Greek-American Sheet-Pan Lamb Meatballs with Feta and Kalamata Olives
Αρνίσια κεφτεδάκια φουρνιστά·(ar-NEE-sya kef-te-DAH-kya foor-nee-STAH)
DINNER
Per serving (Yields 4): NET CARBS: 2.5 g | Total carbs: 3.5 g | Fiber: 1.0 g | Sugar alcohols: 0 g | Fat: 34 g | Protein: 26 g | Calories: ~435.
The traditional Greek keftede gets its famously tender texture from a panade—stale bread soaked in milk and kneaded into the meat. On a keto timeline, we don’t have the carb budget for the bread, nor do we have the time to stand over a stove shallow-frying batches of meatballs in olive oil. Instead, we fold full-fat feta and chopped Kalamata olives directly into fatty ground lamb. As they roast on a high-heat sheet pan, the cheese melts, basting the meat from the inside out. It yields a tender, deeply savory bite with exactly zero tedious mise en place.
Ingredients
- fatty ground lamb1 lb
- feta cheese4 oz
- Kalamata olives1/3 cup
- fresh mint3 tbsp
- red onion1/4 cup
- garlic2 clove
- egg1 large
- dried Greek oregano1 tsp
- ground cumin1/2 tsp
- kosher salt1/2 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- extra-virgin olive oil1 tbsp
Method
- 01
Preheat the oven to 425°F and prepare a baking sheet.
Line a heavy-duty, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or heavy foil, and brush it lightly with the olive oil.
- 02
Mix the meatballs.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground lamb, crumbled feta, chopped olives, mint, grated onion, garlic, egg, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper. Use your hands to mix until just combined—do not overwork the meat, or the lamb will become tough.
- 03
Scoop and portion the mixture.
Using a 1.5-inch cookie scoop or your hands, form roughly 12 to 14 even meatballs and place them directly onto the prepared sheet pan. Leave an inch of space between each to encourage hot air circulation and browning.
- 04
Roast for 15 to 18 minutes.
Transfer the sheet pan to the center rack. The meatballs are done when they are deeply browned on the outside and have reached an internal temperature of 160°F.
- 05
Let rest on the pan before serving.
Give them 2 minutes out of the oven. The caramelized drippings around the meatballs are pure flavor; scrape them up and serve alongside the meat.
Notes
Why this swap?
Traditional Greek meatballs rely on breadcrumbs or milk-soaked bread to retain moisture. By folding crumbled feta directly into the lamb, the fat from the cheese melts during roasting, performing the exact same moisturizing function while saving roughly 15g of net carbs per serving.
Hidden-ingredient label check for feta
Always buy feta sold as a whole block in brine. Pre-crumbled feta in plastic tubs is almost universally coated in hidden starches like potato starch or cellulose to prevent clumping. Crumbling it yourself takes ten seconds and keeps your macros clean.
Hidden-ingredient label check for olives
While Kalamata olives are a keto staple, check the ingredient list on jarred varieties to ensure no cheap sugars or glazes were added to the brine. It should contain only olives, water, salt, olive oil, and sometimes red wine vinegar.
Grate the onion
In a fast, 15-minute high-heat roast, diced onions won't have time to soften and will leave a raw, crunchy texture. Grating the red onion on a box grater ensures it melts seamlessly into the meat, releasing its juices to further flavor the lamb.
From Keto 10 Minute Meals.