Beautifully spiced Moroccan Lamb Meatballs served with a Minted Yoghurt Sauce. Stuff ’em into pitas for a street food experience, pass them around at a party or pile them over pilaf!
Monday Meatball Mania is here! On the last Monday of every month, Jo from Jo Cooks and I each share a meatball recipe, because we both believe that ball shaped food rocks (fabulously high ratio of golden brown surface to juicy meat inside) and there should be more of it in this world. The rules are that there are no rules. We’ve both been relatively sensible with our meatballs thus far. One of us needs to lash out and push the boundaries…… (Go Jo, go!)
This month I’m sharing Moroccan Lamb Meatballs, inspired by a visit to the Lakemba Night Markets during Ramadan (26 May – 24 June 2017). Ramadan is a holy month for Muslims which involves intensive prayer and fasting from dawn to dusk. During this period, the main drag of Lakemba transforms at night with food stalls lining the pavements and is a popular place to enjoy iftar, a communal feast to break the fast.
If you love Middle Eastern food, you’ll be in street food heaven. A vibrant, lively mood, the smell of charcoal, the sizzle of BBQ’s, and the most amazing smell of spices that Middle Eastern food is so well known for wafts through the street. Totally worth driving 50 km / 30 miles for this aaaalll the way from the Northern Beaches!
Just to be clear, it’s over for this year. It’s only on during Ramadan. Remember it for next year. And I’ll remember my proper camera! 😂
One of the (ahem – many!) things I tried were meatballs stuffed into pita pockets. From memory, they were Egyptian (I swear I took photos with my phone but they have mysteriously disappeared!). It was fabulous. Fragrant, spiced, JUICY meatballs, fresh salad, a minted yoghurt sauce and what I really enjoyed was the fresh mint. That’s one of the things I really enjoy about Middle Eastern food – the use of mint to add freshness. 🙂
I do not know much about Egyptian cooking so I couldn’t really pick the spices in the meatballs. So I decided to recreate it using my Middle Eastern Lamb Koftas recipe.
These Moroccan Lamb Meatballs are made with……. err, I just said it. Lamb. 😂 However, they would be terrific made with beef, or even chicken or turkey. Probably with pork too.
But lamb is Middle Eastern through and through. So I do urge you to try this with lamb if you can!
Bake ’em or pan fry ’em. It will worth great either way because lamb, like beef, browns nicely in the oven. For chicken or turkey, spray liberally with oil if you want to bake them, otherwise you won’t get that gorgeous caramelisation. 🙂 – Nagi xx
PS You all know those aren’t my hands in the photo below. I had someone helping me on the day I shot these. She has gorgeous long, slim hands and I couldn’t resist borrowing them. 😂
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Moroccan Lamb Meatballs
Ingredients
Meatballs:
- 1 lb / 500 g lamb mince (ground lamb) (Note 1)
- 1 small onion, grated (~1/2 cup, including juices)
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, I use panko
- 1 egg
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1/4 cup coriander/cilantro leaves and stems, finely chopped
- 1 tsp EACH cumin, coriander, paprika (any, I like smoked)
- 1/2 tsp EACH cinnamon, cayenne pepper (add more for spicy)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Minted Yoghurt Sauce:
- 1 cup plain yoghurt (I use Greek)
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 2 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped (or 1 tbsp dried mint)
- Squeeze of lemon juice
- Salt and pepper, to taste
To Serve as pockets:
- 4 flatbreads Lebanese or pita bread
- Shredded Red Cabbage, Carrot and Mint Salad OR lettuce leaves / tomato slices / finely sliced red onion
- More mint and coriander/cilantro optional for garnish
Instructions
- Mix Minted Yoghurt Sauce ingredients in a bowl. Set aside for 20 + minutes.
- Place Meatball ingredients EXCEPT OIL in a bowl. Mix well.
- Measure out 1 heaped tablespoon, then roll into balls. Repeat with remaining mixture - should have 22 - 24 meatballs.
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add half the meatballs and cook, turning to brown all over, for 8 minutes, or until cooked through. Transfer to plate, then cook the remaining meatballs.
- OVEN OPTION instead of stove: Preheat at 200C/390F. Spray with oil then bake for 20 minutes until browned. Sometimes I put them on a rack to keep them round (put the rack on a tray).
- Cut pita pockets in half, warm for 10 seconds in the microwave, then pry it open. Stuff with Salad, then meatballs. Finish with Yoghurt Sauce and more fresh mint and coriander if desired.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Moroccan Lamb Meatballs recipe video!
LIFE OF DOZER
All that mocking of the photo of him in his hoodie. I ask you – does he look unhappy? Humph! He looks perfectly comfortable to me! 😂 #MockingDozerIsFun
Mia says
I cooked mine in the oven and they turned out perfect!
Nagi says
Glad you enjoyed it Mia!! Thanks for sharing your feedback! N x
Mia says
So amazing!!
