Lamb Meatball Sandwiches With Fennel Slaw & Feta
Posie (Harwood) Brien
Photo by Ty Mecham. Prop Stylist: Veronica Olson. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne.
- Serves
- 4 sandwiches
- Prep Time
- 15 Minutes
- Cook Time
- 15 Minutes
The combination of lamb and feta is a common one for good reason: The saltiness of the cheese and the earthiness of the meat are natural partners. A great sandwich needs freshness and crunch, so these get topped with a quick fennel slaw and a pile of deliciously crispy shallots (make extra and use them on salads!). To hold everything together, I used the classic, soft Potato Buns from Arnold®, Brownberry®, and Oroweat®.
A great tip to liven up the slaw is to add in the fennel fronds, which gives a little color and an herb-like taste. If you don’t want to use all the meatballs, they’ll freeze beautifully for later—or make a double batch to keep some on hand for dinners or lunches.
Ingredients
For the lamb meatballs:
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 lemon, zested (reserve the juice for the slaw)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoon vegetable oil
For the slaw and the sandwiches:
- 2 medium fennel bulbs
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider or white wine vinegar
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 large shallots, thinly sliced
- 4 Arnold®, Brownberry®, or Oroweat® Potato Hot Dog Buns
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Featured Video
This recipe is shared in partnership with Arnold®, Brownberry®, and Oroweat®.
Directions
Instructions
- Step 1
Make the meatballs: Combine all of the meatball ingredients—except the oil—in a large bowl and mix gently with your hands until just combined. Roll the mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs.
- Step 2
In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high until it shimmers. Add the meatballs and cook, turning a few times, until browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and let cool.
- Step 3
While the meatballs cool, make the slaw: Cut the fronds off the fennel bulbs and set aside. Thinly slice the fennel bulbs (or shave on a mandoline), then toss with the reserved fronds, olive oil, vinegar, and a pinch of salt and pepper (to taste).
- Step 4
Make the crispy shallots: Have a paper towel-lined plate ready. Put the vegetable oil with the shallots in a small saucepan. Turn the heat to medium and cook, stirring now and again, until they begin to turn a deep amber-brown (this should take 10 to 15 minutes). Transfer the shallots to the prepared plate, dab gently to remove some of the excess oil, and sprinkle with salt.
- Step 5
Assemble the sandwiches: Toast the Potato Hot Dog Buns under the broiler in the oven until crisped and golden. Then pile a few meatballs into each bun and evenly divide the fennel slaw, crumbled feta, and crispy shallots over each. Serve warm and enjoy.