Equipment
Ingredients
Meatball Base
- 450 g ground turkey, chilled
- 100 g plain greek yogurt, full fat preferred
- 50 g rolled oats, dry
- 75 g feta cheese, crumbled
- 10 g fresh mint, finely chopped
- 2 garlic, minced
- 1 egg, beaten
- 15 ml olive oil, for drizzling
- 5 g salt, kosher or sea salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 2 g dried oregano
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 74 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbohydrates
- 1 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 199 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 36 mg
- Potassium
- 93 mg
- Calcium
- 46 mg
- Iron
- 0.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 9 mg
- Phosphorus
- 88 mg
- Zinc
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin A
- 24 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 0 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.2 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 2 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.4 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.03 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.12 mg
- Niacin
- 2.0 mg
- Folate
- 7 mcg
- Water
- 31 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the Greek yogurt, beaten egg, minced garlic, fresh mint, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Whisk until smooth.
Stir the rolled oats into the yogurt mixture. Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes so the oats can soften and absorb the excess liquid.
Add the ground turkey and crumbled feta cheese to the bowl. Using clean hands or a spatula, gently mix until the ingredients are just combined. Do not overwork the meat.
Form the mixture into 16 equal-sized meatballs, each about the size of a golf ball. Place them evenly spaced on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle lightly with the olive oil.
Bake the meatballs for 15 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown on the outside and an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the center reaches 74°C/165°F to ensure food safety.
Remove from the oven and let the meatballs rest for 3 to 5 minutes on the baking sheet before serving or transferring to a storage container.
Chef's Notes
- Using Greek yogurt and rolled oats creates a panade-like effect, which traps moisture inside the lean ground poultry and prevents it from drying out during high-heat roasting.
- Always wash hands thoroughly and avoid cross-contamination when handling raw poultry. Ensure all work surfaces and tools are sanitized after shaping the meatballs.
- If you plan to serve these in a soup, you can underbake them slightly by removing them from the oven at the 12-minute mark. They will finish cooking and reach the safe 74°C/165°F temperature when dropped into the simmering broth.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze cooked meatballs in a single layer on a baking sheet before transferring to a freezer-safe bag to prevent sticking.
Reheating: Microwave on medium power for 1 to 2 minutes, or simmer gently in broth or tomato sauce for 5 to 7 minutes until heated through.
Troubleshooting
Meatballs are tough and dry instead of tender
Cause: The meat mixture was overmixed, or the meatballs were left in the oven past the safe internal temperature
Fix: Simmer the overcooked meatballs gently in a warm tomato sauce or chicken broth for 10 minutes to help rehydrate them
Prevention: Mix only until the ingredients are evenly distributed, and check the internal temperature at the 14-minute mark
Meatballs fall apart during shaping or baking
Cause: The oats did not absorb enough moisture, or the egg was too small to bind the mixture
Fix: Chill the mixture in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to firm up before shaping
Prevention: Allow the full 5-minute rest time for the oats and yogurt mixture before adding the meat
Cultural Context
Drawing inspiration from Keftedes, the classic Greek meatball, this variation embraces Eastern Mediterranean flavor profiles while making modern nutritional substitutions. By utilizing rolled oats and yogurt rather than traditional soaked bread, the recipe achieves a beautifully tender crumb structure while highlighting the bright, herbaceous pairing of feta and mint.
