lamb harissa meatballs

 

growing up in an italian family, you can only imagine how many meatballs i shaped & consumed with my grandparents. however, these lamb harissa meatballs are nothing like the ones i grew up eating! these are ground lamb based & feature spicy harissa paste as the (not so) secret ingredient. they are moist, juicy & feature a variety of middle eastern flavours. for those asking what harissa paste is, it is a north african hot chili pepper paste. the ingredients typically consist of roasted red peppers, serrano peppers, spices, herbs & olive oil. it packs a big punch, so a little goes a long way. you can make your own from scratch or find this in the international section of the grocery store.

the tomato sauce is also harissa based & comes together within 30 minutes. it is a very easy way to make a sauce from scratch without having to simmer it for hours. for the best flavour, i use [POMI's strained tomatoes][1]. since the tomatoes are the main ingredient to the sauce, it is so important to use a high quality tomatoes & pomi's are 100% italian. lastly, i like to top this dish with crumbed feta for it's saltiness & herbs for a hit of freshness. if you want to kick up the heat even more, add an extra teaspoon or two of the harissa paste to the sauce. serve over quinoa or with fresh crusty bread for dipping & watch the meatballs very quikcly dissapear.

[1]: POMI strained tomatoes

ingredients

for the meatballs

  • 1 lb ground lamb
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup crumbled feta
  • 2 shallots, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons harissa paste
  • 1 tablespoon fresh mint, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
  • 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

for the sauce

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 shallots, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 tablespoon harissa paste
  • 1 (28 oz) jar of POMI's crushed tomatoes
  • salt & pepper, to taste
  • crumbled feta, to garnish
  • fresh parsley or mint, to garnish

directions

for the meatballs

  • preheat oven to 375 degrees. line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • in a large mixing bowl combine the ground lamb, egg, feta, shallots, garlic, harissa, mint, parsley, lemon zest, salt, pepper & breadcrumbs.
  • using your hands mix gently until well blended.
  • shape mixture into 18 evenly sized meatballs & transfer to prepared baking sheet.
  • bake for 25 minutes, until meatballs register 165 degrees on a meat thermometer.

for the sauce

  • in a large pot over medium heat add the oil, shallots & garlic. cook until the shallots begins to turn translucent, about 5 minutes.
  • stir in the lemon juice, lemon zest, harissa & crushed tomatoes. season with salt & pepper.
  • bring mixture to a boil & immediately reduce to a simmer. add the cooked meatballs.
  • cover pot with lid & simmer for 30 minutes, until the sauce slightly thickens.
  • when ready to serve, garnish with feta & fresh herbs.