Greek Beef Meatballs with Quinoa and Arugula Salad
Loaded with raisins and a variety of Greek-inspired spices, these Greek meatballs (next to simple sides of quinoa + arugula salad) are delicious and so easy.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
For the Quinoa:
- 1 cups white quinoa rinsed
- 1 ½ cups water
- ½ tablespoon butter or olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
For the Meatballs:
- 1 ½ pounds ground beef
- 1/3 cup raisins
- ½ small onion finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- pinch cayenne pepper optional
- 1 tablespoon butter for stovetop meatballs only
- lemon wedge for serving
For the Arugula Salad:
- 4 cups arugula
- 1 lemon juiced
- 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
For the Quinoa:
- Combine everything in a small pot over hight heat.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and let simmer for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, fluff with a fork and pull off of the heat.
For the Meatballs:
- While the quinoa cooks, make the meatballs. Add ground beef, chopped onion, raisins, cinnamon, coriander, sea salt, and cayenne pepper to a large bowl.
- Using your hands or a spoon, mix until everything is well combined.
- Grab 2-2½ tablespoons of the meat mixture, roll into balls.
- Cook the meatballs either on the stovetop or in the oven.
- Stovetop method: add the butter to a skillet large enough to fit all of the meatballs over high heat, and let melt. Add the meatballs to the hot skillet and cook on each side for 3 minutes, until browned and cooked through.
- Oven method: preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake the meatballs on a rimmed baking dish for 30-45 minutes.
For the Salad:
- Just before serving, assemble your salad. Toss the arugula with lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Nutrition
Calories: 663kcal | Carbohydrates: 44.7g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 37.3g | Saturated Fat: 11.3g | Cholesterol: 115.6mg | Sodium: 1143.4mg | Fiber: 4.6g | Sugar: 10.5g