Lamb Meatballs with Mint Recipe (2024)

Recipe from Andrew Feinberg

Adapted by Melissa Clark

Lamb Meatballs with Mint Recipe (1)

Total Time
2 hours 30 minutes
Rating
5(129)
Notes
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Featured in: THE CHEF: ANDREW FEINBERG; These Little Meatballs Stayed Home

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

    For the Sauce

    • cup extra-virgin olive oil
    • 1Spanish onion, diced
    • 6garlic cloves, minced
    • 228-ounce cans peeled plum tomatoes
    • ¾teaspoon kosher or coarse sea salt

    For the Meatballs

    • ½small baguette (6 ounces), crust trimmed
    • 6tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    • ½large Spanish onion, diced
    • 8garlic cloves, minced
    • 2pounds ground lamb
    • 1pound ground pork
    • cups grated pecorino Romano cheese, more for serving
    • 1cup chopped fresh parsley
    • ¾cup chopped fresh mint
    • teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
    • teaspoons kosher or coarse sea salt
    • ¾teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
    • 1cup dry red wine

    For the Crostini

    • ½baguette, sliced on a bias
    • 2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

1278 calories; 92 grams fat; 32 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 46 grams monounsaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 48 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 12 grams sugars; 58 grams protein; 1650 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Lamb Meatballs with Mint Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    Prepare sauce: In an ovenproof pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm oil. Add onions and sauté until soft, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, and cook for 1 minute longer. Stir in tomatoes and salt and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer sauce, occasionally mashing tomatoes against side of pot with a wooden spoon, until they break down and sauce thickens, about 25 minutes. Let cool slightly.

  2. Step

    2

    Pass sauce through coarsest disc of a food mill, or purée it until smooth in a food processor or blender. Return sauce to pot.

  3. Step

    3

    Prepare meatballs: Soak baguette in enough water to cover until soft and falling apart. Squeeze dry. In a very large skillet over medium heat, warm 3 tablespoons oil. Add onions and sauté until translucent but not browned, about 8 minutes. Add garlic, stir well, and turn off heat. Let cool.

  4. Step

    4

    Heat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, combine lamb, pork, cheese, parsley, mint, pepper, salt, red pepper flakes, onion mixture and bread. Using your hands, mix well. Form mixture into 1¾-inch meatballs.

  5. Step

    5

    Add remaining oil to pan, and warm it over medium-high heat. Fry meatballs, turning on all sides, until well browned. Transfer meatballs to platters lined with paper towels.

  6. Step

    6

    Add wine to skillet, and let it simmer for a few minutes, scraping up any browned bits stuck to bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. Pour wine into tomato sauce and add meatballs. Cover pot and bake for 30 minutes.

  7. Step

    7

    Just before serving, heat broiler. Brush baguette slices with olive oil. Toast them under broiler until golden around edges, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Serve meatballs with sauce, crostini and extra cheese.

Ratings

5

out of 5

129

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

dimmerswitch

Reliable, versatile, easy. Made a couple of times, cutting in half each time so 1.5 lb total meat & adjusting all accordingly. We enjoy both lamb & pork but for these meatballs we prefer one or the other used, not combined. Either is very good. These reheat well if making ahead. Freeze well too. I like to add a beaten egg to the mixture. Good with crostini specified and also on polenta. For another great meatball recipe see David Tanis' North African Meatballs on this site.

tal

Made this recipe last night for the first time. I cut the recipe in half because 3 lbs of meat would make far more meatballs than would fit in my dutch oven. One half of the recipe, served over pasta, fed four people. I followed the recipe closely with the exception of using panko bread crumbs moistened with milk (that is what I had on-hand). Overall I liked the taste, the mint/parsley combination was delicious. My meatballs were too crumbly however. Next time I will add egg to the mixture.

Kamil

Since this is a Greek style recipe (mint) there is nothing better than adding yogurt with salt and garlic as extra sauce. Wonderful.I wouldn’t add eggs as other suggest it makes the meatballs soft and ‘bloated’.

Rose

Add an egg or two

Margot

Definitely add an egg. Otherwise the meatballs don't hold together.

mvtorres17

Tastes fine not blending tomato sauce

dimmerswitch

Reliable, versatile, easy. Made a couple of times, cutting in half each time so 1.5 lb total meat & adjusting all accordingly. We enjoy both lamb & pork but for these meatballs we prefer one or the other used, not combined. Either is very good. These reheat well if making ahead. Freeze well too. I like to add a beaten egg to the mixture. Good with crostini specified and also on polenta. For another great meatball recipe see David Tanis' North African Meatballs on this site.

tal

Made this recipe last night for the first time. I cut the recipe in half because 3 lbs of meat would make far more meatballs than would fit in my dutch oven. One half of the recipe, served over pasta, fed four people. I followed the recipe closely with the exception of using panko bread crumbs moistened with milk (that is what I had on-hand). Overall I liked the taste, the mint/parsley combination was delicious. My meatballs were too crumbly however. Next time I will add egg to the mixture.

