These spiced meatballs are loaded with flavour and taste delicious stuffed into pita pockets or dipped into a minty yogurt sauce.
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Reasons to Love these Spiced Meatballs
- Family Friendly: These meatballs are perfect for all ages and are great for introducing flavour when doing baby-led weaning (Adding spices and herbs to baby food can help cultivate an adventurous eater.)
- Freezer Friendly: Double the batch and freeze for another night.
- Lovely hot or cold: Eat them warm stuffed into pitas or enjoy them cold in salads.
Ingredient Information (with Substitute Suggestions)
- Lamb Mince: Lamb works best but you can sub with beef or chicken.
- Milk & Bread: These two ingredients are mixed together to help bind and keep the balls tender. If you have a dairy intolerance you can use dairy-free milk.
- Egg: The egg helps to bind the meatballs together. If you or your kids have an egg intolerance then you can miss it out as the breadcrumb/milk mixture also helps bind. I’ve tested without egg and the meatballs still taste great, hold together and have a good texture.
- Spices & Herbs: Added for flavour, you should be able to pick them all up from your local supermarket.
- Spinach: Added for extra nutrition, can be skipped.
Process Shots and Cooking Tips
- SOAK: Add the milk to the breadcrumbs and allow to sit. This helps make the meatballs nice and tender.
- MIX: Place all the ingredients (except oil) into a bowl and mix with your hands or a wooden spoon.
- ROLL: Measure out 1 heaped tablespoon of the mixture and roll into a ball, repeat until the mixture is used up (should make around 21 meatballs). Place the balls onto a rack set over a tray. This helps keeps the balls round and allows the meatballs to brown on the underside too.
- COOK: Spray with oil then bake for 20 mins, the internal temperature should be at least 71C/160F.
Video
Serving Suggestions
These spiced meatballs pair well with fresh and zesty flavours. I strongly suggest you make mint yogurt sauce to serve with it. Try serving...
- Stuffed into pita bread with salad and mint yogurt sauce.
- Skewered onto sticks (kids love food on a stick!)and served with cut veggies and mint yogurt sauce.
- Cold meatballs with salad and mint yogurt sauce as a dressing
- Mixed through orange rice
Storage and Re-heating Instructions
Refrigerate - Store in an airtight container for up to two days.
Freeze: Allow meatballs to cook and freeze on a tray until hard. Transfer to a freezer friendly zip lock bag / container for up to 2 months. Thaw meatballs, overnight, in the refrigerator.
Reheat: Reheat the meatballs in the oven at 175°C /350°F. Place the meatballs in a single layer on a baking sheet or in a baking dish, then cover them with foil to prevent drying. Heat until they reach an internal temp of 71C/160F.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, these are a delicious finger food for babies and introduces them to a lot of flavours. Skip the salt but keep the spices. These meatballs do contain common allergens (dairy, gluten and egg), these allergens should be introduced separately before serving the balls.
I always freeze them cooked but you can freeze them raw or cooked. Place them on a baking sheet and pop in the freezer. Once the meatballs are frozen transfer them to freezer-safe bags or containers.
Yes, if you prefer to cook on the stovetop then you can. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add half the meatballs and cook for around 8 minutes, or until cooked through. Keep turning the balls to make sure they are browned all over. Transfer to a plate, then cook the remaining meatballs.
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Spiced Meatballs
Ingredients
- 30g (½ cup) - fresh breadcrumbs
- 1 ½ tablespoons milk
- 500g (1lb) minced lamb (ground lamb)
- 1 egg
- 1 garlic clove ,minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger ,minced
- 2 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 cup (35g) spinach leaves ,finely chopped after measuring
- 2 tablespoons coriander (cilantro), leaves and stems ,finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt *
- ½ tablespoon oil ,for cooking
Instructions
- Pre heat oven to 200c / 390f
- Soak the breadcrumbs in milk and set aside
- Place all ingredients (apart from the oil), in a large mixing bowl. Mix with your hand or wooden spoon until fully mixed together.
- Measure out 1 heaped tablespoon of the mixture and roll into a ball, repeat until the mixture in used up. (should make around 21 meatballs) Place the balls onto a rack set over a tray. This helps keeps the balls round and allows the meatballs to brown on the underside too. Spray with oil then bake for 20 mins
- Place the balls onto a rack set over a tray. This helps keeps the balls round and allows the meatballs to brown on the underside too. Spray (or brush) with oil and bake for 20 mins.
- Serve with a mint yogurt dip
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutritional facts
This recipe was originally published in Feb 2014, the post has been updated to include extra information, process shots and a video. The recipe has also been tweaked slightly, if you would like the original recipe please email me and I can send a copy.
Fifa says
Tweak a little bit. I’m using minced beef & substitute breadcrumbs to rolled oats. Instead making a ball, I’m using ice cream stick to skewer the meat before grilling it. Try this & my 11 months baby enjoying it. Definitely gonna repeat this recipe!
Nat C says
Hi! can I used panko breadcrumbs for these? Thanks!!!
Amy says
Hi Nat, yes you can 🙂