Instant Pot Greek Meatballs {Keftedes}

The aroma of Cinnamon, Mint, Cumin from these Instant Pot Greek Meatballs {Keftedes} will have your mouth watering and your tummy growling. Keto and Low Carb too!

Instant Pot Greek Meatballs {Keftedes}

The aroma, the spices, the taste of Greek food. I spent some time in Greece back in the 70’s.

The beaches and the food, so wonderful. After a semester of High School in Israel, a few of us flew to Greece. We were able to visit some of the Islands and had a blast. Greek food – OH YUM!

I was determined to replicate Keftedes in my Instant Pot, Mealthy MultiPot or Pressure Cooker and make is super easy. This Instant Pot Greek Meatballs {Keftedes} recipe tastes just like the ones I ate in Lindos, Rhodes!

What are Instant Pot Greek Meatballs?

• They are meatballs made with various spices such as ground cumin and ground cinnamon. Fresh mint leaves give the Meatballs a wonderful flavor.
• While traditional Greek Meatballs are dusted with flour and then fried in extra virgin olive oil to give the Meatball a bit of crisp, this step is eliminated in my method and you won’t miss it at all.

Keftedes are very often served as an appetizer.

Cast of Ingredients for Instant Pot Greek Meatballs

You will want to make up a batch of my Greek Tzatziki Sauce Recipe, before you start preparing your Keftedes.

Ingredients for Instant Pot Greek Meatballs

• Ground Beef, Ground Pork, Ground Lamb – any combination
• Old Fashion Oatmeal
• Red Onions
• Egg
• Ground Cinnamon
• Dried Oregano
• Fresh Mint Leaves
• Kosher Salt and Black Pepper
• White Distilled Vinegar
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Other Ground Meat for Instant Pot Greek Meatballs

• Authentic Greek Meatballs are generally made with a combination of ground beef, ground lamb and/or ground pork.
• For those who are Kosher, try using a combination of ground beef and ground turkey or ground lamb. Even using just one type of ground meat for Instant Pot Greek Meatballs will be delicious.
• Everyone has different preferences, so chose the combination that works best with your taste buds. Some people even like to use ground bison.

Using a Food Processor is Easier than Chopping

You could always use a very sharp Santoku Knife and dice up all the vegetables and then mince the Fresh Garlic and Fresh Mint.

Or, you could dump it all into the Bowl of a Large Food Processor and save yourself some aggravation and time. I mean, chopping up Old Fashion Oatmeal or Pork Rinds? Who ever heard of such a thing?

How to Make Instant Pot Greek Meatballs Keto/Low Carb.

• Use Pork Rinds instead of old fashion oatmeal

Pro Tip: Use a large food processor to make Greek meatballs. They will stay together so much better!

Greek Meatball Mix

In a matter of seconds, you will have your Instant Pot Greek Meatballs Mix, all ready to go.

I use my 11 Cup Food Processor in so many recipes, rather than chopping by hand.

Check out my Instant Pot Greek Beef and Lamb Gyros, for another super easy Greek recipe.

So, this recipe method infiltrated my dreams for a few nights.

I was determined to present a Meatball recipe that is not boiled in liquid and not cooked in a sauce.

Use the Pulse Button

So, my train of thought went like this:

“The Meatballs shouldn’t stick to the pot. The Meatballs should “fry” in Olive Oil, but without any water to lessen the taste.

No broth either, to change the taste. And, they need to easily get to Pressure. And, and, and…… they need to be dry on the outside, but juicy on the inside. So, of course, that kept me thinking and again infiltrated my dreams and my thoughts.

I’m like a dog with a bone…..I won’t rest, until I figure out the perfect solution.”

The Meatball Mixture Should be Nicely Combined

Or, if you want even better Meatballs, add the ground meat into the Food Processor. This makes for a finer grind and will make smoother Instant Pot Greek Meatballs. Just make sure the Mixture is well combined.

Plus, they will hold together better and cook better. At this point, you can turn the Ground Beef, Lamb, Pork, (whichever combination you are using), into a Medium Mixing Bowl.

Use Extra Virgin Olive Oil

How to Cook Instant Pot Greek Meatballs

Since I promised to make a super, uber, very easy, there is no browning first. Therefore, you do not need to heat up your Instant Pot, Mealthy MultiPot or Pressure Cooker and then brown the meatballs in extra virgin olive oil. The Maillard reaction will take care of this step all on its own.

If we were cooking these Instant Pot Greek Meatballs the traditional way, they would first be dredged in little flour and than pan fried to perfection. Make sure to check my notes at the bottom, as I have given Air Fryer directions if you want that little crunch.

