Lamb Meatballs with Tzatziki Recipe

These lamb meatballs are kicked up with cumin and mint, two popular Greek flavorings. They are served with the traditional Greek sauce known as tzatziki, which is easily made at home with cucumbers, yogurt, lemon, mint, and dill. Serve these meatballs as a crowd-pleasing appetizer at your next party for an interesting change of pace. Make the tzatziki sauce a day in advance for best flavor. It will keep up to 2 days in the refrigerator.

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 24 meatballs

Ingredients:

• Lamb Meatballs:
• 1 pound ground lamb
• 3 Tablespoons red onion, finely chopped
• 1 small garlic clove, minced or crushed in a garlic press
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 2 Tablespoons bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 Tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1 cup fresh mint, loosely packed and finely chopped
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 Tablespoons canola oil
• 1 fresh lemon for squeezing and garnish, cut into quarters
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
• .
• Tzatziki:
• 1 large cucumber
• 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 Tablespoon fresh mint, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh dill, finely chopped
• 2 cups Greek yogurt (see Notes)

Preparation:

Lamb Meatballs:
In the bowl with the lamb, add red onion, garlic, egg, bread crumbs, cumin, mayonnaise, fresh mint, and salt. Using your hands, mix thoroughly to distribute the ingredients evenly. With a teaspoon, form the mixture into 24 meatballs. Don't level the meat off or pack the meatballs too tightly.

Preheat the broiler.

Lightly spread canola oil on a baking sheet using a paper towel. Place the meatballs 2 inches apart on the baking sheet, and position the baking sheet 4 inches from the heat source. Broil for about 5 minutes, turning once halfway through.

Arrange the meatballs on a serving platter, and squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top. Sprinkle the cayenne pepper over the meatballs at the last minute. Serve at once with mint tzatziki.

Yield: 24 meatballs