Grilled Lamb Meatballs with Za'atar
and grilled vegetable salad
These Turkish-style meatballs on skewers are inspired by a recipe from our early archives but include a new mix of spices and a colorful salad on the side.
Smarts: Be sure to check out the video linked in the recipe for tips on assembling these unique skewers.
Ingredients
- Skewers, wooden or metal - 12
- Garlic - 2 cloves, chopped
- Mint - 1 Tbsp, chopped
- Cumin - 1 tsp
- Za'atar - 1 tsp
- Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
- Salt - 1/2 tsp
- Ground lamb - 1 lb (sub any ground meat)
- Mustard, Dijon - 2 tsp
- Vinegar, balsamic - 1 Tbsp
- Oil, olive - 3 Tbsp
- Zucchini - 12 oz
- Bell peppers, red - 1, quartered
- Mixed greens - 6 oz
- Walnuts, halves or pieces - 2 oz
Nutrition Facts
Prep
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Skewers - If using wooden skewers, soak in water for 15 minutes to prevent burning.
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Make vinaigrette - Whisk together mustard and vinegar. Add olive oil while whisking. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
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Zucchini / Bell peppers / Garlic - Slice zucchini into spears. Quarter bell peppers. Chop garlic. Store zucchini and bell peppers together. Store garlic separately. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
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Meatballs - Chop mint. Mix together mint, garlic, cumin, za’atar, chili powder, salt, and lamb. Roll into long meatballs. Skewer if desired. (Can be done 1 day ahead)
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Make
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If cooking on a grill: Heat grill to 400F / 204C degrees.
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If cooking in the oven: Heat oven to 425F / 232C degrees. Line a sheet pan with foil. Brush with some oil or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Place meatballs and vegetables on sheet pan.
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{grill}: When grill is hot, brush grates with some oil. Grill meatballs and vegetables on all sides over direct heat until meatballs are cooked through and vegetables are tender. This should take 6 to 8 minutes for meatballs and 4 to 6 minutes for vegetables (move vegetables to the sides of the grill if they start to blacken).
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{oven}: Bake meatballs and vegetables, turning halfway through cooking, until meatballs are cooked through and vegetables are tender, 12 to 16 minutes.
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Transfer zucchini and bell peppers to a cutting board. Let cool for a few minutes before chopping into bite-sized pieces.
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Toss chopped vegetables with mixed greens and walnuts. Add vinaigrette until salad is dressed to your liking.
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Serve meatballs with salad on the side. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Reviews
Ratings
31 reviews
4/4 gave this a thumbs up đź‘ŤMeatballs were super easy to put together & cooked quickly under the broiler. We used the leftovers the next night as wraps with meatballs + feta, cucumber & tomato. I made a quick raita from Greek yogurt to go with it. Tasty!
0 HelpfulThis was ok, but it had an aftertaste that wasn’t for me. I don’t think I would make it again.
0 HelpfulAlways love these flavors. Did orzo too instead of couscous since we had some. Just sautéed the Zuchinni and made up a sort of sub for the zatar.
0 HelpfulThese were great! Subbed ground beef because the store I shopped at didn’t carry lamb. Skipped the zucchini noodles and subbed a green salad. Also, used wooden skewers (my metal skewers are circular) and 15min soak was NOT enough and they burned right up! The couscous was a yummy combo.
0 Helpful