These Mediterranean meatball pitas are stuffed with crispy herbed meatballs, a fresh tomato cucumber salad and drizzled with a tangy mint yogurt sauce. Made with simple, healthy ingredients and on the table just over half an hour for the perfect summer dinner or lunch.

How to Make Mediterranean Meatball Pitas

Start with the tomato cucumber salad: This salad is always my go to whenever I’m making Mediterranean food. It’s fresh, light and super easy to make. All you need to do is chop up some cucumbers, red onion and cherry tomatoes then pour over a few tablespoons of red wine vinegar plus a pinch of both salt and sugar. I also like to add a bit of dill for another layer of flavor. This salad is delicious right away, but it gets even better overtime. It can sit at room temp while you prep the other ingredients or ideally in the fridge overnight.

Make the mint yogurt sauce: Also pretty straightforward, the mint yogurt sauce is such a simple condiment but adds so much to the dish. I used full fat coconut yogurt to keep this recipe dairy free, but Greek yogurt will also work. Place the yogurt in the container of a high speed blender along with some fresh lemon juice, olive oil, a big bunch of mint and a little honey and salt. Blend it up until everything is nice and smooth. The sauce can also be made in advance if you prefer.

Move on to the meatballs: I’m usually a fan of chicken or turkey meatballs, but for these Mediterranean meatball pitas, I’m going to recommend using lean ground beef. The fat content in the beef helps keep the meatballs juicy and also prevent them from sticking to the pan. I also think the flavor pairs very nicely with the mint sauce.

Start by mixing all the ingredients for the meatballs together in a large bowl, using either a metal spoon or your hands. Roll the mixture into golf ball sized balls—about two tablespoons each. Now, this step is optional, but I like to coat the meatballs in a bit of flour before pan frying. This helps them crisp up in the pan.

To cook the meatballs, heat a large skillet over medium heat for a few minutes. Add enough oil to thinly coat the bottom of the pan and place the meatballs in the skillet. You may need to work in batches if they don’t all fit. Cook for about 10 minutes, using tongs to turn the meatballs two or three times until no longer red in the center. You may need to cut one open to check. Transfer the meatballs to a plate and get your other components ready to serve.

Assemble! For these Mediterranean meatball pitas, I used homemade pita bread which I warmed briefly in the microwave, but store bought is just fine. It’s important that the pita is warm or it might break as you stuff it. Load watch one with a handful of greens, tomato cucumber salad and a few meatballs. Drizzle with mint yogurt sauce and enjoy!

More Mediterranean Inspired Recipes to Try:

• Greek Crunchwrap supreme
• Italian stuffed peppers with sun-dried tomatoes
• Lemon artichoke flatbread
• Toasted lemon pepper orzo with crispy chickpeas

Made this recipe? Tag @wandering_chickpea on Instagram and follow along on Pinterest for more delicious recipes!

Yield: 4-6 servings

Mediterranean Meatball Stuffed Pitas with Mint Yogurt Sauce

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Mediterranean inspired meatball stuffed pitas with a fresh tomato cucumber salad and creamy mint yogurt sauce. Easy to make and perfect for a healthier dinner or lunch.

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

For the tomato cucumber salad

• 1 Persian cucumber, thinly sliced
• 6 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp chopped dill
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

For the mint yogurt sauce

• 1 cup Greek yogurt (or coconut yogurt)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 small bunch mint
• 2 tsp honey
• 1/2 tsp salt

For the meatballs + to serve

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 2 tbsp fresh oregano (sub 1 tbsp dried)
• 2 tsp thyme, fresh or dried
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 6-8 kalamata olives, pitted and finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1-2 tbsp flour (optional*)
• Oil for pan frying
• 4-6 pita pockets, warmed
• Arugula or micro greens for serving

Instructions

1. To make the salad, toss all ingredients in a a large bowl and refriderate until ready to serve.
2. To make the mint yogurt sauce, add all ingrededients to the container of a high speed blender and blend until smooth and no big green flecks remain. Set aside until ready to use.
3. To make the meatballs, mix together ground beef, red onion, panko, herbs, lemon zest, chopped olives and salt. Use your hands to form the mixture into 2 tbsp sized balls.
4. Optional: Lightly dust the meatballs in flour and toss to coat.
5. Heat a large skillet over medium heat then add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. When shimmering place the meatballs in the skillet and cook for 8-10 minutes, turning a few times until cooked through and crispy on the outside. Transfer to a plate.
6. To serve, stuff eat warm pita with a handful of greens followed by the tomato cucumber salad and a few meatballs. Drizzle with mint yogurt sauce and serve fresh.

Notes

* Tossing the meatballs with flour gives them a crispy crust on the outside after pan frying, but this step is optional.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1/6 recipe
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 501Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 69mgSodium: 1277mgCarbohydrates: 53gFiber: 4gSugar: 8gProtein: 34g

All nutritional info is an estimation