Air Fryer Greek Meatballs (Keftedes) Recipe
These Juicy Air Fryer Greek Meatballs (Keftedes) are bursting with fresh herbs, zesty lemon, and warm spices, cooked to perfection in your air fryer. Enjoy tender, flavorful Greek meatballs with minimal fuss and cleanup, making them ideal for a healthy weeknight dinner or a crowd-pleasing appetizer!
Servings 20 meatballs
Calories 49kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb extra lean ground beef or Ground Turkey/Chicken.
- ½ cup fresh mint finely chopped
- ¼ cup fresh parsley finely chopped.
- ½ small red onion grated (Grating the onion is the "Lazy Way" to get moisture and flavor without big chunks).
- 4 cloves garlic minced.
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup fine breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Grate your onion directly into a large bowl. Don't drain the juice! That juice keeps the lean meat from drying out in the air fryer.½ small red onion
- Add the meat, egg, breadcrumbs, vinegar, and all those fresh herbs and spices to the bowl.1 lb extra lean ground beef, ½ cup fresh mint, ¼ cup fresh parsley, 4 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 1 large egg, ½ cup fine breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon allspice, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Mix with your hands until just combined. Mix until the herbs are distributed, then stop.Over-mixing makes meatballs tough.
- Scoop about 1.5 tablespoons of mixture and roll into balls (about the size of a golf ball or slightly smaller).
- Preheat your air fryer to 375°F (190°C), if you have the type of air fryer that requires this. Lightly spray the basket with olive oil spray or another non-propellant spray.
- Place meatballs in the basket or drawers of your air fryer (don't let them touch).
- Air fry for 10-12 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through (at about 5-6 minutes).They should be browned on the outside and reach an internal temp of 160°F.
Notes
📖 Variations & Substitutions
- Meat Swaps: Easily substitute extra lean ground beef with ground turkey or chicken for a lighter version.
- Spice It Up: Add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes to the meat mixture if you like a little heat.
- Herb Variations: While mint and parsley are classic, you could also experiment with a touch of fresh dill or oregano if you love those flavors.
- Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs to make this recipe suitable for a gluten-free diet.
- Cheesy Twist: For a different flavor profile, you could mix in a couple of tablespoons of crumbled feta cheese into the mixture before forming the meatballs.
- Don't Overmix! This is crucial for tender meatballs. Mix just until ingredients are combined. Overworking the meat can lead to tough, dense meatballs.
- Grate Your Onion: This isn't just a shortcut; the grated onion (and its juices!) adds essential moisture to lean meat, preventing dry meatballs in the air fryer.
- Keep it Lean: Using extra-lean ground beef is best for the air fryer. Less fat means less grease splattering and better texture.
- Don't Overcrowd the Basket: Cook in batches if needed. Air needs to circulate around each meatball for even cooking and browning. Overcrowding leads to steaming instead of crisping.
- Use an Instant-Read Thermometer: For perfectly cooked meatballs, ensure they reach an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C). An instant-read thermometer is your best friend here.
- Chill for Firmer Meatballs (Optional): If you have time, chilling the formed meatballs for 15-20 minutes before air frying can help them hold their shape even better, especially if your mixture feels a bit soft.
- Spray your meatballs (and anything you put in the air fryer) with a light spray cooking oil but do NOT use an aerosol cooking spray with propellants (like Pam): This can cause damage to the surface of your air fryer and cause the coating to flake off and potentially onto your food. *The label will tell you whether it has propellants or not.
Nutrition
Serving: 1meatball | Calories: 49kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 98mg | Potassium: 107mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 127IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg
