Finely mince the onion, garlic cloves, and fresh herbs (oregano, parsley, and mint), keeping them separate. Zest and juice the lemon, and mince the additional 2 garlic cloves for the tzatziki sauce. Grate the Persian cucumbers and squeeze them dry in a clean kitchen towel to remove excess moisture—this prevents a watery sauce. In a small bowl, soak the crumbled bread (crusts removed) in the milk until it forms a wet paste, about 2 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, soaked bread mixture, minced onion, all fresh herbs, lemon zest, 6 minced garlic cloves, eggs, cumin, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Mix gently with your hands until just combined—don't overmix, as this creates dense, tough meatballs. I find that mixing until the ingredients are barely incorporated gives you the most tender result. Using a 1.5-tablespoon scoop or your hands, form the mixture into uniform balls about 1.5 inches in diameter and place them on an oiled, foil-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart.

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Bake the shaped meatballs for 13-15 minutes until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F when measured with a meat thermometer in the center of the largest meatball. The meatballs will brown slightly on the outside and cook through evenly with this method. While the meatballs bake, prepare the tzatziki sauce in the next step.

In a bowl, combine the full-fat Greek yogurt, grated and squeezed cucumbers from Step 1, fresh dill, minced garlic (2 cloves), lemon juice (3.5 tbsp), and salt. Stir until smooth and well combined. I prefer to let the tzatziki sit in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes before serving—this allows the flavors to meld and creates a more cohesive sauce. If making ahead, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Remove the meatballs from the oven and let them rest for 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and drizzle with the tzatziki sauce or serve the sauce on the side. The meatballs are best served warm, and the cool, creamy tzatziki provides a perfect contrast to their Mediterranean spiced flavor.