Saucy Spiced Meatballs
Bold Middle Eastern spiced meatballs in a tomato-chickpea sauce. Tips on cooking, substitutions, storage, and baking included.
This recipe is courtesy of Eden Grinshpan, from her cookbook "Eating Out Loud: Bold Middle Eastern Flavors for All Day, Every Day."
Yield: 6 - 8 Servings
- Soak bread in milk, mix gently with beef and spices, then shape into 1/2-cup meatballs for tender texture.
- Sear meatballs in olive oil for color, then simmer them in a spiced tomato and chickpea sauce for 35 to 40 minutes.
- Finish with cilantro and lemon; serve with basmati rice, pita, or crusty bread. Makes great leftovers and freezes well.
Preparation Instructions:
- Make the meatballs: In a medium bowl, soak the bread in the milk for 2 minutes. Squeeze the bread between your hands until you’ve removed as much moisture as possible. Discard the milk.
- In a large bowl, combine the soaked bread, beef, onion, parsley, garlic, egg, sweet paprika, smoked paprika, curry powder, salt, black pepper, and cumin. Mix gently with your hands until combined (the pita will break up and blend as you go). Measure out the mixture in ½-cup portions and roll into balls. Sprinkle with salt.
- In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of the pot) over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sear the meatballs all over until golden, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
- Make the sauce: Add the oil to the same pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions and bell peppers and season with salt and black pepper. Cook until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, Aleppo pepper, sweet paprika, smoked paprika, curry powder, and cumin. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook until the vegetables are soft and the spices are fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir in 2 cups water, the tomatoes, chickpeas, cilantro, lemon, tomato paste, sugar, and cinnamon. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until the tomatoes have broken down and the sauce has thickened slightly. Check the seasoning, adding more salt if desired.
- Place the seared meatballs in the sauce. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the sauce has thickened and the flavors have intensified, 35 to 40 minutes
- To serve: Serve as is or with fluffy basmati rice.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use lamb, turkey, or chicken instead of ground beef?
Yes. Lamb adds richness and works well with the spices. For turkey or chicken, use ground dark meat or add a tablespoon of olive oil to keep them moist. Cook beef and lamb to 160°F and poultry to 165°F for safety.
How can I make this recipe gluten free?
Replace the pita or white bread with gluten-free bread or 1/2 cup gluten-free breadcrumbs. The rest of the recipe is naturally gluten free if you use gluten-free canned tomatoes and tomato paste.
Can I bake the meatballs instead of searing them on the stove?
Yes. Bake on a rimmed sheet at 400°F for about 18 to 25 minutes depending on size, until browned and cooked through. For best flavor, you can still sear quickly before baking or finish baked meatballs in the sauce to absorb flavor.
How do I stop the meatballs from falling apart?
Do not overmix the meat. Squeeze soaked bread to remove excess milk, mix gently until combined, and use the egg as binder. Chill the shaped meatballs 15 to 30 minutes before cooking and sear them on medium-high heat to set the exterior.
What is Aleppo pepper and what can I use instead?
Aleppo pepper is mildly spicy with fruity, slightly tangy notes. If you do not have it, substitute crushed red pepper flakes for more heat or sweet paprika plus a pinch of cayenne for milder heat.
How long do leftovers keep and can I freeze them?
Store cooled leftovers in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze portions in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently in the sauce or in a 350°F oven until warmed through.
Can I make this ahead for a party?
Yes. You can prepare the meatballs and sauce a day or two ahead. Keep them refrigerated separately or combine and reheat slowly so flavors meld. For easy transport, freeze fully cooked meatballs in sauce and thaw before reheating for the event.
What should I serve with these meatballs?
Serve over fluffy basmati rice, with warm pita, or on crusty bread to soak up the sauce. Plain yogurt or a simple cucumber salad are great cooling sides.
Can I use lamb, turkey, or chicken instead of ground beef?
Yes. Lamb adds richness and works well with the spices. For turkey or chicken, use ground dark meat or add a tablespoon of olive oil to keep them moist. Cook beef and lamb to 160°F and poultry to 165°F for safety.
How can I make this recipe gluten free?
Replace the pita or white bread with gluten-free bread or 1/2 cup gluten-free breadcrumbs. The rest of the recipe is naturally gluten free if you use gluten-free canned tomatoes and tomato paste.
Can I bake the meatballs instead of searing them on the stove?
Yes. Bake on a rimmed sheet at 400°F for about 18 to 25 minutes depending on size, until browned and cooked through. For best flavor, you can still sear quickly before baking or finish baked meatballs in the sauce to absorb flavor.
How do I stop the meatballs from falling apart?
Do not overmix the meat. Squeeze soaked bread to remove excess milk, mix gently until combined, and use the egg as binder. Chill the shaped meatballs 15 to 30 minutes before cooking and sear them on medium-high heat to set the exterior.
What is Aleppo pepper and what can I use instead?
Aleppo pepper is mildly spicy with fruity, slightly tangy notes. If you do not have it, substitute crushed red pepper flakes for more heat or sweet paprika plus a pinch of cayenne for milder heat.
How long do leftovers keep and can I freeze them?
Store cooled leftovers in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze portions in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently in the sauce or in a 350°F oven until warmed through.
Can I make this ahead for a party?
Yes. You can prepare the meatballs and sauce a day or two ahead. Keep them refrigerated separately or combine and reheat slowly so flavors meld. For easy transport, freeze fully cooked meatballs in sauce and thaw before reheating for the event.
What should I serve with these meatballs?
Serve over fluffy basmati rice, with warm pita, or on crusty bread to soak up the sauce. Plain yogurt or a simple cucumber salad are great cooling sides.
Just confirming that this is a great recipe! Savory and filling, served with egg noodles. Lots of leftovers, and I hope they freeze well. I skipped the parsley and cilantro, and did naan instead of pita (and that substitution seemed to work deliciously), but otherwise followed the recipe, with mostly Spice House spices bien sûr. I was a bit unsure about the thinly-sliced lemon (I did it with the peel on), but it all mushed in nicely.
These are sooo good. I used a pork/beef/veal blend and it was perfect. While prepping, I did think there were a lot of onions and peppers (which I love!), but it was definitely too much. For the meatballs I used like 1/2 cup fresh parsley, and for the sauce I used 1.5 small onions, 1.5 red bell peppers, half the amount of cilantro, and only one can of chickpeas.