Beef

Harissa Spiced Meatballs with Cilantro Yogurt

April  9, 2014
4.8
4 Ratings
  • Makes 20-25 meatballs
Author Notes

I think meatballs might be at the top of my favorite food list. Now that I've got a fridge full of them I'll be one happy lady the rest of the week. This recipe could easily be served as hors d'oeuvres, as a meal if you're feeling carb conscious, or as a cold snack at a picnic or BBQ. —Brussels Sprouts for Breakfast

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Ingredients
  • for the meatballs:
  • 1/2 pound ground beef
  • 1/2 pound ground pork (or sub 1 lb. ground lamb to replace pork and beef)
  • 1/2 yellow onion (finely diced)
  • 3 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 2 eggs (lightly beaten)
  • 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons harissa spice blend
  • 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes (minced) or 2 tbsp dried fire roasted tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • for the cilantro yogurt sauce:
  • 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro (rough chop)
  • 1/4 lemon (juice)
  • 1 teaspoon harissa spice blend
  • pinch of salt
Directions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil.
  2. In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients. Get your hands in there and mix until everything is one cohesive mass. If the mixture seems really wet, add some extra bread crumbs. If it seems too dry, drizzle in some extra olive oil.
  3. Form golf ball size meatballs. Roll the meatball around in your hand until it feels like it will hold together. Drop the meatballs onto the foil lined sheet. Continue until all meatballs are formed. Pop into the oven for 15 minutes.
  4. As the meatballs cook, make the yogurt sauce. Mix together yogurt, chopped cilantro, lemon juice, spices and salt
  5. Serve the cooked meatballs either hot or cold with the dipping sauce.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

1 Review

mariviblanco July 24, 2015
Please check your salt proportion. I followed the recipe exactly as written and the 1.5 Tablespoons of salt made the meatballs inedible. Perhaps you meant 1.5 teaspoons?