Weeknight Cooking

Lamb Meatball Sandwiches With Fennel Slaw & Feta

by:
July 23, 2021
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Lamb Meatball Sandwiches With Fennel Slaw & Feta
Photo by Ty Mecham. Prop Stylist: Veronica Olson. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne.
  • Prep time 15 minutes
  • Cook time 15 minutes
  • Serves 4 sandwiches
Author Notes

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. —Posie (Harwood) Brien

Test Kitchen Notes

This recipe is shared in partnership with Arnold®, Brownberry®, and Oroweat®. —The Editors

What You'll Need
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 tablespoons 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 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • For the slaw and the sandwiches:
  • 2 medium fennel bulbs
  • 3 tablespoons 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
Directions
  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.
  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.
  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).
  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.
  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.
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