Lamb meatballs are a staple in our house. There’s so much to love about them!
- First, they’re broiled, instead of pan fried. What does this mean for you? Less mess! Less standing over a stove top, turning meatballs, and more drinking rosé. Win!
- Because theses meatballs are broiled, they have a crispy exterior that we are crazy about. Nothing burnt or mushy about these homemade meatballs!
- They’re a little bit sweet thanks to the addition of ground cinnamon and golden raisins. Yep, that’s the secret ingredient! Adds warmth and sweetness that pairs beautifully with ground lamb.
Love lamb as much as we do? Be sure to try our Braised Lamb Curry or this flavorful Lamb Shawarma next!
Ingredient Notes
For these meatballs, we follow our every day go-to meatball recipe (you can use it with ground beef, chicken, pork, turkey, and of course ground lamb!). The only additions are to add in cinnamon and…. golden raisins! Clean, simple ingredients. All of which you likely have on hand except for the lamb!
- Ground lamb — can substitute with ground beef, pork, chicken or turkey
- Regular breadcrumbs (see note below on why I never use panko in meatballs)
- 1 egg
- Rehydrated golden raisins
- Ground cinnamon
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Lamb and cinnamon are a match made in heaven! Classic Middle Eastern flavors that complement and bring out the best in each other.
How to Make Lamb Meatballs
Grab a bowl, then gently mix together all ingredients. You can turn these into mini meatballs by rolling them into smaller balls, but I like to keep them at 1 1/2″ – 2″ in diameter.
Be careful not to over work or over mix meatballs, or they will be very dense.
Place meatballs on a rimmed baking sheet 1-2 inches apart, then… broil. Yeah, that’s right, you heard us!
How to Cook Meatballs (The Stress Free Way!)
We have been those people.. We have hovered over a pan, flipping meatballs every 2-3 minutes so they brown evenly on all sides. Never again.
Literally the only way we ever cook meatballs anymore is broiling, and here’s why:
- You won’t have to turn them constantly to brown on all sides.
- No mess to cleanup on your stove top!
- Broiling creates a crispy exterior, while leaving the center of the meatballs moist.
We usually don’t even bother to turn them over in the oven, but with this particular meatball recipe we recommend it. Why? Because if you’ve got any golden raisins poking out of the top of your meatball, they will turn black if they’re broiled uninterrupted for 12-13 minutes.
Flip lamb meatballs once halfway through cook time to ensure the raisins stay juicy and plump inside. Trust me, you want this. Meatballs are done when an internal temperature of 155 F has been reached.
We recommend the Thermapen MK4 to check for doneness on all meats!
If you want, you can of course bake, pan fry, or cook lamb meatballs in an air fryer!
How To Serve
We adore pairing the Middle Eastern flavors in this lamb meatball recipe with a quick store-bought or homemade hummus. Lamb meatballs would also be great with tzatziki or other yogurt sauce, or even polenta! Just don’t forget the toasted pine nuts which I think truly make the recipe pop.
These lamb meatballs would be just as delicious served in a pita, over a Mediterranean couscous salad, or alongside a Middle Eastern rice pilaf!
Can Lamb Meatballs be Frozen?
Yes! We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: meatballs are perfect for freezing. Allow cooked meatballs to cool completely at room temperature, then place in a large Ziploc bag or freezer safe container. Meatballs will keep for up to 3 months.
When ready to serve, remove meatballs and either defrost overnight in fridge or heat in a microwave until defrosted, usually about 1-2 minutes on high.
To reheat: slice them in half, then pan sear cut-side down in a nonstick pan with a little olive oil. You’ll be left with a super crispy exterior and a light fluffy center. Deeeelish.
On a scale of 1-10, we rate these bad boys a whopping 168. Yes, they are that good. You’re going to love ’em!
If you make these (Not Quite Kofta) Lamb Meatballs, please let me know by leaving a review below!
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For more simple weeknight meals, check out the following recipes:
- Chicken milanese recipe with shaved fennel salad
- Deconstructed falafel sandwich
- Anchovy chicken with garlic and capers
- Asian stuffed peppers with chicken
- Slow baked salmon with herb shallot butter
Lamb Meatballs Recipe
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup golden raisins
- 1 ½ lb ground lamb
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place ⅓ cup raisins in a small bowl, then cover with water. Let sit 10 minutes to rehydrate, then drain and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl combine 1 ½ lbs ground lamb, ½ cup breadcrumbs (NOT panko!), 1 egg, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp pepper, and rehydrated raisins. Gently mix until well incorporated, trying hard not to over work the meat.
- Divide mixture into meatballs about 1 ½” – 2″ in size. Should yield approximately 16 meatballs. Place on a rimmed baking sheet then broil on high for 6 minutes. Remove from oven, turn meatballs over and cook an additional 6 minutes (*see note below) until just fully cooked, or until internal temperature is 155 F. Lamb will continue to cook slightly when removed from oven.
Notes
- We love panko breadcrumbs, but we do not recommend using them here as they create a coarser texture in the meatballs. Using regular breadcrumbs keeps the meatball texture smooth.
- We don’t usually insist on turning meatballs over halfway through cooking time when broiled, but because of the raisins in this recipe, it’s necessary. If the meatballs cook for a full 12-13 minutes on one side, any raisins poking out of the top of the meatball will burn. This is avoided by flipping the lamb meatballs halfway through cooking.
Let us know your thoughts!