Lamb Meatballs with Buttery Rice and Tzatziki
Looking for some lamb mince recipe inspiration? Look no further than these lamb meatballs. Imagine fluffy rice topped with spicy lamb meatballs, rich tomato sauce and a dollop of creamy, cooling tzatziki. All finished off with zesty lemon and fresh herbs…
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 250 g lamb mince
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- Olive oil
- 1 onion finely diced
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the rice:
- 150 g basmati rice
- Knob of butter
- Handful fresh parsley roughly chopped
- ½ lemon
For the tzatziki:
- ½ cucumber
- 4 tbsp Greek yoghurt
- Handful of fresh mint chopped
- Squeeze of lemon juice
- ½ garlic clove minced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Start by prepping the meatballs: line a baking sheet or plate with baking paper and set aside. Add the lamb mince, smoked paprika, curry powder, ground coriander and 1 garlic clove to a large mixing bowl. Using slightly wetted hands, squish together to combine.
- Shape the mix into around 12 equal-sized meatballs and place onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Next, make the tomato sauce: heat the olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan with high sides (or saucepan) set over a low-medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for about 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft. Add the remaining minced garlic clove, followed by the tomato purée, and cook for a further 1 minute, stirring often.
- Add the tinned tomatoes, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste, and bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 5 minutes until thickened slightly.
- Meanwhile, in a separate non-stick frying pan, add a drizzle of olive oil and place over a medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook for around 8-10 minutes, turning until golden-brown all over. Take care not to overcrowd the pan, it is better to do this in batches if you don’t have one big enough as you want them to go slightly crisp on the outside.
- Add the cooked meatballs to the tomato sauce and continue to simmer until cooked through.
- In the meantime, make the buttery rice: rinse the basmati rice thoroughly in water then drain well to remove the starch. Tip into a medium-sized saucepan and pour in enough cold water to come 1.25 cm above the ice. Cover with a lid and place over a medium heat. Simmer until almost all the liquid has been absorbed, then turn off the heat and leave to stand, covered, for 5 minutes or until you are ready to serve.
- For the tzatziki: grate the cucumber using a box grater. Gather into a ball and squeeze out as much of the excess liquid as you can. Add to a medium-sized bowl with the yoghurt, chopped mint, a squeeze of lemon juice and the minced garlic. Mix well and season to taste. Adjust the balance of the other flavours according to your preference (you can add more mint, lemon and/or garlic depending on how herby, zingy and/or garlicky you want it).
- To serve: place a generous spoonful of the rice onto each plate and add a knob of butter on top. Spoon over the meatballs with the tomato sauce. Grate over some lemon zest, to taste, then add a dollop of tzatziki. Sprinkle with lots of freshly chopped parsley. Enjoy!
Notes
Mince: although this is a lamb mince recipe, you can use other types of mince if you prefer. Beef and pork both work well. Just make sure you have a fat percentage of around 20% for the best flavour and texture.
Cheat’s rice: if you are in a rush or want to save on the washing up, you can use a pouch of microwaveable rice. They are super handy and always in my larder.
Oven baked meatballs: if you prefer to bake your lamb mince meatballs, preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan. Pop the meatballs onto a baking tray and spray with olive oil. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, turning half way through (the exact time will depend on the size of your meatballs) or until cooked through. Add to the sauce as per the recipe and continue.
Serving suggestions: I love serving these lamb mince meatballs with buttery rice. However, it is equally delicious with regular or giant couscous, bulgur wheat or quinoa. Alternatively, pop it into a flatbread and serve it like a wrap with hummus and the tzatziki.
Make ahead: you can prepare and shape the lamb mince meatballs in advance. Pop them in a tupperware or cover the plate/baking sheet with cling film and chill in the fridge for up to 24 hours. You will find they hold their shape better after being chilled. Alternatively, you can cook the meatballs in the tomato sauce, pop into a tupperware and leave to cool completely. Cover and chill for up to 3 days. Reheat on the hob or in a microwave until piping hot.
Freezing instructions: the prepared meatballs can be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge before cooking. You can also cook the meatballs in the tomato sauce, pop into a tupperware and leave to cool completely. Cover and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat on the hob or in a microwave until piping hot.