Meatballs +

This sweet and savory flavor combination will have your family coming back for seconds every time. The lamb meatballs are seasoned with baharat, a Middle Eastern spice blend then finished in a caramelized onion sauce. Serve over rice, hummus or vermicelli.

PREP – 10 MINS….COOK – 45 MINS….TOTAL – 55 MINS

Cuisine: MIDDLE EASTERN

SERVES – 6

Ingredients  

  • ▢3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • ▢3 medium yellow onions, sliced into ¼-inch rings
  • ▢1 small yellow onion, grated
  • ▢Kosher salt
  • ▢1 ½ pounds ground lamb
  • ▢⅓ cup breadcrumbs
  • ▢½ bunch fresh parsley, leaves chopped
  • ▢1 egg
  • ▢2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ▢1 ½ teaspoons Baharat
  • ▢¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
  • ▢Black pepper
  • ▢Cooked Basmati Rice or Rice with Vermicelli, for serving

Instructions 

  • Heat your oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F.
  • Caramelize the sliced onions: In a large oven-safe pan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Once it shimmers. Add the sliced onion rings and season with a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions have fully softened and turned a deep golden brown, 20-30 minutes.
  • Make the meatballs: While the onions are cooking, combine the grated onion, lamb, breadcrumbs, parsley, egg, garlic, Baharat, and cardamom in a large mixing bowl. Add a big pinch of kosher salt and black pepper and mix to combine. Take handfuls of the meat mixture (about 2 tablespoons each) and form them into meatballs. You should end up with about 18-20 meatballs.
  • Make the onion sauce: When the onions are ready, turn off the heat and carefully stir in 1 cup of water. The water should turn brown immediately. Nestle the lamb meatballs into the onion sauce, and using a spoon, scoop some of the onions on top.
  • Bake the meatballs: Transfer the pan to the oven to bake on the center rack until the meatballs are cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, about 25 to 30 minutes. I like to occasionally baste the meatballs with the onion sauce while they bake.
  • Serve: Spoon the meatballs, onions, and sauce over Basmati Rice or Rice with Vermicelli. Enjoy!