A Cookie Scoop Makes Things Easy

Because I am a perfectionist, I need to have uniformity.

How To Make Perfectly Shaped Instant Pot Greek Meatballs?

• This 1.5 Tablespoon Cookie Scoop works perfectly to scoop out exactly the amount of meat for the Meatballs. Not only is the Cookie Scoop good for cookies, it is perfect for making very round, uniform Meatballs.
• I actually level off the Cookie Scoop, so that the Pressure Cooker Meatballs will be pretty close in weight.
• Use your hands to roll them out nice and tight and smooth.

If you are feeling lazy, you certainly can just drop the raw Meatballs right into the Instant Pot, Mealthy MultiPot or Pressure Cooker cooking pot, without actually rolling them. But then you take the chance of some breakage.

Using Disposable Gloves, helps to create a very smooth Meatball, as the meat won’t stick to the Gloves. Not that I am big on disposables, but I know some people don’t like to have extensive contact with raw food.

Roll into Tight Balls

Roll the raw Meat Mixture as tight as you can, into small Meatballs. I get 38 out of this recipe.

You can leave the Meatballs with a flat bottom, or roll them into perfect little cylinders.

I eliminated one the wet ingredients from the Meatball Mix……….

Because, I had a thought. As it turns out, a really, really good thought.

Carefully Pile in the Pressure Cooker Greek Meatballs

Beautiful, little raw Meatballs.

Stack them all up in the Instant Pot, Mealthy MultiPot or Pressure Cooker cooking pot.

No Sauce. Will it work? Wait for it…………………..

Since there is no Sauce, you could even make a double batch and freeze.

You could even use your 3 Quart Instant Pot DUO Mini, if you like.

Well, I had an “ah ha” moment! Like a light bulb went off moment.

It’s Not Water!

Why is No Water Used in Instant Pot Greek Meatballs?

Nope, that is not water being poured into the Instant Pot, Mealthy MultiPot or Pressure Cooker. Ready for my “ah ha” moment? My original stove top recipe, calls for a little Distilled Vinegar.

Ah ha!!!! So, did you guess? Didya? Instead of mixing the Distilled Vinegar into the Meatball Mix, I omitted it from the Meatball Mix altogether.

Here it is……. Measure out the Distilled Vinegar and used it as the cooking liquid, instead of water! How brilliant is that? The raw Meatballs, will be firmer and easier to roll, since there is no liquid.

Using the Distilled Vinegar during cooking, will infuse enough of the flavor into the Meatballs, and it will be as if the Vinegar was mixed in. There is no flavor loss, as water wasn’t used, which would dilute the flavor a bit!

The end flavor of these Instant Pot Greek Meatballs will be exactly as they are supposed to be! I don’t normally pat myself on the back, but I was so stinkin’ proud of myself.

No Mess, No Sticking, No Globs of Meat

The Instant Pot Greek Meatballs did not stick to the Instant Pot, Mealthy MultiPot or Pressure Cooker at all. They did not stick to each other.

They held up well, were nice and firm and did not fall apart! They did not have a vinegary taste. The perfect amount of Distilled Vinegar was infused into the meatballs.

For another Greek inspired recipe, try my Greek Tortellini Salad. My Turkey Meatballs with Blue Cheese & Horseradish is another delicious meatball recipe I am sure you will love. You will note, all Meatballs are the same size. 🙂

Indian Whey Chapati/Roti (Flatbread) and my Air Fryer Colombian Pan de Yuca recipes make great side dishes to Greek meatballs.

Instant Pot / Pressure Cooker Greek Meatballs

We like to make a side of Pressure Cooker Vegan Corn Chowder Soup and/or a side of Pressure Cooker Seasoned Vegetable Ghee Rice to go with the Pressure Cooker Greek Meatballs.

Remember now, Meatballs freeze really well, both raw and cooked.

If you look in my freezer, you will find several different types of Meatballs that are ready to go.

They freeze beautifully in my FoodSaver Vacuum Sealing System and I can grab as many as I need for a quick snack or appetizer.

Lunch the Next Day

I sometimes like to use Greek Pita or Homemade Indian Naan and stuff it with Keftedes, lettuce, sliced Cucumber, Feta, Tomatoes and Greek Tzatziki (Cucumber Yogurt Sauce). (Excuse the bad photo. I made my lunch and then decided I should show you all. It was so good.

