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Spicy Oregano Meatballs with Grilled Vegetables and Tzatziki…a simple summer dinner with such wonderful flavor. Pan-seared meatballs with fresh oregano and chili flakes, tossed with summery grilled veggies, and a tasty lemon herb vinaigrette. Serve these spicy meatballs with creamy tzatziki sauce for a cooling touch. Truly one of those dinners that everyone at the table will love…especially if served with a side of fries.
I’m not sure if you can tell or not, but I’m really trying to embrace summer dinners. I want them fresh, colorful, fun, and well – different.
The fresh and colorful part is usually pretty easy. Thankfully I have access to so much incredible produce right now from both our garden and local stores.
But the coming up with different recipes part? Well, that’s a little trickier. I’ve mentioned before that sometimes I feel like summer recipes can be a repeat of tomatoes and corn, grilled chicken, lots of pesto, and plenty of caprese salads. Nothing wrong with that, but variety is nice too!
I scratched my brain a bit for this recipe and ended up being so excited with how it turned out. I feel like it’s different, but still simple, and of course, super flavorful.
The idea stemmed from my brother’s love of Greek food and meatballs. So I simply combined the two loves and added some summer herbs and vegetables.
Plus, fries on the side. Because something about a summer dinner requires a big plate of fries on the side.
The details – start with the meatballs
The meatballs…I seasoned the ground meat (I like to use a mix of ground chicken and ground pork) with shallots, smoked paprika, and plenty of fresh oregano. I then rolled everything into balls…and done. The chili flakes give them a really nice spiciness, but use them to your taste.
Once the meatballs are formed, I let them sit while I prep the vegetables.
Now the veggies and vinaigrette
This vinaigrette is sweet, tangy, and herby, with basil, oregano, thyme and lemon. It’s also got a slight kick from some chili flakes. And the honey keeps things sweet…a nice balance to the spicy.
If you love a lot of vinaigrette, double the recipe. This is that good, and adds a lot of flavor to the dish.
For the vegetables, I use a mix of red peppers, zucchini, and yellow summer squash. I like to toss them with olive oil, then grill them until lightly charred. If you don’t have a grill, you can easily roast these up in the oven, or saute them in a skillet.
When the veggies are finished cooking, toss them with the vinaigrette and let them sit while you cook the meatballs.
Cook the meatballs and finish it up
The rest is pretty simple. You’ll pan cook the meatballs until crisp on the outside and cooked through inside. This really only takes a few minutes, the process is quick.
To serve, I toss the meatballs with the grilled vegetables, then pile everything over some fresh naan. Then drizzle on some creamy tzatziki sauce plus the remaining vinaigrette.
All that’s left is to add a sprinkle of feta cheese and you’re done.
My only recommendation? Fries on the side!!
Delicious!
Looking for other simple summer dinners, try these:
Spinach Ricotta Gnocchi with Sage Butter and Cherry Tomatoes
Spicy Southern Style Shrimp with Lemon Basil Orzo
30 Minute Pineapple Chicken with Coconut Rice
Lastly, if you make these Spicy Oregano Meatballs with Grilled Vegetables and Tzatziki, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Spicy Oregano Meatballs with Grilled Vegetables and Tzatziki
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 736 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground chicken, pork, or a mix
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh oregano, chopped
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 zucchini or yellow squash, sliced into rounds
- 2 bell peppers, quartered
- 1 cup tzatziki
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta
- naan, for serving
Lemon Herb Vinaigrette
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
- 2 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, grated
Instructions
- 1. Add the meat, shallot, oregano, paprika, chili flakes, and a pinch of salt, and pepper to a bowl. Mix until combined. Coat your hands with a bit of oil and roll the meat into rounded tablespoon-size balls (will make 16-18 meatballs). Set aside. 2. In a bowl, toss the zucchini and peppers with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper. Preheat the grill or grill pan to high. 3. Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette. Combine all ingredients in a glass jar and whisk until smooth. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper.5. Grill the peppers and zucchini until softened, 3-4 minutes per side. Remove from the grill to a serving plate and toss with half the vinaigrette.6. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the meatballs and sear until crisp and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes, turning them 2-3 times. Transfer to a plate.7. Serve the meatballs warm, tossed with the vegetables. Add a large dollop of tzatziki to each plate, then crumble the feta over top. Enjoy with naan and/or french fries.