Adrienne Adams says
Looks delicious. Just FYI, Morocco isn’t in the Middle east.
silvia says
This recipe was easy and the results were absolutely delicious. I doubled the recipe for a family lumch and there was nothing left!! Thank you.
John says
Made this tonight and followed the recipe exact, perfect,
nice work Nagi, you have done it again.
Great mix of flavours and done so any idiot (eg. me) can pull it off.
Well done that lady.
Barrett says
I loved this recipe. I followed it exactly…which I normally don’t do. I cooked the meatballs in the oven and they turned out great. I might grate some cucumber into the sauce next time but other than that I’d cook this again and change nothing.
Berny says
Super yummy!
I cooked the meatballs in the oven on the rack. Because I like my lamb pink, I will cook them next time for 15 minutes instead of 20.
Another winner recipe!
Served with half pitta bread, shredded carrots and lettuce, your yougurt sauce and baba ganush.
10/10
Berny says
Forgot to say: the lamb meatballs taste like merguez sausages! Impossible to find in Australia. Been making my own for years, but those meatballs come very very close to the merguez flavours from my childhood in south of France!
Nagi says
That’s great Berny! Thanks for letting me know! – N x ❤️
Usha says
Hi Nagi,
Love your recipes – your Tandoori Chicken one is a hit in my family 🙂
A question on the breadcrumbs – I’m trying to make these low calories – is it possible to leave the crumbs out? I’ve heard that riced cauliflower is a possible substitute as a binder – what do you think?
Mari says
My 18mth old couldn’t get enough of these, I got requested “Mah, Mah, Mah (more, more more)! ”
I made them almost exactly to the recipe , just slightly less cayenne and sprayed the rack first so they didn’t stick in the oven. Thank you again for all your FOOLPROOF and TASTY recipes!
Andrea says
These were AMAZING!!! I made mine a little bigger and stuffed each meatball with a little feta and baked them on a sheet pan on the convection setting. Whoa! Thank you for this recipe!
Nagi says
I’m glad you enjoyed this Andrea! Thank you for letting me know 🙂 N x
Laura says
Help! I want to make this on Tuesday for 35 people. How many meatballs does this recipe make? how many meatballs is considered 1 serving? Thanks!
Nagi says
Hi Laura! This recipe makes 23 meatballs and I think it serves 4 people. So for 35 people, you would need to make 8 batches. Use the recipe scaler by clicking on servings and sliding!
Nanette says
Made a version with Israeli couscous cooked in rich homemade lamb stock that I had in the freezer. Delicious and easy!
Nagi says
That’s so great to hear Nanette! Thank you for taking the time to let me know! N x
Claudia says
Loved these little meatballs, flavor was excellent. I cooked mine on aluminum foil on the barbecue.
Wouldn’t change a thing!
Nagi says
Love hearing that Claudia! Thanks for letting me know! N x
Nicole says
I cooked the meatballs in the oven which left them soft/mushy, next time I’ll use the skillet method. Made with NYT homemade pita. I could drink the yogurt sauce.
Nagi says
Hmm that’s strange, mine work fine in the oven. Glad you loved the SAUCE!! N xx
Nicole says
I know, it is strange. I had a hard time with the chicken wings, too. Something must be up with my oven temp.
Ev says
This worked a treat! The 3rd recipetin eats I’ve tried. This too was a hit with the family.
Helen says
Hi Nagi. I made these last night, delish!! As it’s freezing here, I swapped the salad for roasted peppers and onions, mixed the yogurt with some ras el hanout (only a little bit!). I don’t usually eat lamb, I have a ‘thing’ about it, but I’ll definitely be making these again.
I love getting your emails, please don’t ever give up!! Big hugs for Dozer 🐕
Suzie says
Oh my goodness these were full of flavour…absolutely delicious. I assumed you could fry or bake – you don’t have to do both? A previous visitors comment seemed to suggest you do both but I just put them in the oven only which seemed fine!
Nagi says
Hi Suzie, so glad you enjoyed this!! Definitely do NOT need to do both, let me double check the wording to ensure it’s clear! N xx
Ben says
Nagi, I am loving this site! This is the third recipe of yours that I have made this week and these meatballs were delicious (even after I mistakingly added the oil to the meatball mixture when it says in big writing not to), The only other feedback I have is around timings, it says 15mins prep and 10 mins cook when really it’s at least 16 minutes frying the meatballs in two batches and then another 20 mins in the oven. Anyway, that aside, thanks again for providing such great tasty recipes.
Nagi says
I’m sorry the timing was a bit off for you but I’m so glad you enjoyed this Ben! N x
Anna @ shenANNAgans says
Love your how-to videos Nagi, even after I read your post and drool over the pics the video just sums up how easy this recipe is to whip up. Great flavours.
Nagi says
Thanks so much Anna! Hope you have a FAB WEEKEND! N xx