Greek Meatballs and Potatoes with Ladolemono Sauce Recipe
This Greek Meatballs and Potatoes recipe offers a deliciously aromatic and hearty meal combining tender, flavorful meatballs baked alongside golden, tender potatoes. Infused with traditional Mediterranean herbs and spices and finished with a zesty Ladolemono sauce, this dish brings authentic Greek flavors to your table with ease.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4 to 5 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Greek
- Diet: Halal
Ingredients
Scale
For the Meatballs
- 1 slice sandwich bread (day-old or toasted, gluten free is okay)
- 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 yellow onion, grated
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley and/or mint (plus more for garnish)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
For the Vegetables
- 4 Yukon gold potatoes, cut into small chunks or cubes
- 1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
For the Sauce
- 1 batch Ladolemono Sauce (Greek lemon-olive oil sauce)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375°F (190°C) to prepare for baking.
- Soak the Bread: Place the bread slice in a small bowl and cover with water or milk. Let it soak until it becomes very soft and falls apart. Squeeze out excess liquid with your hands and crumble the soaked bread into a medium mixing bowl.
- Make the Meatball Mixture: To the bowl with the soaked bread, add ground beef, grated yellow onion, minced garlic, egg, chopped parsley and/or mint, dried oregano, ground coriander, ground cumin, ground nutmeg, plus a big pinch of kosher salt and black pepper. Use your hands to knead everything together until fully combined and well mixed.
- Assemble Meatballs and Potatoes: Arrange the cubed potatoes and thinly sliced red onion evenly in the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Season generously with salt and pepper. Form the meat mixture into about 15 small meatballs and nestle them between the potatoes and onions. Pour the Ladolemono sauce evenly over the meatballs and potatoes.
- Bake Covered: Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the meatballs are nearly cooked through and the potatoes are starting to soften.
- Uncover and Finish Baking: Remove the foil and continue baking for another 10 to 15 minutes until the meatballs are fully cooked through, the potatoes are golden and tender, and the onions are caramelized.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle additional fresh chopped parsley or mint over the dish before serving. Serve warm as a comforting and flavor-packed main course.
Notes
- If you prefer, substitute milk for water to soak the bread for a richer flavor and texture.
- Make sure not to overmix the meatball mixture to keep meatballs tender.
- Ladolemono sauce is a classic Greek lemon-olive oil dressing; if unavailable, mix fresh lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Use Yukon gold potatoes as they hold their shape well during baking but feel free to substitute with red potatoes.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven gently to retain moisture.
Keywords: Greek meatballs, keftedes, baked potatoes, Mediterranean recipe, Greek cuisine, Ladolemono sauce, oven-baked meatballs