Notes
Link to naan recipe.
Perfectly delicious ?
Hey Dominic,
Awesome!! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
Delicious! So many great flavors. My husband devoured this.
Thanks for another great recipe Tieghan!
Hey Natalie,
Awesome! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! xTieghan
This was amazing! Meatballs so tasty, combined pork and chicken. My favorite part is the dressing. Sooo good. Thank you! Loved this and so easy to make.
Hey Amy,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that is was enjoyed:) xTieghan
What are you supposed to do with the other half of the vinaigrette?
Hey Lydia,
You can use that to your liking, you may want to add more once you serve the dish. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
I’m sitting at my dining room table so full and happy after devouring the meatballs, veggies, and naan. The meatballs are so full of flavor and even though I use all breast meat chicken, they were tender and delicious. Hubby grilled the veggies for me while I cooked the naan (your recipe) The vinaigrette is outstanding and just brought it all together, veggies and meatballs. I’m glad I took the time to make the naan as it was the perfect vehicle to sop up the vinaigrette. YUM! Thanks for an all-star recipe. Love you, Tieghan!
Hey Debbie,
Happy Friday! I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! xTieghan
Made this four dinner and it was absolutely delicious! The meatballs tasted awesome paired with the grilled veggies and tzatziki. It was super filling and one of my favorite recipes!
Hey Brooke,
Happy Wednesday! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear it was a winner:) xTieghan
Hey Tieghan,
This was a good recipe everything turned out well. I think I made a mistake as the meatballs weren’t as flavorful as I hoped. Is that the reason you suggest Ground Chicken with pork for more flavor?? Would ground beef have worked as well as pork to go with the chicken?? Maybe I just didn’t season enough not entirely sure. As weird as it may sound I loved the grilled vegetables more then the meatballs. I didn’t have a grill so I used a cast iron skillet no problem it worked well!! I seasoned them generously and they were soft and just delicious. The Avocado Tzatziki was a nice touch as well provided more flavor. What really attracted me to the dish were the pictures and the recipe just sounded intriguing. Either way you look at it another successful recipe thanks for sharing.
Hey Mike,
Happy Sunday! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad that it was enjoyed!! I do think using a combo of meat adds more flavor, beef would also be great. ☀️xTieghan
So so good!!! Made it with Turkey meatballs- I’m obsessed. Used store bought tzatsiki but hope to make my own when I have more time. Definitely a new favorite and weekly staple ?
Hey Gianna,
Happy Friday! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am delighted that it was enjoyed! Have a great weekend:) xTieghan
This was an amazing dinner. My kids loved it! I added about 2.5 cloves of garlic to the meatballs and served the dinner with a colorful salad. I ended up using the vinaigrette dressing with feta, tomatoes, yellow bell pepper, spring mix, and cucumbers. Crazy tasty. Thanks for the inspiration and fresh ingredients ❤️
Hey Robin,
Awesome!! I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thank you so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
Loved the meatballs from this recipe!!! We actually made these meatballs with the whipped feta from several other recipes and it was FANTASTIC!!!! Totally recommend these (and the fries!!).
Hey Brooke,
Happy Wednesday! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Just wondering where the other half of the vinaigrette comes in?
Hey Jordan,
I like to serve that on the side so you can use as needed:) I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
This was so good! I got home late from work and didn’t feel like a lot of cooking so I grilled the veggies while the meatballs baked in the oven. This will be on frequent rotation, thanks girl!
Hey Brianne,
Happy Wednesday! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
This sounds so good! Do you have a recommended veggie to replace the zucchini/squash for picky eaters? Thanks!
Hey Liz,
You could really use any veggies that you like here. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
I sent this one to my sister and she made it for our family brunch, it was delicious and everyone loved it! Can’t get enough of those grilled veggies with that dressing. Thanks
Hey Lynn,
Thank you so much for giving this recipe a try, love to hear that it was enjoyed! Have the best week:) xTieghan
Made this last night and it was delicious!!!! So happy that we have leftovers tonight. Will be repeating this soon for friends.
Hey Linda,
Thank you so much for giving this recipe a try, love to hear that it was enjoyed! Have the best week:) xTieghan