Loving meatballs has never been this rewarding. They’re gilded with lots of strong spices and set in a cooling swoosh of yogurt and anointed with the sweet brightness of a mint pesto. Sound fancy? Not really. We use ground lamb, which is naturally fatty and can be baked without sacrificing juiciness or a charred crust.
Recipe information
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
1
½
½
¼
¼
¼
2
1½
2
1
2
3
Preparation
Step 1
Place a rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 425°. Combine egg, panko, cumin, red pepper flakes, turmeric, finely chopped parsley, 2 Tbsp. oil, and 1½ tsp. salt in a large bowl. Finely grate 1 garlic clove into bowl. Add lamb and mix with your hands until evenly distributed.
Step 2
Gently roll lamb mixture into 1½"-diameter balls (about the size of a golf ball; you should have about 20). Place on a rimmed baking sheet, spacing evenly apart. Bake meatballs until browned and cooked through, 8–10 minutes.
Step 3
Meanwhile, purée mint, raisins, parsley leaves with tender stems, remaining garlic clove, remaining ½ cup oil, and a big pinch of salt in a blender until smooth. Taste pesto; season with more salt if needed.
Step 4
Spread yogurt over plates and divide pesto and meatballs on top.
Step 5
Do Ahead: Pesto can be made 2 days ahead; cover and chill. Meatballs can be formed 2 months ahead; freeze on baking sheet until firm, about 2 hours, then transfer to a freezer bag and keep frozen.
Read More: The 29 New Essential Recipes from the Bon Appétit Test Kitchen
How would you rate Lamb Meatballs with Raisin Pesto?
Leave a Review
Reviews (42)
Back to TopI doubled spices, added toasted pine nuts and chopped onion. Used left over meatballs on pizza dough w a red tomato sauce and mozzarella- delicious.
Melissa G
Brooklyn ny
5/29/2024
Replying to Dustin's comment: you may need to move your oven rack to the upper third of the oven — this placement may help with the browning. This is a perfect recipe!
Claire
New York
4/26/2024
Very good. I used a cast iron skillet and let it warm in the oven before putting the meatballs on. Then I move them on the pan every few minutes to get the meatballs brown. It adds a few minutes to the cook time, but looks and tastes better.
Lauren E
Brooklyn
2/7/2024
Really loved this recipe, it was a hit with the family. I made it with a side of fried gluten free tortillas and I would recommend wrapping this one up. The texture is great and it really makes every bite perfect. Someone mentioned that the lamb they made wasn't browned like the pictures... the bottoms of mine were when I baked it on parchment. Maybe next time I'll flip them half way through for browning on both sides. I'll be making this again... and again.
Sarah
Texas
8/2/2023
Really outstanding. Wife and I loved it. 2 cups of mint leaves seems like a lot. I used 1 cup (that's all I had in the garden) and found it was still delicious and refreshing, but I also wouldn't have minded more. On the other hand, I think this recipe calls for enough pesto to serve with 2 lbs of meatballs, though we will enjoy the leftover pesto with another dish. One problem I had, and it's one I have pretty much every time with baked meatballs, is I could not get anywhere near the beautiful dark brown color seen in the picture, nor the texture it implies, in spite of cooking beyond the 10 minutes specified in order to get the meatballs up to safe temperature (160 F was my target). Would be interested in the secret knowledge required to achieve that.
Dustin
Texas
5/5/2023
Super easy to make, and very delicious! The sweetness of the raisin pesto went well with the spiciness of the meatballs. And it was a beautiful presentation! I will be making this again!
Heidi G
Wisconsin
8/15/2022
I LOVE this dish and want to make for friends next week, but one guest can’t eat lamb or red meat in general. What would be the best substitution?
Jennifer
Annapolis
3/21/2022