Buy Now → Greek Meatball Bowls with Green Tzatziki Sauce & Pomegranate Olive Rice
These easy Greek Meatball Bowls are a great way to level up your weeknight dinner or lunch with a speedy, vibrant take on classic Mediterranean flavors.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4 - 6 1x
- Category: one bowl meal
- Method: oven
Ingredients
Scale
For the pomegranate olive cauliflower rice:
- 1 lb / 454 g frozen riced cauliflower
- 1 tbsp / 15 ml avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tsp / 10 ml fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 + 2 tbsp / 75 g pomegranate arils
- 1/4 cup / 35 g greek olives, chopped
For the herbed greek meatballs:
- 1 lb / 454 g ground beef or lamb
- 1/4 cup / 55 g grated red onion, about 1/2 small
- 2 tbsp / 30 ml avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil, only needed if your meat is very lean
- 1 tsp / 1 g dried oregano
- 1 tsp / 1 g dried parsley flakes
- 1 tsp / 2 g dried dill
- 1 tsp / 1 g dried mint
- 1 tsp / 4 g dried lemon peel
- 3/4 tsp / 4 g fine sea salt
- 1/2 tsp / 2 g garlic powder
For the green tzatziki sauce:
- 12 oz / 340 g dairy free tzatziki, see notes
- 1/2 cup / 10 g fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup / 10 g fresh mint
- lemon juice & salt, to taste
For the bowls:
- arugula or raw greens of your choice
- sliced cucumber
- thinly sliced red onion
- extra olives
- additional fresh parsley or mint, if you like
Instructions
ROAST: Preheat the oven to 425 F / 220 C. Pour the frozen riced cauliflower onto a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with the oil. Sprinkle over the oregano, garlic & sea salt. Toss the rice until it is evenly coated in the oil & seasonings, then spread it out into a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Lower the oven temperature to 375 F / 190 C.
MIX: While the cauliflower is cooking, mix the meatballs. Add all of the meatball ingredients to a mixing bowl and gently work with your hands until the seasonings are evenly distributed throughout the meat. Use a 2 tablespoon scoop to divide the mixture into 16 evenly sized meatballs. Roll and drop the meatballs onto a baking sheet, lining it with parchment or foil if you like.
COOK: Bake the meatballs until they are cooked through but still have a little spring to the touch, about 12 – 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest on baking sheet.
BLEND: Add all of the green tzatziki sauce ingredients to a wide mouth Mason jar or blender pitcher. Either use an immersion blender for a pretty herb-flecked sauce or a high powered blender for a smoothly green sauce. Blend until the sauce is the consistency you like, adding additional lemon & salt to taste or additional water to thin. Set aside for later.
TOSS: Transfer the roasted cauliflower rice to a bowl. Add the lemon juice, pomegranate & chopped olives, stirring to combine.
LAYER: Spoon the green tzatziki sauce onto the bottom of your bowls. Top with the pomegranate olive rice and greek meatballs. Add in all the fixings you like: greens, cucumber, red onion, olives & extra fresh herbs. Bonus points for a lemon wedge or two.
Notes
If you’re not a tzatziki obsessive like myself, you may not have it to hand at all times! If not, substitute 12 oz / 340 g of your favorite plain yogurt and add a handful of fresh dill, a few chunks of English cucumber, a generous squeeze of lemon juice and some salt and garlic to taste. Then continue with the recipe above! If you like, add some additional water at the end to thin the sauce to the consistency you prefer.
Find it online: https://meatified.com/greek-meatball-bowls-aip/