Lean Gyro Bowls with Tahini (Lean Meatballs, Lemon Cauliflower Rice, and Cucumber Salad)

Serving Size: 10

Delicious beef meatballs, cucumber salad, roasted lemony garlicy cauliflower rice, and creamy tahini sauce combine incredible Greek flavors into one delectable bowl.

Recipe by: Cheryl Malik

Cook Times

Active Prep55

Hands-On Cook15

Hands-Off Cook0

Passive0

Total Time1 10

Recipe Serving Size10

Cooking Tools Required

Baking sheet, Cutting board, Measuring cups and spoons, Mixing bowls, Oven, parchment paper, Sharp Knives, small spoon

Ingredients

For the Meatballs

3 pound 95% lean ground beef
1/2 cup onion minced
9 clove garlic minced
2 egg large
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
3 teaspoon Greek seasoning
1 teaspoon Kosher salt

For the Roasted Lemon Garlic Califlower Rice

32 ounce riced cauliflower
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Kosher salt more or less to taste, or dietary preference
4 teaspoon Italian parsley chopped
6 clove garlic chopped
extra virgin olive oil spray

For the Cucumber & Tomato Salad

3 cup cherry tomato halved
3 cup cucumber diced drained, see Notes
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt more or less to taste, or dietary preference

For the Tahini

2 cup tahini raw
4 clove garlic medium to large, pressed or minced
1 lemon juiced
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
pinch ground cumin
1 cup Italian parsley chopped, optional
2 cup ice water more as needed

Recommended Garnishes (All Optional)

hummus
extra virgin olive oil
crumbled feta cheese
pitted Kalamata olives
fresh dill chopped
Italian parsley chopped
sumac

Instructions

Cook rice according to package directions.

For the Meatballs

Preheat oven to 425° Fahrenheit. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Spray foil or parchment paper lightly with cooking spray and set baking sheet aside.
Add all meatball ingredients to large mixing bowl. Using your hands, gently mix together ingredients until uniformly combined.
Divide mixture into even portions using scoop with release handle. Roll each scoop between palms of hands to form meatball, then place on lined baking sheet. Repeat until all mixture has been formed into meatballs.
Place baking sheet in preheated oven. Bake 10 to 14 minutes or until meatballs are nicely browned and cooked through. Prepare remaining components of gyro bowl while meatballs bake.

For the Tahini

Combine add the water to the tahini gradually while blending, until it reaches the desired creaminess. If you don't have a blender, mix in a bowl. It might seize up, don’t worry. It should be a creamy and smooth light-colored tahini sauce.
Add the rest of the ingredients in a bowl. Whisk until well blended. If desired, thin with additional water. Adjust if preferred, can add more lemon or salt if desired. To make it thicker, add more tahini. Decorate with parsley.

For the Califlower Rice

Preheat oven to 425F. Spray a large sheet pan with oil. Combine the riced cauliflower, olive oil, garlic and salt on the prepared sheet pan, spread out in a single layer and roast in the oven 20 minutes, mixing halfway until golden. If cooking from frozen, it will take about 25 minutes.
Remove from oven, top with fresh lemon juice and parsley. Makes about 1/2 a cup per serving.

For the Cucumber & Tomato Salad

Add all components to small mixing bowl. Gently stir to distribute ingredients, then taste and adjust salt as needed. Set aside.

To Assemble the Bowls

Divide rice evenly into serving bowls. Top rice with meatballs, tahini, cucumber & tomato salad, and any other desired garnishes. Serve immediately.

Notes

Tzatziki: You can use fresh mint AND fresh dill, or choose just one.

To Drain Water from Cucumbers
Peel and grate/dice cucumbers.
With paper towels, squeeze as much water as possible out of cucumber.
Place cucumber in colander. Set colander over bowl to catch liquid. Liberally sprinkle salt over cucumbers, tossing or moving cucumbers as needed to salt entirely.
Let cucumbers rest 20 minutes.
Transfer drained cucumbers to fresh paper towels. Press or blot to remove any remaining liquid. If desired, you can quickly rinse the drained cucumbers in cold water to remove excess salt, then press or blot with paper towels.

Reheating Instructions

Heat caluliflower rice and meatballs in the microwave on medium high heat until heated through.

Nutrition