Tender Greek Turkey Meatballs with Tzatziki

Greek food has a special place in my heart. There’s something about those bright, fresh flavors—the lemon, the herbs, the creamy yogurt—that just makes me happy. And when I can turn those flavors into weeknight-friendly meatballs? Even better.

That’s where these Greek turkey meatballs come in. They’re packed with feta, garlic, and oregano, and they’re way easier to make than you’d think. The homemade tzatziki sauce takes maybe five minutes to throw together, and it’s so much better than anything from the store. I usually make the sauce while the meatballs are in the oven.

Want something light but filling? These are perfect. Craving Greek flavors but don’t want to order takeout? Make a batch of these. Honestly, I make these at least twice a month because my family requests them that often.

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What Kind of Ground Turkey Should I Use?

When shopping for ground turkey, you’ll typically find options ranging from 93% lean to 99% lean at most grocery stores. For meatballs, I’d recommend sticking with 93% lean ground turkey since it has just enough fat to keep your meatballs moist and flavorful. The super lean varieties can turn out a bit dry, especially when baked. If you can only find the leaner options, don’t worry – the feta cheese and egg in this recipe will help add moisture. Just avoid overcooking them, and you’ll still end up with tasty meatballs.

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Options for Substitutions

This recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some options if you need to make changes:

• Ground turkey: You can easily swap ground turkey for ground chicken, which will give you a similar lean result. Ground beef or lamb work too if you want a richer flavor, though they’ll be less traditional for Greek meatballs.
• Panko breadcrumbs: Regular breadcrumbs work fine here, or you can use rolled oats pulsed in a food processor for a gluten-free option. You’ll get the same binding effect either way.
• Feta cheese: If you’re not a fan of feta, try crumbled goat cheese or ricotta salata. They’ll give you that tangy, salty flavor without being too strong.
• Fresh dill: Don’t have fresh dill for the tzatziki? Use 1 teaspoon of dried dill instead, or substitute with fresh mint or parsley for a different but still tasty twist.
• Greek yogurt: Regular plain yogurt can work in the tzatziki, but strain it through cheesecloth for 30 minutes first to remove excess liquid. Sour cream is another option, though it’ll be tangier and less thick.
• Cucumbers: English cucumbers are ideal for tzatziki since they have fewer seeds, but regular cucumbers work too. Just scoop out the seeds with a spoon before grating them.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making turkey meatballs is skipping the step of squeezing out excess liquid from the grated cucumber for your tzatziki – if you don’t, you’ll end up with a watery sauce that won’t stick to your meatballs.

Ground turkey is leaner than beef or pork, so it’s easy to overbake these meatballs into dry, tough hockey pucks – pull them out as soon as they reach 165°F internal temperature, which usually happens around the 15-minute mark.

Don’t overwork the meat mixture when combining your ingredients, as this can make the meatballs dense and rubbery instead of light and tender – mix just until everything is incorporated and stop.

For extra juicy meatballs, try adding a tablespoon of olive oil to your meat mixture, and make sure all your meatballs are roughly the same size so they cook evenly.

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What to Serve With Greek Turkey Meatballs?

These Greek turkey meatballs are perfect served over a bed of fluffy rice or warm pita bread that you can use to scoop up the meatballs and extra tzatziki sauce. I love pairing them with a simple Greek salad made with cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, and olives tossed in a lemony dressing – it keeps things fresh and light. You could also serve them with roasted vegetables like zucchini, bell peppers, and eggplant, or even stuff them into pita pockets with lettuce, tomatoes, and a drizzle of tzatziki for an easy handheld meal. For a heartier option, try serving them alongside some crispy oven-roasted potatoes seasoned with oregano and lemon.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your cooked meatballs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Store the tzatziki separately in its own container so it stays fresh and creamy. Both reheat and taste great throughout the week, making this a perfect meal prep option.

Freeze: The meatballs freeze really well for up to 3 months. Let them cool completely, then arrange them on a baking sheet to freeze individually before transferring to a freezer bag. I don’t recommend freezing the tzatziki since the cucumber releases water when thawed, but you can always whip up a fresh batch in just 5 minutes.

