Keftedakia

Recipes from My Greek Mom’s Recipes: She Died. I Wrote This Cookbook.by Gus Constantellis. Photography by Sheneur Menaker. ©2026 by Rock Point. Excerpted with permission. All rights reserved.

Ingredients

• 1 medium yellow onion, grated with a hand grater or food processor
• 1 pound (454 g) ground beef (not too lean)
• 3 or 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup (50 g) dried unseasoned bread crumbs
• 1 cup (50 g) finely chopped fresh mint (my mom would say, “1 handful!”)
• 2 cups (100 g) finely chopped fresh parsley (“2 handfuls!”)
• 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon whole milk (I use oat milk. Don’t tell my mom.)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¾ cup (180 ml) neutral oil, plus more as needed
• 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour, for dredging
• 1 lemon, cut in half, for topping

Directions

1. To a large bowl, add the onion, beef, garlic, egg, bread crumbs, mint, parsley, vinegar, milk, salt, and pepper. Knead well until everything is incorporated. Shape into about 30 small meatballs, about 1 tablespoon each.
2. In a large heavy-bottomed skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat (see Note). Place the flour in a shallow bowl and dredge the meatballs, a few at a time, until they are lightly coated all over. Working in batches not to overcrowd the pan and adding more oil as needed, place several meatballs in the skillet and cook for about 2 minutes on each side until browned all over, about 6 minutes total, or until the internal temperature is 145°F (63°C) for medium or your desired doneness. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate to drain excess oil.
3. Squeeze one-half or both halves of the lemon over the top of the keftedakia and serve.
4. Note: To bake the keftedakia, place them on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper, about 2 inches (5 cm) apart. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in an oven preheated to 350°F (180°C), until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C) for medium or your desired doneness.