Za'atar Meatballs

A plate with meatballs, salad and yogurt dip with pita bread.

These Mediterranean style za'atar meatballs make for a great family dinner. Serve them with a delicious salad, tzatziki sauce and pita bread for an amazing dinner kids will rave about.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mediterranean

Keyword baked za'atar meatballs, za'atar meatballs

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 35

Total Time 45

Servings servings

Calories 395kcal

Author Sonila

Equipment

1 glass mixing bowl
1 Wooden spoon

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef you can also use different ground meats like chicken or lamb, or even a mix.
1 tbsp za'atar
0.5 red onion you can use 4-5 green onions instead as a replacement
3 garlic cloves feel free to add more, it doesn't hurt:)
1 tsp harissa powder
1 cup panko or stale bread
sea salt
1 tbsp oregano
3-4 tbsps chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp olive oil optional if mix is dry

Instructions

Place thawed ground beef in a glass mixing bowl. Add finely chopped onions, minced garlic, chopped parsley over it. Add za'atar, salt and harissa powder together with oregano too.
If you're using panko add over the other ingredients. If you're using stale bread, soak quickly in milk (or water), squeeze excess out then add bread or panko to glass bowl too.
Use the wooden spoon to mix all ingredients together. Create about 12 meatballs with your hands and round them up. If you're frying them, I'd make them smaller so maybe about 18 give or take. But for baking 12 is about right.
Place meatballs on parchment paper in a baking sheet. Bake at 425 degrees F for 30 minutes. Turn oven off and leave the baking tray in for another 5 minutes or so.
Serve meatballs with a salad, pita bread, rice and/or a yogurt based dip like tzatziki. Enjoy:)

Notes

For better taste, chill the meatball mix for half an hour to an hour if possible.
You can double up the recipe and freeze half of the meatballs, then thaw and bake next time you need dinner quickly.
Baked meatballs can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Warm them up in a toaster oven or microwave.

Nutrition