Paleo Greek Meatballs (Keftedes)

What’s Inside: Spices and herbs meld into these meatballs that serve up perfectly with my Avocado Tzatziki and green salad for a fast weeknight meal in under 30-minutes. These Greek Meatballs are Paleo and AIP-friendly!

One of the things I LOVE most about Greek cuisine are all the FRESH HERBS used in everything. From salads to meat… they love tossing in so many herbs that kick everything up a notch. This Greek Meatballs Recipe or Keftedes are no different… working fresh herbs like parsley, scallions, and mint into Grass-fed ground beef which I got from a favorite online meat source of mine, Moink! You may be thinking from my title, “aren’t all meatballs… “paleo”? Well, no! Many recipes call for breadcrumbs and flour as well as eggs, which are totally wonderful but not if you have a sensitivity, so I wanted to do without and show you how to make meatballs without all of that. I also don’t see the much of the need for it, it’s for binding, but this binds just fine on its own with the fresh herbs! Keftedes in particular, are rolled in a bit of flour before they’re cooked to give a nice crust on the exterior… so I’m taking care of that with a bit of arrowroot or potato starch instead. I give you… Paleo Greek Meatballs that you will LOVE!

Another option you have with this recipe is to switch up or combine the meat you use. You could do half beef, half pork for example… or even lamb! It will give it a bit more fun flavor no matter what you decide. All of these options can be found at Moink and their monthly box of products is $159/box, which works out to be super affordable thanks to the large quantity you get! And yes, you’re able to customize the box, they even have wild seafood options. I ordered the Beef, Pork, and Chicken which included:

• 1lb beef kabobs
• 2lb pork shoulder roast (which I made on New Year’s Eve in my Instant Pot – delish!)
• 3lb beef chuck roast
• 1lb ground beef (which I used here)
• 2 Coulotte steaks
• 1lb pork breakfast sausage
• 1.5 lbs chicken drumsticks
• 1lb boneless & skinless chicken breast, 1 lb boneless pork chops.  

I’m always looking to share brands that offer the best grass-fed meat, organic poultry, and wild seafood, all while working with sustainable sources and farms, not to mention, offering it up at reasonable prices. Ordering online from Moink also makes life extra convenient. The box comes with DRY ICE so no worries about rushing to get home to unpack it, trust me… that stuff STAYS COLD! I love packing the items away in the freezer so I’m stocked up and can just go to the grocery shop for fresh produce and things I’ve run out of.

As a carnivore, I would rather go without animal protein than get it from poorly treated animals in these terrible factories… I’d rather go the extra mile and pay a bit more to get the best quality, and feel more confident that it’s coming from an animal that lived a more natural and happy life, eating well (and how it was intended to eat), without the fear of antibiotics and other sketchy farming practices being used. I take being a carnivore with great responsibility, to use all of the animal (use the bones for bone broth and leftover fats for cooking!), or “nose to tail” as they say! I feel I can honor and respect the animal the most this way. This is why I was excited to partner with a brand that feels the same way. To read more about Moink’s story, sourcing, and farming practices – check it out here.

Back to this Paleo Greek Meatballs RECIPE! It’s so easy and I paired it with some delicious plain coconut yogurt, you could also try my Avocado Tzatziki sauce too. A Greek green side salad never disappoints either… TIP: let the cucumber soak in extra-virgin olive oil with red wine vinegar, sea salt, and dried oregano for a few minutes and let that be your dressing — it’s kind of ridiculous. Simple, simple but packed with flavahhh. I hope you love this as much as I do.

Paleo Greek Meatballs

4.38 from 24 votes

Easy gluten-free meatballs that are also Paleo and AIP-friendly. They pack a punch of herbs and FLAVOR! Without the potential allergens! You will love this for a Sunday meatball recipe and it's great for meal prep, too.

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Author: Alison Marras

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 8 minutes mins

Total Time: 18 minutes mins

Yield: 3

1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 1lb ground beef
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley
• 6-7 large mint leaves finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 3 scallions finely chopped
• 1/2 Tbsp dried oregano
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste (omit pepper for AIP)
• 1/4 cup arrowroot starch or potato starch (arrowroot for AIP)
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• Optional: More parsley to garnish

Optional sides:

• Coconut yogurt or Avocado Tzatziki (recipe below) or Lemon Juice
• Green Greek Salad (greens, cucumber, Kalamata olives, red onion, avocado with red wine vinegar, fresh dill, dried oregano, and extra-virgin olive oil)

Instructions:

• Pre-heat oven to 350f degrees.
• Add parsley, mint, garlic, and roughly chopped scallions to a food processor. Mix until all pieces are very small and looks almost like a pesto.
• Pour mixture into a medium-sized mixing bowl, add ground meat into the mixture and with clean hands, start combining everything. Season with oregano, salt, and pepper.
• Prep the flour/starch in a separate mixing bowl.
• Using a Tablespoon or scooper, evenly size out the meatballs and roll into balls in your hands.
• One by one, roll meatballs into the flour/starch and shake excess off, roll again if necessary to keep the shape. Set aside on a plate.
• Heat a large cast iron skillet or another skillet of choice, add 2 Tbsp coconut oil on medium-high heat.
• Add meatballs to the skillet after a couple of minutes, rolling them over once and then placing your skillet in the oven to finish for 6 mins or so.
• Serve with a Greek Salad or sides of choice! (I served mine with coconut yogurt and a salad, you could also try my Avocado Tzatziki sauce if you want more GARLIC!!)

Notes:

See below for Avocado Tzatziki Recipe.

Diet: Greek

Keywords: AIP, dinner, meal prep

Course: Main Course

Avocado Tzatziki Recipe

Ingredients:
1 small ripe avocado
1/2 English cucumber seeded, finely grated and drained
2 garlic cloves minced
1 tsp lemon zest
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill or 1Tbsp dried dill
salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a food processor and store in the fridge until ready to use, eat quickly since the avocado will brown after a couple of days.

As a reminder, I only work with brands I consume myself and would recommend to my clients and followers. 

P.S. Serving these Paleo Greek Meatballs with my Paleo Greek Spinach Pie would take this to a whole new level.