Description
This Easy Lamb Meatballs Recipe with Saffron Tomato Sauce features flavorful lamb and beef meatballs baked to perfection and simmered in a fragrant saffron-infused tomato sauce with warm spices, raisins, and walnuts. Perfect as an elegant yet simple dish that pairs beautifully with couscous or your favorite grain, this recipe combines tender meatballs with a rich, aromatic sauce for an unforgettable meal.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Lamb Meatballs:
- 2½ cups fresh rustic bread, cubed
- 1½ cups Milk, cow milk or plain, unsweetened plant-based
- 1½ pounds ground lamb
- 1 pound ground beef, or ground lamb
- 2 eggs
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
- 2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ cup fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
- ¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped
- ¼ cup green onions, finely chopped
For the Saffron Tomato Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 15 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 4¼ ounces tomato paste
- 1 pinch saffron
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1½ cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoon honey
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- ½ cup golden raisins
Instructions
- Toast the Bread: Preheat oven to 350°F. Scatter the chopped rustic bread cubes onto a baking sheet and toast for 10-15 minutes until dry and crisp. Remove from oven and transfer toasted bread to a large bowl.
- Soak the Bread: Let the toasted bread cool about 5 minutes, then drizzle with 1½ cups milk. Mix thoroughly until milk is absorbed and bread is fully coated.
- Combine Meatball Ingredients: Add ground lamb, ground beef, eggs, minced garlic, salt, black pepper, sweet paprika, ground ginger, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, and chopped parsley, cilantro, and green onions to the soaked bread bowl.
- Mix Meatballs: Using hands, combine all ingredients thoroughly until uniform in texture.
- Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Form Meatballs: With damp hands or large cookie scoop, roll the mixture into ping-pong sized meatballs and place evenly spaced on prepared baking sheets.
- Bake Meatballs: Bake meatballs in the 375°F oven for 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheets once halfway through, until internal temperature reaches 160°F. Remove from oven and set aside.
- Sauté Onions: Heat olive oil in a saucepot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, ground cumin, salt, and pepper; cook 1 additional minute while stirring.
- Add Tomatoes: Stir in crushed tomatoes, bring to a low boil, then add tomato paste and mix until combined.
- Blend Sauce: Remove from heat and transfer mixture to a high-speed or immersion blender. Blend on low to medium-low until smooth. Return pureed sauce to original pot over medium heat.
- Simmer with Spices: Add saffron, cinnamon sticks, chicken broth, and honey. Stir well, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Finish Sauce: Remove cinnamon sticks. Stir in milk, chopped walnuts, and golden raisins. Return sauce to a low simmer.
- Combine Meatballs and Sauce: Add the pre-cooked meatballs to the sauce and simmer together for 5 minutes to meld flavors.
- Serve: Garnish with additional chopped fresh parsley. Serve warm with couscous or preferred grains. Enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe works well with any ground meat such as beef, pork, turkey, or lamb.
- Nutrition information is calculated per meatball with sauce; sauce quantity is approximate and divided across 40 servings.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 meatball with sauce (approximate)
- Calories: 150 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 320 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
