Sheet Pan Lamb Meatballs with Golden Yogurt Tahini Sauce
Servings 4
Ingredients
For the sheet pan:
- 4 cups chopped cauliflower florets
- 4 (about 1 lb) carrots, chopped into ½-inch thick rounds (about 3 cups)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1½ tsp kosher salt, divided
- 1 lb ground lamb*
- ½ chop finely chopped walnuts
- 1 cup loosely packed mint, cilantro, and/or parsley, chopped
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- ½ cup dried apricots or pitted dates, halved
For the sauce + bowls:
- ½ cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- 3 tbsp tahini
- 1-2 tbsp lemon juice**
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 3-5 tbsp water
- Chopped cilantro, parsley, and/or mint
- Chopped toasted pistachios, almonds, or walnuts
- Lemon wedges
- * Easily sub with ground beef or bison
- ** Some yogurts are tangier than others, so use your judgment and start with 1 tablespoon.
- Bulk it up! ~ by serving it over a bed of rice or quinoa.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Chop 4 cups cauliflower florets
- Chop 4 (about 1 lb) carrots into ½-inch thick rounds (about 3 cups)
- Finely chop ½ cup walnuts
- Chop 1 cup loosely packed mint, cilantro, and/or parsley
- Halved ½ cup dried apricots or pitted dates
- Make lamb meatball mixture + form meatballs
- Make the sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F convection. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add cauliflower, carrots, olive oil, and ½ teaspoon salt to the baking sheet and toss to coat thoroughly. Spread into an even layer and bake for 20 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, add the lamb, nuts, herbs, spices, garlic, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Use your hands to thoroughly mix everything together, making sure all ingredients are evenly distributed and mixed in. Form into about 16 balls.
- Scatter the apricots or dates all over the sheet pan and nestle the meatballs into the veggies. Bake for 10-15 more minutes or until meatballs are cooked through and browned on top.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, tahini, lemon, cumin, salt, turmeric, and cinnamon until smooth. Whisk in the water, starting with 3 tablespoons. If it’s too thick, add a bit more water and mix again (you want it drizzle-able!). Be sure to taste and add more lemon if needed.
- Serve the lamb/veg topped with plenty of sauce, lots of herbs, nuts, and a generous squeeze of lemon.
Notes
Substitutions:
- To make vegetarian, make these Sundried Tomato Lentil Burgers, but form into small patties. You could also use cubed tofu or a couple of cans of beans in place of lamb (if using tofu, bake on a separate sheet pan for about 20-30 minutes. If using beans, add them at the same time as the meatballs would be added). For tofu or beans, toss them in 2 tablespoons of oil, 1 tsp kosher salt, and the same spices. Add in the raw garlic after they are done roasting and toss to coat.
- To make vegan, see above + use a vegan yogurt alternative. You could also just make this Lemon Tahini Dressing and add the spices to it.
- Use any combination of veggies to equal about 7 cups - I like to use one starchy one and one non-starchy one. Be aware of the cook time (for example, asparagus only needs 5 minutes to roast).
- To make nut-free, substitute the walnuts with ground up pumpkin seeds (add to your blender and blend into a coarse meal).
Storage:
-
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge:
- Meatballs: up to 4 days
- Sauce: up to 6 days
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Warm up leftover meatballs/veg in the microwave until warmed through. Top with all the toppings and squeeze a very generous amount of lemon juice all over.
- Turn it into a taco!
- Turn it into a salad or bowl - toss the warm veg with greens or grains + thin out the sauce with a bit of water to make it more of a dressing. Top with meatballs and toppings.