Mediterranean beef meatballs

Juicy, zesty, and with a hint of oregano – these succulent Greek style meatballs are the perfect light spring dish! Made with delicious Aussie beef and best served on a bed of cous cous, this easy-to-make meal is the perfect dish to serve to friends and family as many parts of the country are slowly coming out of lock-down and reunions are on the cards!

Ingredients

500g lean beef mince
1 small red onion, finely diced
1 ½ tbsp oregano leaves, finely chopped + extra sprigs, to serve
Zest of 1 lemon + extra wedges, to serve
1 tbsp olive oil
400g tomato passata
½ cup (125ml) salt-reduced beef stock
2 zucchini, cut into 1cm dice
2 celery stalks, cut into 1cm dice
2 carrots, peeled, cut into 1cm dice
80g baby spinach leaves
60g feta cheese, crumbled
Steamed cous cous or rice, baby leaf salad, to serve

Method

1. Place mince, onion, oregano and lemon zest in a large bowl. Season. Using clean, damp hands mix to combine well. Roll a heaped tablespoon of mince mixture into a ball. Repeat to make 20 meatballs.
2. Heat oil in a large non-stick frypan over medium-high heat. Cook meatballs for 4-5 minutes or until browned. Add tomato passata, stock, zucchini, celery and carrots. Stir well, bring to the boil then reduce heat to a low simmer for 12-15 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through and sauce has thickened. Stir through spinach and season to taste.
3. Sprinkle meatballs with feta and extra oregano. Serve with cous cous or rice, salad and lemon wedges.

Tips

1. Meatballs will freeze well raw or as a cooked dish with the sauce.
2. Great meal to have in the freezer – cook some pasta, reheat meatballs, toss through and dinner is ready.
3. Swap feta for ricotta or parmesan; swap oregano for thyme or parsley.

For more tips, tricks, recipes and information head to Australian Beef!