Glendale Tim

How about a meatloaf structure instead--start on high heat. And what would some anchovy in the sauce be like--should be OK given the tomato/garlic base.

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Lamb Meatballs with Mint Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is lamb cooked with mint? ›

Mint is rich with branched-chain ketones, chemically related to the branched-chain fatty acids released during cooking lamb. Foods that share similar compounds and chemical structures taste better together, according to the 2011 article “Flavor Network and the Principles of Food Pairings” in Scientific Reports.

How to make meatballs that aren t tough? ›

Don't overmix.

When meatballs are tough, it's often because they've been overworked. Start by thoroughly mixing all of the ingredients except for the ground meat. Once you add the meat, you want to work it only just enough so the ingredients are evenly distributed.

Why do you chill meatballs before baking? ›

Tip: Whether you're baking, broiling, pan-searing or adding meatballs directly to simmering liquid, always chill meatballs before cooking so that they hold their shape better and don't fall apart. This is especially important when working with pork, turkey and chicken, which are very wet when ground.

How to make frozen meatballs tastier? ›

The stale taste is because when food is frozen for too long, it can dry out. You want to add egg to the meat to moisten it. Make sure to blend the whole egg into the meat so that it can be thoroughly absorbed.

What makes lamb taste better? ›

The big, bold Lamb flavor goes well with spices like coriander seeds, cumin, curry powder, harissa paste, garlic, rosemary, oregano, thyme, black pepper, chilly flakes, and mint. Spices compliment Lamb, but it also holds its flavor with just salt and pepper.

What herbs go with lamb and mint? ›

Versatile mixed herbs

The expertly blended mix of mint, garlic and rosemary adds just the right balance of flavours to any lamb dish. We love this Lamb Souvlaki with Greek Salad and Tzatziki - it's just as delicious as the original street food, but with all the convenience of a midweek meal.

Do meatballs get more tender the longer they simmer? ›

The longer the simmer, the more tender and succulent the meatballs become. 3. Concentration of Flavors: Simmering at a low temperature for an extended period also encourages the sauce to reduce and thicken.

Is it better to pan fry or bake meatballs? ›

Baking will result in meatballs with a crunchy exterior, though the caramelisation achieved from frying will be superior. Baked meatballs take the least amount of effort, as you'll only need to turn them once or twice throughout the cook and you can make a larger batch at once.

Should I roll my meatballs in flour before baking? ›

A traditional size for this sort of meatball is 2 to 3 inches across, but you can make them any size you want. Once you roll the meatball in your hands, roll it in the flour to give it a good coating. Set each one on a baking sheet as you work.

Should meatballs be fully cooked before putting in sauce? ›

You can brown the uncooked meatballs in a sauté pan before adding them to the sauce. You can brown them in the oven. Or you can skip browning altogether and put the raw meatballs straight into the sauce to cook.

Why are my frozen meatballs rubbery? ›

If the meatballs are packed together too tightly, they will cook up rubbery, chewy, and tough.

What makes meatballs stick together better? ›

Add a lightly beaten egg, but not too much. Egg acts as a binder for the ingredients, but you only need a small amount. One small egg will do for one pound of minced meat. Alternatively, if you're following an egg-free diet, you could soak fresh bread in milk, squeezing out any excess milk, to use as a binder.

Where did mint sauce come from with lamb? ›

Hence mint sauce with lamb." Mint sauce was being made in England as early as the 3rd century, and the practice of serving it with lamb was well established in English cooking before the mid-18th century.

Is lamb typically served with mint jelly? ›

Mint jelly is a sweet jam-like condiment flavored with lots of fresh mint and a splash of lemon juice. It is traditionally served alongside roasted meats, especially roast lamb.

Do lambs eat mint? ›

Here are a few of the herbs / general we keep in our cupboard for our goats, sheep & chickens & horses. Mint - great for general digestion and especially after bloat. It actually helps with the absorption of nutrients into the gut. Good for older animals who maybe need to extract a bit more from their food.

What do butchers put on minted lamb chops? ›

Ingredients: Lamb 90 %, seasoning (Sugar, Acids (sodium diacetate, Malic Acid) dried glucose syrup, modified starch, salt, dried mint (3.6%), yeast extract (yeast extract, salt), dried tomato, natural flavourings, colours (paprika extract and natural rosemery flavouring, curcumin) thickners (xanthan gum, guar gum) ...

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