Cooking Keftedes, Sharing Tradition

Hi sweetie,

Greek Easter is April 20th this year—yes, 4-20—LOL! I thought you might want to celebrate the day with your friends, and since you have been looking for family recipes recently, I thought this would be a great one to share with you.

Keftedes are Greek meatballs—super easy to make and perfect for sharing with friends. Our family usually only had them at Easter, but they’re great for any gathering. I didn't make them often when you were growing up - I should have made them more often, but you know how Grandmama was with the family celebrations with Papou, your cousins, and my siblings  - it was all too much for her to deal with, and she always had it catered. Mom just wanted to enjoy seeing everyone rather than spend the whole time in the kitchen - having Papou yell from the dining room table, "Diane! Diane! Come sit down!" All you grandkids were saved from all that yelling for my mom.

But when I was young, we made everything ourselves. Grandmama had to cook a lot. The night before Easter, our tiny galley kitchen was packed with movement, the air thick with the scent of onions and spices as Grandmama and my Aunt Mary gathered to prepare the keftedes. I would be sitting on the kitchen stool that if you flipped one way was a ladder and the other way a stool. Grandmama and Aunt Mary would chop the onions and herbs chatting and gossiping about the family. Grandmama would first mix the meat herself but then let me help after she made sure I had thoroughly washed my hands. I remember the cold feeling of the meat as I would gather it in my hands and squish it between my fingers—similar to the way I would push my playdough through my Playdough Factory. I felt confident as the designated helper—forming the meat into perfect, bite-sized spheres and coating them in a dusting of flour before placing them carefully on trays. Something I also practiced with my playdough. My hands were always covered in a sticky mix of beef, herbs, and flour, and I loved every minute of it.

I used to sneak bites of the raw beef—back then, Grandmama bought the best ground beef from the butcher shop, and it was that good. If she mixed the beef with pork I wasn't allowed to eat that. The spices and seasonings blended so perfectly as I pinched off a taste before we rolled the balls in the flour. But Grandmama and Aunt Mary were quick with the hand slaps, scolding me each time they caught me mid-theft. But not hard enough to stop me from trying again.

Once all the keftedes were rolled and floured, they were positioned on the baking sheet. Next, they went into the refrigerator to set. That’s when my role in the process ended because the next step—frying them in hot oil—was strictly off-limits. The splattering oil was dangerous, and Grandmama didn’t want me anywhere near it. Still, I lingered close by, as the smells from the kitchen were calling me to watch as the meatballs hit the pan and filled the kitchen with their savory, golden-brown aroma. Instead of flipping them, I stationed myself near the platter where the freshly fried keftedes drained on paper towels. They needed to be stored for the next day, but I had other plans. With a swift hand slap from my mom, I was warned to leave them alone, but somehow, by the time they were covered in foil and placed in the fridge, a few were missing.

Keftedes have been a staple of Greek cuisine for centuries. Keftedes date back to ancient Greece, where they were originally made as a way to use up leftover meat scraps, blending them with herbs and spices to create something delicious. Some recipes call for a mixture of ground beef and ground pork. Traditionally, they were cooked over open flames or in clay ovens, giving them a rich, smoky flavor. Can you imagine Grandmama trying to do that?! LOL! The dish changed over time in the preparation and with different regions adding their own twists. But no matter how it was made, keftedes held a special place in Greek homes and celebrations. 

There’s something about these little Greek meatballs with their rich, seasoned flavor, their crisp, golden-brown exterior—that makes them feel like more than just food. They embody the warmth of Greek hospitality and the joy of sharing a meal with friends, loved ones and family. It's a great Greek comfort food. In our family, making keftedes was more than just a step in preparing for Easter—it was part of the celebration itself, a ritual that should be passed down through generations.

When Easter day would arrive, the keftedes would be taken out of the fridge and were arranged on a platter with the toothpicks I was in charge of sticking in them for easy grabbing. Unlike the way they’re often served today, with tzatziki or some dipping sauce, our family didn’t bother with that. They were perfectly seasoned on their own, and there was never a need for anything extra. They were part of a spread that always included spanakopita and tiropitakia that Uncle Bill and Aunt Ann brought, along with Greek cheeses like Kasseri and one other I don’t remember. Uncle Bill - he was Papou's uncle - his dad's mother's brother - he was the patriarch of the Greeks, before your Papou and the true chef in the family, bringing over most of the meal, including the delicious pastistio, but the keftedes were something Grandmama and Aunt Mary always prepared, and I am proud I was a part of that tradition.