More Instant Pot Meatball Recipes to Make

• Instant Pot Low Carb Margherita Pizza Meatballs
• Instant Pot Italian Meatballs in Red Wine Sauce
• Instant Pot Soccer Mom Spaghetti and Meatballs
• Instant Pot Americana Wedding Soup

Kitchen Equipment and Essentials

• Instant Pot, Mealthy MultiPot or Pressure Cooker
• J.A. Henckels Classic 7-inch Hollow Edge Santoku Knife
• Amco Advanced Performance 18/10 Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons
• Culina Stackable (Dry) Stainless Steel Measuring Cups
• Anchor Hocking Glass (Liquid) Measuring Cups
• Rachael Ray Stoneware EVOO Oil Dispensing Bottle
• Alton Brown Salt Box
• Electric Pepper Mill
• 6 oz Porcelain Ramekins
• My FANTASTIC Teak Cutting & Charcuterie Board & Compartments
• 3.5 Quart Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl
• Microplane Stainless Steel Zester
• FoodSaver Vacuum Sealing System

Please don’t feel that you need any of these tools to make delicious food. I use high end equipment as I find they last longer, so it is cheaper in the end than having to replace items. Always use the best that you can afford; don’t break the bank!

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Here is the handy printable recipe:

Instant Pot Greek Meatballs {Keftedes}

5 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Greek

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 4 minutes

Pressure Release: 10 minutes

Total Time: 29 minutes

Servings: 38 Meatballs

Calories: 78kcal

Author: Jill Selkowitz

Ingredients

• 1 pound Ground Beef (or Lamb), lean
• 1/2 pound Ground Pork lean
• 1/4 cup Distilled White Vinegar
• 3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 cup Tzatziki Sauce (for dipping)

Meatball Mix

• 3/4 cup Rolled Oats (or crushed Pork Rinds)
• 4 ounces Red Onion quartered
• 1 large Egg
• 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil (divided)
• 1/4 cup Fresh Mint Leaves
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon Dried Oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper

US Customary - Metric

Recommended Products

Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker

Cuisinart Large Food Processor

1.5 TBL Cookie Dough Scoop

Instructions

• Add Meatball Mix ingredients to the bowl of a large food processor and process, until crumbly.
• Add meat and pulse to combine.
• Add 3 Tablespoons Oil to Pressure Cooker cooking pot.
• Form Meatballs with a 1.5 inch Cookie Scoop and then roll into a ball.  
• Carefully place Meatballs and into Instant Pot Pressure Cooker cooking pot.
• Pour Vinegar over Meatballs.
• Lock on Lid and close Pressure Valve. Cook at High Pressure (most machines default to high pressure) for 4 minutes.  
• When Beep is heard, wait 10 minutes and then release any remaining pressure.
• Garnish with Lemon Zest and a squeeze of Lemon Juice.  Serve with Tzatziki Sauce and Feta Cheese.

Air Fryer Cooking Instructions

• Add 1 Tablespoons of Distilled Vinegar to the Meatball Mix.  
• After rolling Meatballs, dredge in Potato Starch.  
• Place in greased Air Fryer Basket and Spray with Olive Oil.  
• Cook at 380 degrees for 6 minutes.

Notes

Why is No Water Used in Instant Pot Greek Meatballs?

Since you are wondering, here it is.  Ready for my "ah ha" moment? My original stove top recipe, calls for a little distilled vinegar. Ah ha!!!! So, did you guess? Didya?

Instead of mixing the distilled vinegar into the meatball mix, I omitted it from the meatball mix altogether. Then, measure out the distilled vinegar and used it as the cooking liquid, instead of water! How brilliant is that? The raw meatballs, will be firmer and easier to roll, since there is no liquid incorporated directly into the meatballs.

Using the distilled vinegar during cooking, will infuse enough of the flavor into the meatballs, and it will be as if the vinegar was mixed in to the meatball mixture. There is no flavor loss, as water wasn't used, which would dilute the flavor a bit!

The end flavor of these Instant Pot Greek Meatballs will be exactly as they are supposed to be! I don't normally pat myself on the back, but I was so stinkin' proud of myself.

What to Serve with Instant Pot Greek Meatballs

• Greek Pita
• Homemade Indian Naan and stuff it with Keftedes, lettuce, sliced Cucumber, Feta, Tomatoes
• Greek Tzatziki (Cucumber Yogurt Sauce)
• Instant Pot Chapati
• Air Fryer Feta Psiti

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Instant Pot Greek Meatballs {Keftedes}

Amount Per Serving

Calories 78 Calories from Fat 54

% Daily Value*

Fat 6g9%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Cholesterol 18mg6%

Sodium 105mg5%

Potassium 63mg2%

Carbohydrates 1g0%

Fiber 0g0%

Sugar 0g0%

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin A 40IU1%

Vitamin C 0.3mg0%

Calcium 15mg2%

Iron 0.4mg2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Pressure Cooker Greek Meatballs {Keftedes}