Grilled Gyro Meatballs

Grilled Gyro Meatballs

This Grilled Gyro is packed with flavor and will leave you full and satisfied. Creamy Greek yogurt homemade tzatziki and a tangy tomato salad complement a super savory veal meatball that all come together in a warm, fluffy pita. Using nutrient-dense ground veal for the meatballs results in a tender, lean, and juicy protein that’s perfect for quick cooking.

Try out a Homemade Tzatziki

Tzatziki is a yogurt based creamy dip, adding the perfect flavor combination to gyros. Feel free to make this homemade tzatziki using the easy recipe below.  If you are low on time, store bought works well too. Whatever you need to do to get dinner on the table.

Making Grilled Gyros

These grilled gyros have a few different layers to them; homemade tzatziki, the tomato feta salad and then the grilled meatballs. Don’t worry about putting everything together at once. You can always make the salad and tzatziki ahead of time. Store both in the fridge until you are ready to serve. The cooked grilled gyro meatballs freeze beautifully and can be stored for several months in an airtight container. Make some extra or make them ahead of time to pull out for this recipe when you are craving these delicious flavors.

Serve these Grilled gyros to feed a crowd. They deliver a dinner or lunch meal that will please your guests, family or buffet style. This delicious recipe was developed by Chef Joel with Homemade. They did a fantastic job pulling this together for our cooking class. Don’t miss his tips and tricks in our recording here!

Ingredients

For the Tzatziki

1 English cucumber or 3 Persian cucumbers

1 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 garlic clove, microplaned or minced finely

3 sprigs fresh mint leaves, finely chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried mint

3 sprigs fresh dill fronds, finely chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried dill

1/2 lemon, juiced

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

 

For the Tomato-Feta Salad

2 Roma tomatoes

4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems (about 6 large sprigs), chopped

1/4 red onion, sliced thinly

1/2 lemon, juiced

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

 

For the Gyro Meatballs

1 pound ground veal

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon dried onion flakes

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

6-8 Greek-style pocketless pita bread

Extra virgin olive oil, as needed

Instructions

  1. For the Tzatziki: Using the large hole side of a box grater, grate the cucumber into a fine-mesh trainer. When finished, squeeze all the water out of the cucumber and set aside to continue draining. Add the remaining ingredients to a mixing bowl, along with the grated cucumbers and combine. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. Set aside while you make the Tomato-Feta Salad.
  2. For the Tomato-Feta Salad: Remove the core from the tomatoes, cut the tomatoes in half, then remove and discard the seeds using a spoon. Dice the tomatoes into 1/4-inch pieces and place in a mixing bowl. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl, mix thoroughly, then taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. Set aside while you make the Gyro Meatballs.
  3. For the Gyro Meatballs: Preheat an outdoor grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Put the ground veal in a mixing bowl and gently break apart the meat so it’s not a solid block. Add the mustard and egg to the bowl and set aside. In another small mixing bowl, add the breadcrumbs, onion flakes, coriander, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, marjoram, oregano, salt, cinnamon, and pepper and mix to incorporate. Then, add the breadcrumb mixture to the meat. Very gently with your hands, mix the ingredients together until evenly distributed, then form balls that are about 1-inch in diameter. Be careful not to compact the meatballs too forcefully as this will result in a dense and chewy meatball.
  4. Once all the meatballs are formed, add them to the preheated grill and cook for 12-14 minutes, turning every 3 minutes to grill all sides evenly. The meatballs will be fully cooked when their internal temperature reaches 160F using an instant read food thermometer. Remove the meatballs from the grill when cooked and let rest for 3 to 5 minutes before eating.
  5. Right before serving, drizzle about 1 teaspoon of olive oil on each side of the pita bread then warm them up on the grill until soft and pliable, about 2 minutes.
  6. To serve, place the warmed pita bread on a plate, cut two or three meatballs in half and place on the pita, then top with a generous spoonful of the Tzatziki and Tomato-Feta Salad. Repeat with remaining ingredients and enjoy!

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