Tender meatballs infused with herbs, simmered in tomato sauce, finished with creamy lemon-feta topping.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Meatball Mixture
01 - 1 lb ground lamb or beef, or a combination
02 - ½ cup breadcrumbs, gluten-free if necessary
03 - 1 large egg
04 - ⅓ cup finely chopped red onion
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
07 - 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped or 1 tsp dried dill
08 - 1 tsp dried oregano
09 - ½ tsp ground cumin
10 - ½ tsp salt
11 - ¼ tsp black pepper
12 - Zest of 1 lemon
→ Tomato Sauce
13 - 14 oz canned crushed tomatoes
14 - ½ cup chicken or vegetable broth
15 - 1 tbsp olive oil
16 - 1 clove garlic, minced
17 - 1 tsp dried oregano
18 - Salt and black pepper to taste
→ Lemon-Feta Sauce
19 - 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
20 - ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
21 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
22 - 1 tsp lemon zest
23 - 1 tbsp olive oil
24 - 1 tbsp fresh dill or parsley, chopped
25 - Freshly ground black pepper to taste
# Directions:
01 - In a large bowl, combine all meatball ingredients and mix gently until just blended. Shape the mixture into 16 uniform meatballs.
02 - Activate the Instant Pot on Sauté mode and heat olive oil. Brown meatballs in batches for approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side until evenly seared. Remove and set aside on a plate.
03 - Add minced garlic to the pot and sauté for 30 seconds. Incorporate crushed tomatoes, broth, dried oregano, salt, and pepper, stirring to deglaze and lift any browned bits from the pot.
04 - Return browned meatballs to the pot, nestling them gently into the sauce and spooning additional sauce over the top to ensure even coverage.
05 - Seal the lid and cook on high pressure for 7 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes, then perform a quick release to expel any remaining pressure.
06 - While meatballs cook, blend feta cheese, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, fresh herbs, and freshly ground black pepper in a small bowl until smooth and creamy.
07 - Plate the meatballs with tomato sauce and garnish generously with Lemon-Feta Sauce. Add extra herbs and lemon zest if desired to enhance presentation and flavor.
