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!
