Crispy Lamb Meatballs With Chickpeas and Eggplant

Name: Crispy Lamb Meatballs With Chickpeas and Eggplant
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds ground lamb, pork or beef; 1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds; 2 garlic cloves, finely grated; 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more as needed; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; 8 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed; 1 medium eggplant, sliced about 1/4-inch thick; 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed; 1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt, labneh or sour cream; 3 cups mixed greens (the more peppery, the better); 1 cup cilantro, leaves and tender stems; 1 lemon, halved

By Alison Roman

Total Time: 40 minutes
Rating: 4(1,049)
Comments: Read comments

This dish does not shy away from fat in the best way possible. From the lamb to the olive oil to the yogurt used as a sauce at the end, this is a one-skillet meal that feels worthy of a weekend spread. Since these meatballs aren’t made with binders like eggs or bread, they’re truly best made with a fatty meat like lamb. If you decide to use pork or beef instead, make sure it’s a mixture with a higher fat content or the meatballs could turn out dry. Since eggplant can really soak up oil when pan-frying, feel free to add more to the skillet as the slices cook.

Featured in: Meatballs Like You Haven’t Seen Them

or to save this recipe.
Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone
As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
Subscribe
Share this recipe
Print this recipe
Include recipe photo

Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

1½pounds ground lamb, pork or beef
1½teaspoons fennel seeds
2garlic cloves, finely grated
1teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more as needed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed
1medium eggplant, sliced about ¼-inch thick
2(15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1cup full-fat Greek yogurt, labneh or sour cream
3cups mixed greens (the more peppery, the better)
1cup cilantro, leaves and tender stems
1lemon, halved

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Combine lamb, fennel seeds, garlic and 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes in a medium bowl. Season with 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, and black pepper to taste, and mix until everything is well combined and the spices are evenly distributed.
Step 2
Using your hands, roll lamb mixture into balls about 1½ to 2 inches in diameter, placing them on a parchment-lined baking sheet or plate. You should have about 12 meatballs.
Step 3
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add meatballs — work in batches if your skillet can’t comfortably fit them all without crowding — and cook, gently rotating them occasionally so they more or less brown on all sides while keeping a vaguely round shape, 8 to 10 minutes. (Do not stress about this part; they will be delicious no matter what shape they are.) After they are evenly browned and cooked through, transfer them to a plate, leaving the fat and any browned bits behind.
Step 4
Add 4 tablespoons oil to the skillet and, working in batches, if needed, add eggplant slices in an even layer, seasoning with salt and pepper. Cook the slices, flipping them once, until they are browned on both sides, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add more oil as needed. After eggplant slices are cooked and browned, transfer them to the plate with the meatballs.
Step 5
Add remaining 3 tablespoons oil to the skillet, along with chickpeas. Season with salt and pepper, and cook, shaking the skillet and stirring occasionally, until chickpeas are nicely browned, 3 to 5 minutes. (They won’t exactly crisp; you’re just looking to take the edge off and get them nicely seasoned.)
Step 6
Season yogurt with salt and pepper and smear onto the bottom of a large plate or serving platter. Top with meatballs, eggplant and chickpeas. Scatter with greens and cilantro, and then squeeze lemon halves over everything before serving.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

4 out of 5

1,049 user ratings

Have you cooked this?

Comments

Worth the Effort5 years ago

Here are my tweaks/additions/tips 1) you are going to need more olive oil than the recipe recommends 2) once you have finished cooking the meatballs and eggplant, pop them in the oven at 200 degrees to keep it warm 3) season the chickpeas with a 1/2 tsp of paprika, red chili flakes, salt, pepper, and coriander 4) i added cous cous to the dish to make it more hearty 5) Used arugula, parseley, and mint as the green mixture 6) if you are feeling fancy, sprinkle some pomegranate seeds on top

CFXK5 years ago

From the accompanying article: "I will forever favor crispy over saucy, because saucy is the enemy of crispy, and crispy is the best and most pleasant thing about food. For example, I can’t stand when people squeeze lemon over my fried calamari or schnitzel..." From the recipe: "...squeeze lemon halves over everything before serving."

Bob Morgen5 years ago

So here's how to reduce the oil: microwave the sliced eggplant for 5-10 minutes, turning once and opening the door every minute to let the steam out. When the eggplant is shrunken, let it sit a minute, pat dry if needed, then fry. It will brown very quickly; 1 minute per side. Only a little oil is required. I find this works much better than salting and draining. The downside is that the eggplant will lose some of its shape, but who cares if it is under the greens....

Howard Waz2 months ago

I baked the lamb balls and also the eggplant slices,brushed with EVOO. I also made flax seed covered cauliflower florets,steaming first,and then separating coated with avocado oil,ground black pepper,smoked paprika,and sprinkled ground flax seeds on them,baked in oven for 25 minutes at 375. I made a date tahini dressing,instead of yogurt. It was delicious.

Lisa Lee9 months ago

Solid recipe. I loved plating it with the yogurt and herbs.

Katelyn10 months ago

Did everything in the oven at 425 for 20 minutes, avoided all of the olive oil

Private comments are only visible to you.