Pan-Fried Lamb Keftedes with Cucumber-Dill Tzatziki

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Juicy Greek-style lamb meatballs loaded with fresh mint, parsley and oregano, bound with almond flour instead of breadcrumbs and seared in olive oil until deeply crusted. They come off the heat glossy and tender, ready for a cold, garlicky cucumber-dill tzatziki and a squeeze of lemon. Rich, herby and satisfying with zero starch in sight.

Ingredients

• 1 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
• 1/2 medium English cucumber, grated
• 1 clove garlic, finely grated
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt

• 1.5 lb ground lamb (85/15 or fattier)
• 1/3 cup grated yellow onion, squeezed dry
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tsp dried Greek oregano
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup almond flour
• 1.25 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, for frying

• 3 oz feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives
• 1 medium lemon, cut into wedges
• 2 cups baby arugula

Instructions

1. Make the tzatziki first: grate the cucumber on the large holes of a box grater, pile it into a clean kitchen towel and wring out as much liquid as you can — you want it almost dry. Stir the cucumber into the Greek yogurt along with the grated garlic, dill, 1 tablespoon olive oil, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover and refrigerate while you make the meatballs; 20 minutes of chilling lets the garlic bloom.
2. Grate the onion and squeeze it in the same towel to remove excess moisture — wet onion makes the meatballs fall apart. Add it to a large bowl with the ground lamb, minced garlic, mint, parsley, oregano, cumin, egg, almond flour, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and the black pepper.
3. Mix with your hands just until everything is evenly combined, about 30 seconds. Overworking makes the keftedes dense. Cover and rest the mixture in the refrigerator for 15 minutes so the almond flour hydrates.
4. Scoop and roll the mixture into 20 meatballs, roughly 1 1/2 inches each (about 2 tablespoons of meat per ball), then flatten each one slightly into a plump oval — the traditional keftedes shape gives you more crust.
5. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, about 2 minutes. Add half the keftedes with plenty of space between them and sear undisturbed for 3 minutes, until a deep brown crust forms.
6. Flip and cook 3 to 4 minutes more, turning once or twice, until browned all over and the centers register 160°F on an instant-read thermometer. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the second batch, lowering the heat to medium if the pan drippings begin to smoke.
7. Let the keftedes rest 3 minutes. Pile the arugula on a platter, arrange the meatballs on top, and scatter over the crumbled feta and Kalamata olives.
8. Spoon the chilled tzatziki alongside or dollop over the top, drizzle everything with the pan juices, and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing.

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Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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