Reheat: Warm the meatballs in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes, or microwave them for 1-2 minutes until heated through. If reheating from frozen, add a few extra minutes. The tzatziki is best served cold straight from the fridge.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1100-1300
• Protein: 100-110 g
• Fat: 60-70 g
• Carbohydrates: 45-55 g

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

• 1.25 lb ground turkey
• 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup red onion, finely minced
• 1/3 cup feta cheese (crumbled into small pea-sized bits)
• 4 garlic cloves (freshly minced)
• 1 large egg
• 2.5 tsp dried oregano
• 1.5 tsp dried dill
• 3/4 tsp cumin
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

For the tzatziki:

• 1.5 cups greek yogurt
• 2 cucumbers (peeled and finely grated)
• 1.5 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2.5 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1.5 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped

Step 1: Prepare the Tzatziki Sauce

• 2 cucumbers, peeled and finely grated
• 1.5 cups greek yogurt
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1.5 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
• 2.5 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1.5 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• freshly ground black pepper to taste

Start with the tzatziki since it benefits from chilling time and requires minimal active cooking.

Peel and finely grate the cucumbers, then place them in a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth and squeeze firmly to remove excess moisture—this prevents a watery sauce.

In a bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, squeezed cucumbers, minced garlic, fresh dill, fresh mint, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt.

Stir until well combined and season with freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Transfer to a serving bowl and refrigerate while you prepare the meatballs.

Step 2: Prepare the Oven and Mix the Meatballs

• 1.25 lb ground turkey
• 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup red onion, finely minced
• 1/3 cup feta cheese
• 4 garlic cloves, freshly minced
• 1 large egg
• 2.5 tsp dried oregano
• 1.5 tsp dried dill
• 3/4 tsp cumin
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

While the tzatziki chills, preheat your oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly oil it.

In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, panko breadcrumbs, finely minced red onion, crumbled feta cheese, minced garlic, egg, dried oregano, dried dill, cumin, salt, and black pepper.

I find it helpful to use your hands to gently mix everything together—this incorporates the ingredients evenly without overworking the meat, which keeps the meatballs tender.

Mix just until the ingredients are combined; avoid squeezing or compacting the mixture too much.

Step 3: Shape and Bake the Meatballs

• meatball mixture from Step 2

Using a cookie scoop or your hands, shape the meatball mixture into 1-inch balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart to ensure even cooking.

I prefer to use a small cookie scoop because it creates uniformly sized meatballs that cook at the same rate.

Bake at 400°F for 15–20 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through and lightly browned on the outside (they should reach an internal temperature of 165°F if you want to check with a thermometer).

Step 4: Serve and Enjoy

• baked meatballs from Step 3
• tzatziki sauce from Step 1

Remove the meatballs from the oven and let them rest for 2–3 minutes on the baking sheet.

Transfer to a serving platter and serve warm alongside the chilled tzatziki sauce from Step 1.

Offer lemon wedges on the side for guests to squeeze over the meatballs if desired.

Tender Greek Turkey Meatballs with Tzatziki

Delicious Tender Greek Turkey Meatballs with Tzatziki recipe with step-by-step instructions.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 42 minutes mins

Servings 4.5 servings

Calories 1200 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the meatballs

• 1.25 lb ground turkey
• 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup red onion, finely minced
• 1/3 cup feta cheese (crumbled into small pea-sized bits)
• 4 garlic cloves (freshly minced)
• 1 large egg
• 2.5 tsp dried oregano
• 1.5 tsp dried dill
• 3/4 tsp cumin
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

For the tzatziki

• 1.5 cups greek yogurt
• 2 cucumbers (peeled and finely grated)
• 1.5 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2.5 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1.5 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped

Instructions

 

• Start with the tzatziki since it benefits from chilling time and requires minimal active cooking. Peel and finely grate the cucumbers, then place them in a clean kitchen towel or cheesecloth and squeeze firmly to remove excess moisture—this prevents a watery sauce. In a bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, squeezed cucumbers, minced garlic, fresh dill, fresh mint, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Stir until well combined and season with freshly ground black pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and refrigerate while you prepare the meatballs.
• While the tzatziki chills, preheat your oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly oil it. In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, panko breadcrumbs, finely minced red onion, crumbled feta cheese, minced garlic, egg, dried oregano, dried dill, cumin, salt, and black pepper. I find it helpful to use your hands to gently mix everything together—this incorporates the ingredients evenly without overworking the meat, which keeps the meatballs tender. Mix just until the ingredients are combined; avoid squeezing or compacting the mixture too much.
• Using a cookie scoop or your hands, shape the meatball mixture into 1-inch balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart to ensure even cooking. I prefer to use a small cookie scoop because it creates uniformly sized meatballs that cook at the same rate. Bake at 400°F for 15–20 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through and lightly browned on the outside (they should reach an internal temperature of 165°F if you want to check with a thermometer).
• Remove the meatballs from the oven and let them rest for 2–3 minutes on the baking sheet. Transfer to a serving platter and serve warm alongside the chilled tzatziki sauce from Step 1. Offer lemon wedges on the side for guests to squeeze over the meatballs if desired.