Springtime Balling

Now that the spring equinox has come and gone, we like to roll a little lighter when it comes to meatballs. These delightful little orbs—seasoned with plenty chopped fresh mint from the FIO gardens and warm, smoky cumin—are perfect for invoking those lively spring feels. We use ground turkey, then add chopped walnuts for some of that good fat (and a little crunch!), PLUS a handful of golden raisins for little bursts of sweetness in each bite. These balls will have EVERYONE coming back for more—even kiddos!

So Many Ways to Serve
We love to serve these over steaming hot couscous or rice seasoned with steamed chopped asparagus and a bit of lemon zest, but you’ve got options. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Appetizers Serve the meatballs on a platter with cocktail picks alongside the yogurt sauce. Sprinkle with green onion.
Pitas Arrange meatballs in pita or naan bread and top with yogurt sauce, green onion, and crumbled feta.
Salad For a lower carb option, top a pile of fresh arugula with the meatballs and the yogurt sauce. Top with green onion and crumbled feta.
Meatball Subs Arrange meatballs in hoagie buns and top with the yogurt sauce and green onion.

The Scoop on the Scoop Our favorite meatball making tool? A small ice cream-style scoop. Not only does using one save your hands from a mess and cut your prep time in half, but each ball turns out equally portioned for even cooking. Just give them a quick roll with greased hands after scooping, and the balls are ready to rock!

Make-Ahead To prep ahead these meatballs, mix up the meat mixture and roll into balls as directed. Cover and chill up to 6 hours (bonus: chilling the meatballs before baking helps them keep their shape in the oven!)

Freezer-Friendly Balls To freeze the baked meatballs so they’re on hand when you need them, arrange them in a single layer on a sheet pan or tray. Freeze until firm, 1 to 2 hours, then transfer to a freezer bag or container and freeze up to 4 months.

Mediterranean Turkey-Walnut Meatballs

We like ground turkey or chicken for its low fat content and finer texture, but you can sub in ground pork, beef, or lamb for heartier meatballs. Golden raisins give it a hint of sweetness. If you prefer, use another dried fruit, such as chopped dried apricots or apples.

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Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 4

Ingredients

  

• 1 lemon
• 4 green onions, chopped
• ½ cup panko bread crumbs
• ⅓ cup chopped walnuts
• 2 Tbsp. golden or dark raisins
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 Tbsp. + 2 tsp. chopped fresh mint
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ tsp. crushed red pepper
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. black pepper
• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• Hot cooked couscous, farro, or rice

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove zest from lemon; add to a medium bowl. Stir in the panko, half of the green onion, the walnuts, raisins, egg, the 2 Tbsp. chopped mint, the cumin, garlic, crushed red pepper, salt, and black pepper until well-combined. Add turkey, and mix just until combined.
• Form meat mixture into 1½-inch meatballs and arrange on prepared baking sheet. Bake, turning once, until meatballs are cooked through(160°F) and lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, for sauce, squeeze the juice from the lemon into a small bowl. Stir in yogurt, olive oil, and the 2 tsp. mint. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
• Serve meatballs with sauce over couscous, farro, or rice. Top with remaining chopped green onions.

Keyword ground meat recipes, healthy recipe, meatballs, mediterranean diet, mediterranean recipe