Recipe byThe ZestyPlate Kitchen
Juicy spiced lamb meatballs studded with sweet apricots and mint, simmered in a rich tomato sauce. Lovely with warm pitta and a fresh salad.
These lamb and apricot meatballs play savoury against sweet: spiced lamb dotted with chewy dried apricots, simmered in a cumin-scented tomato sauce. Mint and warm spices give them a fragrance that feels a long way from an ordinary meatball supper. Scoop them up with warm pitta and you have a generous, satisfying meal for the family.
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Prep 25 min
Cook 25 min
Total 50 min
Easy
Scale:
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 2 chopped Red Onions
- 4 Cloves Crushed Garlic
- 2 tsp Ground Cumin
- 2 tsp Ground Coriander
- 400g Tinned Tomatos
- 1/2 teaspoon Sugar
- 10g Mint
- 500g Lamb Mince
- 8 Dried Apricots
- 50g Breadcrumbs
- To serve Pita Bread
Preparation
- Heat 2 tsp oil in a pan and soften the onions for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and spices and cook for a couple of minutes more. Spoon half the onion mixture into a bowl and leave it to cool. Add the tomatoes, sugar and seasoning to the onions left in the pan and simmer for about 10 minutes, until reduced.
- While that cooks, add the mint, lamb, apricots and breadcrumbs to the cooled onions, season, and mix well with your hands. Shape into small meatballs.
- Heat the rest of the oil in a non-stick pan and fry the meatballs until golden, in batches if you need to. Stir in the sauce with a splash of water and cook everything gently for a few minutes until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve with pitta bread and salad.
Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen
- Chop the apricots small so they spread through the mince and give little pockets of sweetness.
- Cool the onion and spice base before mixing it into the meat, which helps everything bind.
- Handle the mince lightly and stop mixing as soon as it comes together, for tender meatballs.
- Brown the meatballs first, then let them finish cooking in the sauce so they stay juicy.
Frequently Asked Questions
They bring a soft sweetness and chewy texture that offsets the spiced, savoury lamb. It is a classic Middle Eastern pairing for good reason.
Yes, brown them in the oven, then simmer in the sauce. It is a bit lighter and more hands-off.
Beef, or a beef and lamb mix, works well. Lamb gives the richest result and sits best with the apricots and spices.
Warm pitta or flatbread, rice or couscous, and a spoonful of yogurt or a fresh salad all go nicely.
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