Spicy Lamb Meatballs with Tzatziki
These spicy lamb meatballs include garden-fresh Greek flavors that shine all on their own, or when served with creamy, Tzatziki yogurt sauce!
Servings: 15 meatballs
Calories: 113kcal
Equipment
- sharp knife and cutting board
- sauté pan
- spatula
- large mixing bowl
- mixing spoon
- cheese grater
- cheesecloth or nutbag
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 1½ tsp. fresh oregano finely chopped
- ¼ cup red onion finely diced
- 2 tbsp. garlic finely minced
- 1½ tbsp. olive oil
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp. onion powder
- ½ tsp. sea salt
- fresh pepper a nice sprinkle
For the Tzatziki
- ½ cucumber grated – about ½ cup
- 1 tbsp. fresh dill fronds
- 1 garlic clove finely minced
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
- ¼ tsp. sea salt
Instructions
To Make the Meatballs
- Finely chop 1½ tsp. fresh oregano, finely dice ¼ cup red onion and finely mince 2 tbsp. garlic.
- Add 1-2 tsp. olive oil to a sauté pan and sauté garlic for 2-4 minutes until perfectly brown.
- In a large mixing bowl add 1 pound ground lamb, oregano, onion, garlic, 1 egg, ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs, ½ tsp. onion powder, ½ tsp. sea salt, a nice sprinkle of fresh pepper and 1 tsp. red pepper flakes (add 2 tsp. if you want to make them more spicy). Mix thoroughly with hands. Roll each ball into a rounded tablespoon size.
- Add 1 tbsp. olive oil to the sauté pan and add meatballs, making sure to dip them in oil before moving them about an inch apart. Over MEDIUM heat, allow them to sauté for 2-3 minutes, flip them over and sauté for 2 more minutes. Flip to an uncooked side and allow them to sit for 1 minute, flip, then 1 more minute. They should be cooked through by now, but to be sure, you can use a meat thermometer to check that they're 145-150 F. (62-65 C.) in the center. Remove and serve.
To Make Tzatziki
- Grate ½ cucumber (about ½ cup) using the large holes of a cheese grater. You don’t have to peel it first. Use cheesecloth (or a nut bag) to squeeze out as much cucumber juice as you can and set aside.
- Pull 1 tbsp. dill fronds from stems and very finely mince 1 garlic clove.
- Add minced garlic, dill fronds, squeezed cucumber shreds, ½ cup Greek yogurt, 1 tbsp. olive oil, 1 tsp. lemon juice and ¼ tsp. sea salt to a mixing bowl. Give it a nice stir until thoroughly mixed. Drizzle a little more olive oil on top and serve.
Notes
This recipe is mild-medium spicy. To make them spicer, add 2 tsp. red pepper flakes instead of 1.
If you have a large pan, you can cook all of them at once, but if you have a smaller pan, I would suggest doing 2 batches so you can leave about an inch between them.
To reheat, bake them at 400 F. (204 C.) for 10 minutes.
Serve meatballs within 3-5 days or freeze for up to 6 months, thaw and reheat as directed above.
Refrigerated tzatziki will last about 4 days before it starts to go sour.
See post for detailed instructions with photos of the process.
Nutrition information is an estimate.
Nutrition
Serving: 1meatball | Calories: 113kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 99mg | Potassium: 99mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 122IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg