Lamb meatballs in harissa with salted cucumbers

Portion size: Serves 4
Hands-on time 35 min
Difficulty: easy

Freezable

Gluten-free

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Middle-Eastern-spiced lamb pairs with salted cucumber, mint and chilli sauce in this flavour-packed lamb meatball recipe.

Wondering what to do with the remaining harissa? We’ve got some nifty ways to use up leftover harissa, here.

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Ingredients

For the salted cucumber

1 cucumber, sliced
1 tbsp sea salt flakes

For the meatballs

500g British lamb mince
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp ground coriander
3 garlic cloves, crushed
½ tsp sweet smoked paprika
Grated zest 1 lemon
Splash vegetable oil for frying

For the chilli sauce

2 tbsp harissa (we like Belazu)
Juice 1 lemon
Glug argan oil or extra-virgin olive oil
Yogurt and fresh mint to serve

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Method

Put the cucumber in a sieve set over a deep bowl, scatter the sea salt over it, toss, then leave for 30 minutes. Toss occasionally.
Meanwhile, make the meatballs. Put all the ingredients except the oil in a mixing bowl, season well with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Shape into 20-24 meatballs the size of walnuts and set aside.
For the chilli sauce, stir the harissa, lemon juice and oil together in a small bowl (see tip). Taste and season – it should be on the sharp side.
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Heat a large frying pan with a splash of vegetable oil. When hot, fry the meatballs over a medium heat, turning occasionally, for 8-10 minutes until cooked through. Put most of the chilli sauce into a wide bowl, add the meatballs and toss to coat. Leave them for 2-3 minutes to soak in the sauce and cool down a little.
Meanwhile, rinse the cucumber and pat dry with kitchen paper. Spread a thick layer of yogurt onto a serving platter, scatter over the cucumber and mint, then add the meatballs. Spoon over more of the chilli sauce (serve the rest alongside in a bowl)

Nutrition

329kcals Calories
23.5g (8.6g saturated) Fat
25.8g Protein
2.7g (2g sugars) Carbs
1.5g Fibre
2.1g Salt

Quick wins & tips

Harissa brands vary in heat, so add half the quantity and taste, then add as needed.

Make Ahead

Make the meatballs up to 48 hours in advance, without frying, then chill, covered. Or freeze on trays, then bag up for up to 1 month. Defrost before continuing with the recipe.

Cook smarter

Argan oil is made from the toasted nuts of the Moroccan argan tree. It has a unique taste, but it’s pricey: available from ottolenghi.co.uk and other online suppliers – or use quality olive oil.