These Greek Turkey Meatball Gyros are so simple and delicious, and they come together in a snap! Perfect for a quick and healthy weeknight meal.
Let it be known that these gyros are so delicious I’ve made them three times in the past month. Ordinarily, such meal frequency would be blasphemous in my house. If I eat the same meal more than five times a year I start to feel bored. Why cook the same things over and over when you could treat every day as an opportunity to explore new, exciting flavors?
But even I can’t deny the allure of a really good, simple recipe so delicious you learn to make it by rote. This is one such recipe, so gloriously uncomplicated that I keep turning to it in the throes of my busiest weeks.
It starts with tzatziki, a cooling Middle Eastern sauce made of tangy yogurt, zippy lemon, refreshing cucumber, and a flurry of fresh herbs. Traditionally, it’s made with fresh garlic, but I substitute garlic powder for busy nights. The result is a cold, creamy sauce so delectable you’ll want to dollop it on literally everything.
And then the meatballs. THESE MEATBALLS. I cannot deal.
If you have a food processor, now’s the time to use it. All you’ve gotta do is plop all the ingredients in there, let it whir for a minute, and scoop it out onto a baking sheet. No food processor? No problem. We can deal with that. Just chop up some onions and garlic super finely (as finely as you can to ensure optimal meatball cohesion), then toss ’em in a big bowl and mix ’em with the rest of the ingredients. Bada bing, bada boom. Meatballs with no complicated steps.
All that’s left to do after that is wait. Maybe you’ll chop up some extra cucumber and red onion to scatter across the top. Maybe you won’t. Perhaps, like I’ve done many times, you’ll opt to cram as many meatballs as you can into a warm pita, top it unceremoniously with tzatziki and a handful of greens, and eat it as-is.
No matter how you choose to eat them, though, these meatball gyros are sure to become a regular in your weeknight rotation. They’ve saved me from many a hasty takeout order, so they can do it for you, too.
More easy weeknight meals:
Peanut-Lime Soba Noodle Bowls
One-Pot Spinach and Artichoke Orzo
Roasted Vegetable Tostadas
IF YOU MAKE THESE GREEK TURKEY MEATBALL GYROS, DON’T FORGET TO SNAP A PHOTO AND TAG ME IN IT ON INSTAGRAM @FEELINWHISKY! I LOVE SEEING WHAT YOU DO WITH MY RECIPES!
PrintGreek Turkey Meatball Gyros
These Greek Turkey Meatball Gyros are so simple and delicious, and they come together in a snap! Perfect for a quick and healthy weeknight meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 small red onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest, from 1 large lemon
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- Kosher salt + black pepper
For the tzatziki:
- 1 large cucumber, grated
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, from 1 large lemon
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, mint, or cilantro
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Kosher salt + black pepper
For serving:
- 4 whole wheat pitas
- Greens, like baby spinach or arugula
- Thinly sliced cucumber
- Thinly sliced red onion
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Salt and drain the cucumber: Place the grated cucumber in a small bowl, sprinkle on some salt, and set it aside. This will pull the water out of the cucumber so you aren’t left with a watery tzatziki.
- Make the meatballs: In a food processor or large bowl, combine all the meatball ingredients. Pulse to combine (or mix with a spoon or clean hands). Scoop into 1 1/2-inch meatballs and drop onto the lined baking sheet.* Bake the meatball for 20-24 minutes, or until completely cooked through and beginning to brown on the outside.
- Make the tzatziki: While the meatballs are baking, pour the excess water off of the grated cucumber (quite a bit should have collected in the bottom of the bowl). Transfer the grated cucumber to a clean towel, then wrap the towel around and squeeze the living daylights out of it to get all the water out. Place the drained cucumber in a small bowl, then add the rest of the tzatziki ingredients and stir to combine.
- Assemble: Serve the meatballs in a warm pita with tzatziki, greens, and slices of cucumber and red onion.
Notes
- I use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop for my meatballs to ensure they’re uniform.
