Spiced Lamb Meatballs Tomato (Printable)
Tender lamb meatballs with warming spices in a rich tomato sauce served with rice or flatbread.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meatballs
01 - 1.1 lb ground lamb
02 - 1 small onion, finely grated
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
05 - 1 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
06 - 1 tsp ground cumin
07 - 1 tsp ground coriander
08 - ½ tsp ground cinnamon
09 - ½ tsp smoked paprika
10 - ½ tsp chili flakes (optional)
11 - ½ tsp salt
12 - ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
13 - 1 large egg
14 - 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
→ Tomato Sauce
15 - 2 tbsp olive oil
16 - 1 onion, finely chopped
17 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
18 - 1 tsp ground cumin
19 - 1 tsp ground coriander
20 - ½ tsp ground cinnamon
21 - ½ tsp smoked paprika
22 - 1 can (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
23 - 1 tbsp tomato paste
24 - 1 tsp sugar
25 - ½ tsp salt
26 - ¼ tsp black pepper
27 - ⅓ cup water
28 - 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
29 - 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped (for garnish)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 390°F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, gently mix ground lamb, grated onion, garlic, parsley, mint, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, smoked paprika, chili flakes, salt, pepper, egg, and breadcrumbs until just combined.
03 - Form mixture into 20 walnut-sized meatballs and place on the prepared baking tray.
04 - Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until lightly browned but not fully cooked through.
05 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté chopped onion for 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
06 - Add garlic, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and smoked paprika. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
07 - Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, salt, pepper, and water. Bring to a simmer.
08 - Add partially baked meatballs to the sauce. Cover and simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally, until meatballs are cooked through and sauce thickens.
09 - Adjust seasoning as needed. Serve hot, garnished with chopped fresh parsley and mint.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- These meatballs stay impossibly juicy because the lamb does most of the work—the spices just whisper rather than shout.
- The two-stage cooking method means you get golden, tender meatballs without a dry center, which honestly changed everything for me.
- One pot of sauce feeds four people and tastes even better the next day, making weeknight dinners feel less like a scramble.
02 -
- Don't bake the meatballs completely before adding them to the sauce—that partial bake is what keeps them tender in the tomato environment, and skipping it leads to rubbery results.
- The sugar in the sauce isn't about sweetness; it's a traditional trick that rounds out the acidity of the tomatoes and lets the spices shine instead of getting masked by tartness.
03 -
- Keep your hands slightly damp when shaping the meatballs—it prevents sticking and helps you work faster before the mixture gets warm and difficult.
- If your meatballs seem to be browning too quickly in the oven, lower the temperature by 10 degrees; every oven is different, and you're aiming for gentle color rather than a hard crust.