Flavored with lots of fresh herbs including parsley and mint, and baked in a quick spicy tomato sauce, these lamb meatballs are a simple, hearty main dish that is perfect for any weeknight dinner.
Made with a couple of quick shortcuts, these Lamb Meatballs with Spicy Tomato Sauce are a simple and flavor packed main dish perfect for any busy night. They bring together tender, flavorful ground lamb with lots of fresh herbs and spices that balance out the gamey lamb flavor, for a perfect bite. This lamb meatball recipe is first broiled to give the meatballs a quick golden brown crust, then finished baked in a super simple spicy tomato sauce, keeping the meatballs tender and juicy.
If you haven’t ever had lamb, I like to think of it as a richer, more flavorful ground beef. Ground lamb is rich and earthy with a slightly grassy flavor. The flavorful ground lamb easily stands up to the flavors brought by lots of herbs and spices in this lamb meatball recipe.
I like to serve the meatballs topped with lots of crumbled feta and dipped in creamy tzatziki sauce for the perfect compliment to the rich and earthy lamb and spicy tomato sauce.
How Do I Make Lamb Meatballs with Spicy Tomato Sauce?
I have made several different variations of these Lamb Meatballs with Spicy Tomato Sauce many times, but for this recipe, I wanted this to be an easy weeknight dish. So I kept things simple by using just a few flavorful ingredients and swapping in as many store-bought ingredients as possible, without sacrificing flavor or quality. This includes doctoring up a store-bought marinara sauce.
To make this lamb meatball recipe, you will need:
- Fresh herbs and spices: The meatballs are flavored with a combination of fresh parsley and mint, lots of garlic, a little cumin, and some salt and pepper.
- Grated onion: One of my favorite tricks for keeping meatballs (or burgers) juicy, while adding lots of flavor, is adding grated onion. Just grate the onion to a pulp using a box grater or zester – I like to grate the onion right over the bowl to make sure I get all of the juices and liquid that drip out.
- Ground lamb: Ground lamb is rich and flavorful, and the perfect canvas for all of the flavors packed into this recipe.
- Marinara sauce: Use your favorite tomato or marinara sauce for a simple shortcut. I like to use a no sugar added tomato sauce that has only a short list of natural, organic ingredients. To this, we will add a little sauteed onion for an extra boost of flavor, and of course, the red pepper flakes for that spicy kick. Feel free to adjust the amount of red pepper flakes to your taste and heat tolerance.
How Do I Serve These Lamb Meatballs?
I love to serve this lamb meatball recipe topped with lots of crumbled feta cheese (lamb and feta are best friends) and some extra fresh chopped herbs like parsley or mint. They are also delicious with a scoop of tzatziki sauce. This cool creamy cucumber yogurt sauce is the perfect compliment to the spicy tomato sauce and warm meatballs. I usually dip every other bite for a little variety. But it is also delicious just to swirl the creamy tzatziki sauce in with the spicy tomato sauce. You can make your own tzatziki or if you are making this on a busy weeknight, store bought is just as good.
You can serve these Lamb Meatballs with Spicy Tomato Sauce spooned over pasta or rice, orzo would be absolutely delicious! For a boost of extra fiber, try tossing some white beans into the sauce just before baking. Or serve the meatballs with roasted potatoes or this simple lemon roasted broccoli for a truly simple and delicious dinner that is easy enough for even your busy weeknight.
What Can I Substitute for Ground Lamb in This Meatball Recipe?
Lamb is a nutrient dense protein and a good source of lots of essential nutrients, such as iron, zinc, vitamin B12, and selenium. These nutrients support immune function, blood health, and cognitive function. Grass fed lamb is also a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, giving it the nickname, land salmon. For some, the rich and grassy flavor of lamb might seem to overpower, but when mixed with lots of garlic, herbs, and spices, I find that the flavors balance out.
If you aren’t a fan of lamb, you can also try this Lamb Meatball Recipe with Spicy Tomato Sauce with a different ground meat, such as beef, turkey, or chicken.
Looking for More Simple Recipes for Busy Weeknight Dinners?
I love how these Lamb Meatballs with Spicy Tomato Sauce come together quickly for a simple and hearty dinner that even feels a little fancy – perfect for any weeknight when you are in the mood for something a little extra. If you are looking for more simple and flavor packed, healthy weeknight recipes, here are some of my favorites:
- Pork Tenderloin with Apples, Sweet Potatoes, and Maple Mustard Sauce
- Crispy Chicken Tacos with Chipotle, Corn, and Black Beans
- Green Chile Chicken and Rice Skillet Recipe
- Honey Garlic Asian Meatballs & Broccoli Skillet
- Maple Mustard Salmon, Brussels Sprouts, & Sweet Potato Sheet Pan Dinner
- Crockpot White Chicken Chili
Lamb Meatballs with Spicy Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
Lamb Meatballs
- 1 lb ground lamb
- 3 cloves garlic (grated on a zester or finely minced)
- 1/2 white onion (grated)
- 1 tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley (minced)
- 2 tsp fresh mint (minced)
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Spicy Tomato Sauce
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 - 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 white onion (diced)
- 24 oz marinara sauce
To Serve:
- crumbled feta cheese
- extra chopped herbs (parsely and/or mint)
- tzatziki sauce (store-bought or homemade)
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to top position, and preheat broiler to high.
- In a large bowl, add ground lamb, chopped parsley and mint, minced or grated garlic, 1 egg, panko breadcrumbs, cumin, salt, and pepper. Directly over the bowl, grate 1/2 of a white onion on a grater or zester - catching any liquid and pulp in the bowl. Dice and reserve the rest of the onion for the sauce.
- Gently mix meat mixture with hands or a wooden spoon to combine (don't over mix or meatballs will end up tough). Using a cookie scoop or spoon and hands, shape meatballs into balls a little larger than golf ball size (you should end up with about 16 meatballs), and place meatballs on a greased baking sheet.
- Broil meatballs about 7 minutes total until meatballs are golden brown - turning and rotating pan or flipping meatballs as needed to prevent burning.
- While meatballs cook, in a large ovenproof skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add in red pepper flakes and cook about 1 minute. Add in reserved diced onion and sauté and additional 2 - 3 minutes to soften. Stir in marinara sauce.
- When meatballs are golden brown, transfer meatballs to skillet with tomato sauce. Stir gently to coat.
- Turn oven to 400℉, and transfer skillet to middle oven rack. Bake uncovered about 10 minutes, until meatballs are cooked through to an internal temperature of at least 160℉.
- Serve with crumbled feta, extra chopped herbs, and tzatziki sauce.