Crispy Lamb Mince Bowl with Couscous and Salad
Looking for some lamb mince recipe inspiration? Look no further than this Crispy Lamb Mince Bowl! Imagine soft, nutty couscous topped with spicy, smoky lamb mince, tangy pickled onions, cooling cucumber and tomato salad, a dollop of fresh Greek yoghurt and a sprinkling of jewelled pomegranate seeds and crispy onions. Simply delicious.
Servings: 2 servings (up to 4)
Ingredients
For the lamb:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 500 g lamb mince
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp harissa
For the giant couscous:
- 350 g giant couscous
- 1 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 20 g fresh mint roughly chopped
- 20 g parsley roughly chopped
For the quick pickled red onion:
- 1 red onion sliced
- Juice of ½ lemon
For the tomato and cucumber salad:
- 350 g cherry tomatoes diced
- ½ cucumber peeled and diced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
To serve:
- 4 tbsp crispy onions
- 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds optional
- Fresh coriander
- 4 tbsp full-fat Greek yoghurt
- Sumac for sprinkling
- Olive oil to drizzle
Instructions
- Add the oil to a large non-stick frying pan and place over a medium-high heat. Once hot, crumble in the lamb mince and sprinkle in the spices. Season well then break up with the back of a wooden spoon to remove any clumps. Leave to cook for about 5 minutes - you should hear it sizzling over the high heat.
- Give it a good stir - it should have turned from pink to grey, but we want it to go deep golden and crispy which can take a little while. Continue to cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring as needed to stop it from sticking to the pan, or until deliciously golden and crispy. Stir in the harissa and continue to cook for 1 minute.
- Meanwhile, make the giant couscous: boil the giant couscous according to packet instructions. Drain well and tip into a bowl. Whilst still hot, add the crushed garlic and olive oil. Season generously and stir well. Leave to cool a little before adding the chopped mint and parsley.
- Next, make the quick pickled red onion: pop the sliced onion into a small bowl. Add the lemon juice and a pinch of salt, to taste. Scrunch with your hands to separate the onion slices and coat in the salty lemon juice. Leave to stand for at least 5 minutes.
- Finally, make the tomato and cucumber salad: put the diced tomatoes and cucumber into a bowl. Mix well and season to taste.
- To assemble, scoop the couscous into bowls. Top with the crispy lamb, followed by the tomato and cucumber salad and pickled red onion. Scatter over crispy onions, pomegranate seeds and fresh coriander. Add a dollop of yoghurt to each bowl and sprinkle with sumac. Drizzle with olive oil and enjoy!
Notes
Scroll up for a step by step guide on how to make this crispy lamb mince and assemble the rest of the bowl.
To store: Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Ideally, keep the lamb mince separate to the other components as you want to eat the rest of it cold but the lamb mince is best hot.
To reheat: Heat in the microwave for 2 minutes until piping hot. Otherwise, you can heat in a pan over medium-heat with a splash of oil in the pan until hot all the way through.
Make ahead: You can prepare the giant couscous in advance and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days. The crispy lamb mince is best cooked fresh for best texture. The cucumber and tomato salad can be made a day ahead too, as well as the pickled onions. Keep in the fridge in airtight containers.
Mince: 500g may seem a lot but it cooks down so much and shrinks as it crisps up. So this could serve just two people, or four, depending on your portion sizes.
Serving suggestions: I love serving this crispy lamb mince with giant couscous. However, it is equally delicious with rice, regular couscous or bulgur wheat. Alternatively, pop it into a flatbread and serve it like a wrap with hummus and Greek yoghurt.