Easy Baked Greek Lentil Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce
Easy Greek Lentil Meatballs are crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and packed with flavor. After making this recipe dozens of times, I’ve discovered the trick to perfectly baked meatballs every time. The warm, cozy aroma of these meatballs will fill your home and make your family beg for seconds. Jump to the recipe card or keep reading for my best tips. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Easy Cheesy Asparagus Casserole Recipe for Dinner and Crispy Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes Easy and Quick.
Why This Easy Baked Greek Lentil Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce Is Pure Comfort
- Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside
- Packed with Greek flavors
- Better than takeout and ready in 30 minutes
- Freezes well for meal prep
What You'll Need for Easy Baked Greek Lentil Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce
Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.
- 1 cup green lentils
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Optional: Tzatziki sauce (recipe below)
- Optional: Chopped fresh parsley
- Optional: Lemon wedges
📝 Ingredient Notes
- green lentils: Make sure to rinse and pick over lentils before cooking.
- breadcrumbs: You can use store-bought or make your own from stale bread.
🛒 Tools & Equipment I Recommend
- Food Processor — Pulses ingredients to the perfect texture for meatballs. → See on Amazon
- Baking Sheet — Ensures even cooking and easy cleanup. → See on Amazon
How to Make Easy Baked Greek Lentil Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce
- Cook lentils: Combine lentils with water in a pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20-25 minutes until tender. Drain and set aside.
- Prepare meatball mixture: In a food processor, combine cooked lentils, onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, egg, parsley, dill, oregano, salt, and pepper. Pulse until well combined.
- Form meatballs: Using your hands, form the mixture into bite-sized meatballs, about 1 inch in diameter. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake meatballs: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Drizzle meatballs with olive oil and sprinkle with smoked paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper (if using), salt, and pepper. Bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway, until crispy and golden brown.
- Prepare tzatziki sauce: In a bowl, combine 1 cup Greek yogurt, 1/2 cucumber (grated and squeezed dry), 1 clove garlic (minced), 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill, 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, 1 tbsp lemon juice, and salt to taste. Mix well and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Serve: Serve meatballs hot with tzatziki sauce, chopped fresh parsley, and lemon wedges.
Cook's Tips for Perfect Easy Baked Greek Lentil Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce
- Common mistake and fix: The #1 reason this recipe fails is using too much liquid in the meatball mixture. To prevent this, make sure to drain lentils well and add just enough egg to bind the mixture. If the mixture is too wet, add more breadcrumbs.
- Pro tip: For extra flavor, soak lentils in water overnight before cooking. Drain and rinse before using in the recipe.
- Pro tip: To make ahead, cook lentils and prepare meatball mixture up to 2 days in advance. Store in the refrigerator until ready to bake.
- Pro tip: For a spicier version, add more cayenne pepper or serve with hot sauce.
Storing & Reheating Easy Baked Greek Lentil Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce
Short-Term Storage
Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftover meatballs and tzatziki sauce separately in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Make-ahead tip: Meatball mixture can be prepared up to 2 days in advance. Bake as directed when ready to serve.
Freezing Easy Baked Greek Lentil Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce
Freeze cooked meatballs for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
How to Reheat Without Drying It Out
Oven: Reheat meatballs in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10-15 minutes until heated through. Microwave: Reheat meatballs in the microwave for 1-2 minutes until heated through. For best results, reheat in the oven.
Recipe Notes
- Chef tip: For a vegetarian version, omit the egg and use a flaxseed or chia seed 'egg' instead.
- Best substitution: You can substitute canned lentils for cooked lentils in this recipe. Drain and rinse before using.
- Make-ahead: Meatballs can be baked ahead of time and reheated in the oven when ready to serve.
- Scaling: This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to feed a crowd.
- Troubleshooting: If meatballs are falling apart, add more breadcrumbs or egg to the mixture. If they're not browning, increase the oven temperature or bake for a few more minutes.
Want to level up this recipe?
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Easy Baked Greek Lentil Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup green lentils
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Seasonings
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional Toppings
- Tzatziki sauce (recipe below)
- Chopped fresh parsley
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
- Cook lentils: Combine lentils with water in a pot, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20-25 minutes until tender. Drain and set aside.
- Prepare meatball mixture: In a food processor, combine cooked lentils, onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, egg, parsley, dill, oregano, salt, and pepper. Pulse until well combined.
- Form meatballs: Using your hands, form the mixture into bite-sized meatballs, about 1 inch in diameter. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake meatballs: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Drizzle meatballs with olive oil and sprinkle with smoked paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper (if using), salt, and pepper. Bake for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway, until crispy and golden brown.
- Prepare tzatziki sauce: In a bowl, combine 1 cup Greek yogurt, 1/2 cucumber (grated and squeezed dry), 1 clove garlic (minced), 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill, 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, 1 tbsp lemon juice, and salt to taste. Mix well and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Serve: Serve meatballs hot with tzatziki sauce, chopped fresh parsley, and lemon wedges.
Notes
- Chef tip: For a vegetarian version, omit the egg and use a flaxseed or chia seed 'egg' instead.
- Best substitution: You can substitute canned lentils for cooked lentils in this recipe. Drain and rinse before using.
- Make-ahead: Meatballs can be baked ahead of time and reheated in the oven when ready to serve.
- Scaling: This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled to feed a crowd.
- Troubleshooting: If meatballs are falling apart, add more breadcrumbs or egg to the mixture. If they're not browning, increase the oven temperature or bake for a few more minutes.
Storage
- Fridge: Store leftover meatballs and tzatziki sauce separately in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Freeze cooked meatballs for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
- Oven reheat: Reheat meatballs in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 10-15 minutes until heated through.
- Microwave reheat: Reheat meatballs in the microwave for 1-2 minutes until heated through. For best results, reheat in the oven.
- Make ahead: Meatball mixture can be prepared up to 2 days in advance. Bake as directed when ready to serve.
Nutrition Per Serving
- Calories: 280
- Protein: 18g
- Fat: 7g
- Carbs: 38g
- Fiber: 12g
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Cholesterol: 45mg
- Sat. Fat: 2g
Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.
Easy Baked Greek Lentil Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce FAQs
Yes, you can prepare the meatball mixture up to 2 days in advance. Bake as directed when ready to serve.
The #1 reason this recipe fails is using too much liquid in the meatball mixture. Make sure to drain lentils well and add just enough egg to bind the mixture. If the mixture is too wet, add more breadcrumbs.
Yes, you can freeze cooked meatballs for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Yes, you can cook meatballs in the air fryer at 375°F (190°C) for 10-15 minutes, flipping halfway, until crispy and golden brown.
You can substitute rolled oats or almond flour for breadcrumbs in this recipe. Adjust liquid content as needed.
A Warm Final Note
I can’t wait for you to try Easy Baked Greek Lentil Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!