When the relatives arrived, they'd all come piling in, trays of food in their hands, but as soon as the handoff was complete, their incredibly strong old hands were free—ready to pinch my cheeks. "Christina! Look at how you have grown!" they’d exclaim, followed by "Τι κάνετε;" (Ti kánete? – How are you?). That was my cue to respond as Papou had taught us as children and you grandkids, "Καλά!" (Kala! – Good!), before the inevitable kiss on each cheek… and, of course, one final double pinch for good measure. As everyone got settled in I was given the task of helping serve the appetizers -- opening me up to another round of cheek-pinching. I don't my brothers were subjected to quite as many cheek tweaks as I was, but I am much cuter than them. LOL!.

The keftedes weren’t just a dish to me—they were part of what made Easter feel like Easter, a reminder of the warmth of family, the joy of cooking together, and they were my one and only favorite appetizer as a child - besides pigs in a blanket. And of course, no Easter meal was complete without the traditional Greek Easter bread, Tsoureki. After all the savory dishes, we’d finish the meal with slices of the slightly sweet, aromatic bread, beauutifully braided and topped with red-dyed eggs. It was the perfect way to end our feast, a sweet reminder of tradition and celebration. 

I remember while we ate our Tsoureki, we always had our egg wars a.k.a 'tsougrisma'—the traditional Greek Easter egg cracking game. I'm sure your friends will enjoy this part of our Easter. Just be sure to have enough eggs so that each person can have one or two red-dyed eggs and tap it against another’s, as you say "Christos Anesti" (Christ has risen), and your opponent should respond by saying, "Alithos Anesti" (Indeed he has risen)-- the one who has the uncracked egg is the winner. You know how fun we have when we play tsougrisma.

Family Keftedes Recipe

If you want to spice up the keftedes, you can update the recipe by adding some garlic. Instead of frying the meatballs in oil, try using your air fryer at 350ºF—check them after 25-30 minutes. You may have to take one out, cut it in half to check doneness, and then taste. You can also serve them with a tzatziki sauce when your friends come over. 

Here is the original family recipe:

2 lb chopped meat (can be all beef or half beef, half pork)

1 cup onions, finely grated

2 cups moist, soft bread crumbs - use a little milk to moisten

2 eggs

3 tbsp chopped parsley & mint leaves

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 cup flour (for rolling)

1 cup oil for frying

Instructions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped beef, grated onions, bread crumbs, eggs, parsley, mint, salt, and black pepper.
2. Mix well until all ingredients are fully incorporated. The mixture should be slightly sticky but hold its shape when rolled.
3. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour, or overnight if preparing ahead.
4. Roll the mixture into small meatballs, about the size of a walnut, smaller than an Italian meatball) and coat them lightly in flour.
5. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, fry the meatballs in batches, turning until browned and cooked through (about 8-10 minutes).
6. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
7. Serve warm or cold with toothpicks. No sauce needed—just enjoy!

Here are a few variations you can try:

For extra flavor, you can add 1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar, 1 ½ teaspoons of dried oregano, and 100g of grated kefalotyri cheese to the mix.

If using an air fryer, preheat it to 350ºF. Brush each meatball with olive oil before placing them in a single layer. Cook for 20 minutes, checking at 10 minutes to shake and flip them for even cooking.

For a healthier version, you can substitute ground chicken. You can also check out this air fryer variation using ground chicken from Scrummy Lane: Greek Air Fryer Meatballs - Chicken Keftedes. You can also check out this variation of keftedes with a lemon sauce from The Mediterranean Dish: Greek Meatballs Recipe - Keftedes with Lemon Sauce. If using chicken, increase the cooking time to 20-25 minutes and make sure they reach a safe internal temperature of 165ºF (74ºC).

If you prefer to follow a video I have included one from one the best know Greek cooks in the world, Diane Kochilas. She makes a version very close to the one I made with Grandmama.

Keftedes are super easy to make and delicious, and you can even add a tzatziki sauce for dipping, though we never served them that way when I was growing up. Remember you can also use gluten-free breadcrumbs if that works better for you, plus the meatballs will last 4 days in the refrigerator but if you don't think you will eat them right away - better to freeze the leftovers. They are meant to eat cold, so you don't have to wrory about reheating - just thaw in the fridge and enjoy snacking on them.

I hope you have fun making these and sharing them with your friends. Keftedes are a great comfort food that no matter how I cook them, they always remind me of family and home. I look forward to the next time we can be together for Greek Easter and make them together.

I miss you - enjoy the keftedes and the photos!

Love you! Mom