Mediterranean Meatball Bowl with Tzatziki

This Mediterranean Meatball Bowl has so much going for it! With flavorful Greek turkey meatballs, fluffy couscous, creamy tzatziki, and bright pickled onions, it’s the kind of meal that feels exciting but still easy enough for a regular weeknight rotation.

Once I finally nailed these Greek turkey meatballs, I started eating them with everything. I was dipping them straight into tzatziki and stuffing them into pita, but my favorite way to enjoy them is definitely in these Mediterranean meatball bowls!

Normally, I make bowls like this with pearled couscous, but this time I used regular couscous and honestly loved it! It has such a light, fluffy texture and takes just five minutes to make (which is truly hard to beat). Add a creamy tzatziki sauce and some lime pickled onions for brightness, and you’ve got a Mediterranean turkey bowl that feels fresh, satisfying, and anything but boring.

Mediterranean Meatball Bowls Ingredients

Greek Turkey Meatballs

• Ground turkey – Lean, flavorful, and perfect for Mediterranean spices.
• Garlic & red onion – Add lots of savory depth.
• Breadcrumbs – Keep the meatballs tender! They soak up the juices that are released while cooking.
• Dried herbs (dill, oregano, parsley) – For classic Greek-inspired flavor!
• Salt & pepper
• Olive oil

Couscous

• Couscous – Light, fluffy, and cooks in minutes! If you prefer, you can use pearl couscous.
• Chicken stock or water – Stock or broth adds extra flavor!
• Olive oil & salt – Enhance texture and taste. Only add salt if you used water, not broth.

Tzatziki Sauce

• Greek yogurt – Thick, creamy base.
• Cucumber – Fresh and cooling! While lots of tzatziki recipes use grated cucumber, I like to just dice mine up into small bites.
• Garlic & lemon juice – For a bright, punchy flavor.
• Dill – Signature Mediterranean herb! Use dried if you don’t have fresh.
• Olive oil & salt – For balance and richness.

Quick Pickled Onions

• Red onion – Sharp and crisp.
• Fresh lime juice – Adds acidity and brightness! I like to pickle my onions with lime juice because it tastes more fresh to me.
• Salt – Softens the onion and enhances flavor.

Greek Turkey Meatball Bowls Variations & Substitutions

• Grains: Feel free to swap couscous for quinoa, rice, or orzo.
• Meat: Use ground chicken or beef instead of turkey.
• Add-ins: Add roasted veggies like zucchini, tomatoes, or bell peppers! You can also add feta or olives for extra Mediterranean flavor.
• Dairy Free: Make it dairy-free with a dairy-free tzatziki alternative, or use a dairy-free yogurt in the tzatziki sauce.

How to Make A Mediterranean Meatball Bowl

1. Make the quick pickled onions. Thinly slice the red onion and place it in a small bowl or jar. Add the lime juice and salt, making sure the onion is fully submerged. Stir and let sit at room temperature while you prepare the rest of the recipe.
2. Cook the couscous. In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock (or water), olive oil, and salt to a boil. Remove from heat, stir in the couscous, and cover with a lid. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Set aside and keep warm.
3. Make the tzatziki sauce. In a bowl, combine Greek yogurt, diced cucumber, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, dill, and a pinch of salt. Stir well and adjust seasoning to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve to let the flavors meld.
4. Prepare the turkey meatballs. In a large bowl, mix together the ground turkey, garlic, diced red onion, breadcrumbs, dill, oregano, parsley, salt, and pepper until just combined, don’t overmix. Form the mixture into 1-inch meatballs (you’ll get about 12).
5. Sear the meatballs. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs in a single layer (work in batches if needed) and cook for 10–12 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides and cooked through (internal temp should reach 165°F).
6. Assemble the bowls. Divide the couscous between bowls. Top with turkey meatballs, a generous spoonful of tzatziki, and some pickled onions.

What to Serve with Greek Turkey Bowls

These Greek turkey bowls are a complete meal on their own, but they pair well with warm pita, a simple cucumber tomato salad, or even sheet pan roasted vegetables on the side. Hummus, feta, and olives all make great additions, too!

How to Store and Meal Prep Mediterranean Meatball Bowls

• Fridge: Store components separately in airtight containers for up to 4 days.
• Freezer: Meatballs freeze well for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight before reheating.
• Meal Prep Tips: You can prep each of these components ahead of time! Just store them all separately. You can reheat the meatballs and couscous together, then top with the prepped tzatziki sauce and pickled onions!

Mediterranean Meatball Bowl FAQs

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Easy Mediterranean Meatball Bowl Recipe

This Mediterranean Meatball Bowl has so much going for it! With flavorful Greek turkey meatballs, fluffy couscous, creamy tzatziki, and bright pickled onions, it’s the kind of meal that feels exciting but still easy enough for a regular weeknight rotation.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings: 4 bowls

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Calories: 569

Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

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For the meatballs:

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 2 cloves garlic
• ¼ cup diced red onion
• ½ cup breadcrumbs
• ½ tsp dried dill
• ½ tsp oregano
• ½ tsp dried parsley
• 1 tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil

For the couscous:

• 2 cups chicken stock or water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups couscous

For the tzatziki:

• 1 cup full fat Greek yogurt
• ½ cup finely diced cucumber English cucumber is best, no need to peel.
• Squeeze of lemon juice
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1-2 garlic cloves minced
• Salt to taste
• Fresh dill or dried dill about 2 tsp dried

For the onions:

• 1 red onion
• Juice of 5-6 limes
• 1 tsp Salt

Method

 

1. Make the quick pickled onions. Thinly slice the red onion and place it in a small bowl or jar. Add the lime juice and salt, making sure the onion is fully submerged. Stir and let sit at room temperature while you prepare the rest of the recipe.
2. Cook the couscous. In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock (or water), olive oil, and salt to a boil. Remove from heat, stir in the couscous, and cover with a lid. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Set aside and keep warm.
3. Make the tzatziki sauce. In a bowl, combine Greek yogurt, diced cucumber, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, dill, and a pinch of salt. Stir well and adjust seasoning to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve to let the flavors meld.
4. Prepare the turkey meatballs. In a large bowl, mix together the ground turkey, garlic, diced red onion, breadcrumbs, dill, oregano, parsley, salt, and pepper until just combined, just don’t overmix. Form the mixture into 1-inch meatballs (you’ll get about 12).
5. Sear the meatballs. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs in a single layer (work in batches if needed) and cook for 10–12 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides and cooked through (internal temp should reach 165°F).
6. Assemble the bowls. Divide the couscous between bowls. Top with turkey meatballs, a generous spoonful of tzatziki, and some pickled onions.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowlCalories: 569kcalCarbohydrates: 67gProtein: 43gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 65mgSodium: 2225mgPotassium: 636mgFiber: 5gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 63IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 126mgIron: 3mg

Notes

• Don’t overmix the meatballs! When mixing the ground turkey meatball mixture, try to mix until just combined to keep the meatballs tender instead of dense.
• Let the tzatziki chill! I like to make the tzatziki first so that it has some time to chill in the fridge and develop more flavor.
• Finish with something bright! Pickled onions are a wonderful option. If you don’t want to make lime pickled onions, just a squeeze of lemon can make the whole bowl pop!

Storage:

• Fridge: Store components separately in airtight containers for up to 4 days.
• Freezer: Meatballs freeze well for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight before reheating.
• Meal Prep Tips: You can prep each of these components ahead of time! Just store them all separately. You can reheat the meatballs and couscous together, then top with the prepped tzatziki sauce and pickled onions!

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