato-Feta Salad: Remove the core from the tomatoes, cut the tomatoes in half, then remove and discard the seeds using a spoon. Dice the tomatoes into 1/4-inch pieces and place in a mixing bowl. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl, mix thoroughly, then taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. Set aside while you make the Gyro Meatballs.

3

For the Gyro Meatballs: Preheat an outdoor grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Put the ground veal in a mixing bowl and gently break apart the meat so it’s not a solid block. Add the mustard and egg to the bowl and set aside. In another small mixing bowl, add the breadcrumbs, onion flakes, coriander, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, marjoram, oregano, salt, cinnamon, and pepper and mix to incorporate. Then, add the breadcrumb mixture to the meat. Very gently with your hands, mix the ingredients together until evenly distributed, then form balls that are about 1-inch in diameter. Be careful not to compact the meatballs too forcefully as this will result in a dense and chewy meatball.

4

Once all the meatballs are formed, add them to the preheated grill and cook for 12-14 minutes, turning every 3 minutes to grill all sides evenly. The meatballs will be fully cooked when their internal temperature reaches 160F using an instant read food thermometer. Remove the meatballs from the grill when cooked and let rest for 3 to 5 minutes before eating.

5

Right before serving, drizzle about 1 teaspoon of olive oil on each side of the pita bread then warm them up on the grill until soft and pliable, about 2 minutes.

6

To serve, place the warmed pita bread on a plate, cut two or three meatballs in half and place on the pita, then top with a generous spoonful of the Tzatziki and Tomato-Feta Salad. Repeat with remaining ingredients and enjoy!

Grilled Gyro Meatballs
IngredientsDirections

Recipe and photography courtesy of Veal Discover Delicious and Chef Joel of Homemade Cooking.