You might say I am a tad obsessed with harissa these days. Harissa roasted chicken. Harissa Bloody Mary. And now these harissa lamb meatballs. Sorry, not sorry.
To take a step back for just a second, harissa is a North African condiment made from chilies, peppers, herbs, oil and a variety of other ingredients depending on the region, family, etc. I have made my own, but I have also fallen madly in love with NY Shuk harissa, which is way easier and more delicious than making my own. (You can read more about harissa here). Harissa is very popular in Israel, where it was introduced by Moroccan, Tunisian and other Jews of North African descent. As Israeli food has gained a following in America, it’s a condiment that is increasingly easy to find: I have seen it gracing the shelves of Shop Rite, Stop & Shop and Whole Foods.
I made an enormous batch of these meatballs for a recent shindig we hosted, and there was not one meatball left over afterwards, so I figured they might be a hit. For the party I served them with toothpicks, refreshing the platter as the evening went on. But I have also served these on top of a bed of freshly fluffed couscous and a little extra fresh herbs for a satisfying, but not too heavy, dinner.
These can be made the night before, and they reheat very well on the stove over low heat.
Harissa Lamb Meatballs
Add a bed of couscous and you’ve got a perfect weeknight dinner.
- Total Time: 75 minutes
- Yield: 6
Ingredients
For the sauce:
- 1–2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves
- pinch caraway seeds
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 28–oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 28–oz can crushed tomatoes
- 3 heaping Tbsp of harissa paste, such as this harissa from NY Shuk (you can add more to your taste)
- 1 ½ cups of water
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For the meatballs:
- 2 lbs ground lamb
- 3 Tbsp minced mint
- 3 Tbsp minced flat leaf parsley
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp fresh lemon zest
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- To make the sauce: Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Saute onion until translucent and soft, around 6-8 minutes. Add garlic, pinch of caraway seeds and tomato paste, and saute another 2 minutes.
- Add canned tomatoes, harissa and water, and bring to a low simmer. Cook for 30-40 minutes, covered over low heat. The tomato sauce will be done when the tomatoes have broken down and the sauce has reduced slightly and is a deep color
- To make the meatballs: Combine ground lamb, mint, parsley, garlic, eggs, salt and lemon zest in a large bowl. Using your hands, combine until mixed throughout, but take care not to overwork the meat.
- Form tablespoon-sized meatballs, using your hands or a cookie scoop. Roll gently and place on a plate until ready to fry.
- Heat vegetable oil (or other neutral oil) over medium heat in a large saute pan. Fry meatballs in batches until brown, rotating them to ensure they have been browned on all sides.
- Remove from pan. You may need to add a little more oil in between batches.
- Add the lamb meatballs to the sauce (as well as additional liquid from frying) and allow to simmer another 15 minutes.
- Serve with couscous and chopped fresh herbs if desired.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Israeli
Can these be baked and/or cooked in the sauce in a crockpot? Are caraway seeds a must? Thank you!
We haven’t tested this recipe in the Crockpot but please let us know how it is if you try it. If you don’t like caraway, leave it out!
Can I substitute chopped beef in place of the ground lamb chop?
Sure!
Can you bake vs fry the meatballs?
Yep.
Could I oven roast meatballs instead of frying?
Sure!
Can I bake the meatballs or completely cook them in the sauce instead of frying them> Thank you!!
You can bake them.
Delicious and easy, though I think I would do fewer, larger meatballs next time. I ordered some of the NY Shuk harissa, and I can vouch for its deliciousness. Thanks for the recommendation!