Main Dishes
Lamb Meatballs
Description
Greek-inspired Lamb Meatballs prove it’s not all about the tomato sauce! With lemon zest and Mediterranean spices, they’re fabulous tucked into a pita with tzatziki, but they’re also juicy and flavorful enough to stick on a toothpick and serve up as a party appetizer.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground lamb
- ¼ cup very finely chopped red onion
- 2 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg
- Zest of 1 small lemon about 2 teaspoons
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup packed cilantro leaves with tender stems, finely chopped (or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or mint)
- For Serving:
- Tzatziki Sauce
- Homemade Hummus
- Warm pita bread
Directions
- Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, place the lamb, red onion, panko, egg, lemon zest (zest the lemon directly into the bowl), salt, cumin, coriander, garlic powder, and black pepper. Sprinkle the cilantro over the top.
- With your hands, gently combine all of the ingredients until well mixed. Be careful not to overwork the meat or your meatballs will be tough.
- Shape the mixture into meatballs that are about 1 1/2-inches in diameter; you’ll have about 18 meatballs total. Arrange them on the prepared baking sheet so they are not touching.
- Bake lamb meatballs until browned on the outside and cooked through, about 20 to 25 minutes. An instant-read thermometer should register 160°F when inserted in the center of a meatball. Serve warm with tzatziki, hummus, and pita as desired.
