Braised Spicy Lamb Meatballs (Or Goat)

Spicy lamb meatballs are easy to make and so delicious I can eat the whole batch-especially if they’re cooked in a spicy tomato sauce. This is my favorite spicy lamb meatball recipe. If you love spicy food like I do, make sure to try this one.

Ingredients

You’ll need ground lamb or goat, breadcrumbs, egg, herbs like cilantro, green onions, and a few spices. The heat can come from a few different places-feel free to experiment. I like a combination of cayenne and crushed red pepper flakes for a bold flavor.

After the meatballs are formed, the best way to cook them is to braise them in a tomato sauce until tender. While you can bake the meatballs like you would beef or pork, lamb meatballs are more lean and benefit from slow cooking until tender.

Step-by-Step

First you combine the ground meat, scallions, herbs and spices in a large bowl.

I like spiced lamb meatballs with cumin, coriander (fennel can be good too) and grated garlic. The meat mixture is mixed by hand, and it’s a good idea to use gloves as it’s spicy.

Once the meat is mixed I let it rest overnight for the best flavor but you can cook it right away.

It’s important to cook a small piece to test the seasoning and adjust as needed until it tastes perfect to you. Once you’re happy with it, roll the meatballs out with lightly oiled hands, brown in a pan, add a can of tomatoes and simmer until spoon-tender.

You can also fry the meatballs in a pan, just make sure to undercook them a little. They’re pictured below with yogurt sauce and a salad from my yard using: caraway leaves, creeping bellflowers, bee balm flowers, purslane and lambsquarters.