Grilling is one of the oldest traditions in Greek cooking—rooted in ancient rituals and still celebrated today in moments like Tsiknopempti, when the smell of grilled meat fills the air across Greece.

One dish that never goes out of style? Greek biftekia. Juicy, herby grilled beef patties, loved by generations. Served with golden roasted potatoes, a crisp Greek salad, and a generous dollop of tzatziki…

it’s comfort food, the Greek way.

A timeless classic from our tables to yours.

Crockery & ingredients I love using—find them all here: My Mediterranean Greek Pantry

1 pound ground beef *see notes

1 large onion, grated +2 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons bread crumbs

2 eggs , lightly scrambled with a fork

1 teaspoon dried mint 

1 teaspoon dried Greek oregano

2 tablespoons fresh, chopped parsley

3 tablespoons Greek olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

Add all the ingredients to a large bowl and either stir with a wooden spoon or mix with your hands.

Cover the biftekia mixture with plastic wrap and transfer to the fridge while you heat up your grill.

When grill is hot enough, divide th meat mixture into portions and roll them up.

Flatten each meatball to form the biftekia, a kind of small hamburger.

Place biftekia onto grill over direct heat. Cook to your desired doneness.

For medium biftekia cook for 6-7 minutes.

Flip the biftekia at least once during cooking. Do not press down on the biftekia, Once you put them on the grill, don’t press them down. Pressing forces the fat and flavor out the biftekia , which results in dry, bland meat.

NOTES:

• It’s important to get some good-quality minced meat. You can either go with beef or a combination of beef and pork (a little fat is necessary for extra flavour!)

• You can also cook biftekia in the oven. Place the biftekia on a baking sheet, cover with aluminum foil and bake at 200C for 20 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and bake for 10 more minutes.