Greek meatballs offer a juicy, flavor-packed dinner! Choose oven-baked for speed or sous vide for perfection, then pair with tangy tzatziki. Easy and healthy!

Greek meatballs offer a juicy, flavor-packed dinner! Choose oven-baked for speed or sous vide for perfection, then pair with tangy tzatziki. Easy and healthy!

I live for meals that balance big flavors with smart nutrition—and these Greek Meatballs with Tzatziki? Chef’s kiss. They’re lean, herby, and pair perfectly with crunchy veggies and couscous. Plus, I’ve got two foolproof methods (oven for weeknights, sous vide for “wow” moments) because life’s too short for dry meatballs.

Let’s get into it.

Table of Contents hide

The Stars of the Show: Ingredients with Purpose

Let’s geek out on why these ingredients work so well:

  1. Ground Turkey Breast (1 lb): Lean protein canvas for our Greek spices. You can also use ground chicken breast.
  2. Fresh Mint & Oregano: This brightness and earthiness combo creates authentic vibes.
  3. Red Onion & Garlic: Aromatic base (½ onion minced in meatballs, extra sliced for bowls).
  4. Homemade Tzatziki: Cool, creamy, and probiotic-rich (grab the recipe).
  5. Couscous: Cooks in 10 mins! Olive oil adds richness.

(Pssst: Breadcrumbs bind the meat; egg adds moisture. No sad, crumbly balls here!)

Your Meatball Adventure: Oven vs. Sous Vide

The Oven Method (20 mins, lazy perfection)

For when hangry mode activates.

  1. Mix & Roll: Combine meatball ingredients. Roll into 16 balls (2 tbsp each).
  2. Bake: 14-16 mins at 350°F (175°C) on parchment-lined sheet.

Why I Love It: Crispy edges, minimal cleanup, toddler-distraction-friendly.

The Sous Vide Method (2 hrs, chef-level juicy)

For meal preppers or texture nerds.

  1. Freeze First: Shape the meatballs and freeze for 1 hour (This step keeps the meatballs in shape when being squeezed by the vacuum sealer).
  2. Sous Vide: 150°F (65°C) for 2 hours using a sous vide machine.
  3. Sear: Quick 1-min skillet sear for golden crust.

Why I Love It: Impossible to overcook. Silky-tender insides. Meal prep hero!

If you’d like some classic Italian meatballs, check out my sous vide meatball recipe here.

Build Your Bowl: Fresh, Fast & Fabulous

While meatballs cook, assemble the zesty base:

  1. Couscous: 1:1 liquid ratio. Boil water/broth, stir in couscous, cover, and wait 10 minutes. Fluff with olive oil!
  2. Veggie Chop: Halve tomatoes, dice cucumber, slice onion. Toss with salt, pepper, and a minty wink.
  3. Tzatziki Time: Plop a generous dollop (remember the recipe?).

Assembly Line: Couscous → veggies → meatballs → tzatziki → extra mint. 

StreetSmart Cooking Tips for Success

  • Don’t Overmix: Gently fold meatball ingredients. Overmixing leads to tough meatballs, aka a sad dinner.
  • Sous Vide Savvy: Freeze meatballs in a single layer before sealing. Trust me!
  • Veggie Swap: No couscous? Quinoa or orzo work. Add feta for extra Greek flair!
  • Heat Lovers: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the meatball mix.
Greek meatballs offer a juicy, flavor-packed dinner! Choose oven-baked for speed or sous vide for perfection, then pair with tangy tzatziki. Easy and healthy!

Why This Meal Wins at Life

From a health perspective, I adore how this dish balances:

  • Protein-Powered turkey (no bloat from red meat)
  • Gut-Friendly Tzatziki (hello, probiotics!)
  • Veggie Loaded bowls (fiber for days)

Whether you oven-bake between soccer practice and homework or sous vide for Sunday meal prep, these meatballs are your ticket to a vibrant, satisfying dinner. Make them and let me know how they turned out for you in the comments below.

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Greek meatballs offer a juicy, flavor-packed dinner! Choose oven-baked for speed or sous vide for perfection, then pair with tangy tzatziki. Easy and healthy!

Juicy Greek Meatballs with Tzatziki (Baked or Sous Vide)

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  • Author: Sharon Chen
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Main Dish
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: Greek
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Description

Greek meatballs offer a juicy, flavor-packed dinner! Choose oven-baked for speed or sous vide for perfection, then pair with tangy tzatziki. Easy and healthy!

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Meatballs:

  • 1 pound (450g) ground turkey breast
  • 1 egg
  • 2 ounces (56g) breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 red onion, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

For the Bowls:

  • 6.5 ounces (180g) dry couscous
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 5 ounces (140g) cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/4 cucumber, diced
  • 1/4 red onion, sliced
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • fresh mint, to serve
  • Homemade Tzatziki Sauce

Instructions

The Oven Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment.
  2. Mix all the meatball ingredients, adding salt and black pepper. Form into 2 tablespoon-sized balls (16 meatballs).
  3. Bake for 14-16 minutes until fully cooked.

The Sous Vide Method:

  1. Prepare the meatballs: Mix all the meatball ingredients, adding salt and black pepper. Form into 2 tablespoon-sized balls (16 meatballs) and place on a large plate or a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Freeze the meatballs in a single layer for an hour before vacuum-sealing them to keep their shape.
  3. Set up the sous vide: When ready to cook, preheat water to 150°F (65°C). 
  4. Vacuum-seal the meatballs: Place the frozen meatballs in a single layer in a vacuum-sealer bag, keeping them at least 1 inch apart from each other. Vacuum seal the bag.
  5. Sous vide the meatballs: When the water is ready, submerge the meatballs in the sous vide water bath and set the timer for 2 hours.
  6. Finishing: Once the timer goes off, remove the meatballs from the water bath, cut the bag open, and transfer the meatballs to a plate. Pat them dry with paper towels. Set a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add some olive oil. Sear the meatballs on all sides until browned, about 1 minute per side. 

For the Bowls:

  1. Cook couscous: Follow a 1:1 liquid to couscous Ratio. Bring water or broth to a boil. Stir your couscous in the boiling liquid and remove from the heat immediately. Quickly cover the saucepan with a lid and let the couscous sit for about 10 minutes, undisturbed, until it has fully absorbed the liquid. Drain and toss with olive oil.
  2. Prepare vegetables: In a bowl, combine cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and red onion. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Assemble the bowls with couscous, salad, meatballs, and tzatziki. Garnish with mint.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 serving
  • Calories: 679
  • Sugar: 11g
  • Sodium: 1025.7mg
  • Fat: 23.4g
  • Saturated Fat: 5.1g
  • Trans Fat: 0.1g
  • Carbohydrates: 76.8g
  • Fiber: 5g
  • Protein: 39.5g
  • Cholesterol: 129mg

Made it? Rate it.

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About the Author

Sharon Chen, StreetSmart Kitchen

Sharon Chen is an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and author of the Complete Sous Vide Cookbook. She believes food not only brings healing but also connection. As the creator of StreetSmart Kitchen, she aims to make meal prep easier than ever and help you find balance, ease, joy, and simplicity in the kitchen as you improve your well-being.