I never would have thought lamb to be particularly kid friendly because the flavor is rich and gamey, but it happens to be my son’s favorite protein. Not sure how that happened, it’s not something I prepare on a regular basis. I’ll splurge with an occasional leg, but more likely I’ll grill kebabs in the summer. But if there’s anyway to introduce lamb to a kid the meatball is the way to go. It’s hard to resist little round food – add a sauce for dipping and you’re golden.
| Lamb Meatballs with Yogurt Dipping Sauce | Print |
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons bread crumbs (if you don't have these on hand, they're not crucial - just omit)
Yogurt Dipping Sauce Ingredients
- ½ cup yogurt
- lemon juice
- cumin
- salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl combine all the ingredients. Shape into rounded tablespoon sized balls with wet hands for less sticking and place on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. The parchment is not essential but makes for slightly easier clean-up as the lamb releases a good deal of it's fat onto the pan. Bake for 20 minutes.
- Makes 15-19 meatballs
Yogurt Dipping Sauce Recipe
- This is barely a recipe. Spoon the yogurt into a bowl and add a squeeze of lemon, ¼ teaspoon cumin and a dash of salt. Mix and taste. Adjust seasoning as you wish - I like it pretty lemony.
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How we did it: The meatballs were served straight up with a side of penne tossed with olive oil and a green salad.
How you could also do it: Make meatball sandwiches with pita bread or sliced bread – garnish with sliced cukes, grated cabbage or carrot & drizzle with the yogurt sauce. OR, ditch the yogurt sauce and serve the meatballs on your choice of bread with a tomato sauce and perhaps some grated cheese. Pasta sauce from a jar would work well here and be super quick.
EAT WELL AND BE WELL