Pork Meatballs and Cucumber Salad
Juicy pork meatballs served with a refreshing cucumber salad featuring golden raisins, pine nuts, and Castelvetrano olives. The dish is complemented by fresh herbs and served over creamy Greek yogurt for a perfect Mediterranean-inspired meal.
Ingredients
- •¼ cup golden raisins
- •2 lb thin-skinned cucumbers
- •2½ tsp kosher salt
- •3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- •3 Tbsp pine nuts
- •¾ cup Castelvetrano olives
- •1 large egg
- •2 cloves garlic
- •½ cup panko
- •3 Tbsp parsley
- •¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- •to taste black pepper
- •1 lb ground pork
- •½ small red onion
- •2 cups tender herb leaves
- •1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- •1 cup Greek yogurt
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 425°F. Place raisins in a small bowl and pour in hot water to cover; let sit until ready to use.
10 min
- 2.
Place cucumbers in a colander or sieve set in or over a large bowl; sprinkle with 1 tsp. salt and toss to combine. Let sit while you make the meatballs. (It will seem like a lot of cucumbers at first, but they will shrink down as they drain.)
15 min
- 3.
Meanwhile, drizzle 2 Tbsp. oil over a large rimmed baking sheet. Arrange pine nuts in an even layer on another rimmed baking sheet (use a quarter-sheet if you have one!).
5 min
- 4.
Finely chop 1/4 cup olives. Transfer to a large bowl and add egg, garlic, panko, parsley, 11/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes; season with black pepper. Drain raisins and add half to bowl; mix well to combine. Add pork and gently mix with your hands to incorporate. Working one at a time, scoop out heaping tablespoonfuls of pork mixture and form into balls (think about the size of a golf ball; you should get about 20). Arrange on oiled baking sheet, spacing 1" apart. Turn to coat.
20 min
- 5.
Bake meatballs, rotating baking sheet front to back halfway through, until browned on bottom and cooked through, 10-15 minutes. Toast pine nuts on bottom rack until golden brown, about 3 minutes.
15 min
- 6.
Coarsely chop remaining 1/2 cup olives. Gather cucumbers into a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out any excess liquid into bowl (don't worry if they get a little smashed); discard liquid. Wipe out bowl and combine cucumbers, olives, pine nuts, onion, herbs, and remaining raisins in bowl; toss to combine. Drizzle in vinegar and remaining 1 Tbsp. oil, season with salt and black pepper, and toss again to coat.
10 min
- 7.
Swoosh a generous scoop of yogurt over each plate, then top with salad and meatballs. Season with more black pepper and red pepper flakes if desired.
5 min