lamb meatball farro bowls
with a tangy yogurt sauce
there’s something about a meatball that is just so satisfying. I always forget how much I love meatballs until I have them and wonder why I don’t eat these every day. some of my favorites come from the fast-casual restaurant, CAVA, with their spicy lamb meatballs. these prompted the concept for this recipe!
this recipe is 3 parts: the meatballs, the farro, and the yogurt sauce. if you plan ahead, you could totally make this at the beginning of the week, keep each part separate, and then heat it up for simple and healthy lunches throughout the week!
if you aren’t familiar with farro, let me introduce you. its an Italian grain that looks kind of like brown rice, but has a chewier texture. it’s high in fiber and definitely a great alternative to rice or another grain!
the full recipe:
makes 20-24 meatballs, around 4-5 servings
Ingredients
meatballs:
1 lb ground lamb
1 large egg
1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped parsley (plus 1 tbsp for garnish)
1/4 small white onion, grated or finely minced
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
farro + yogurt sauce:
1 cup farro
1 cup Labneh or full fat greek yogurt
1 clove garlic, grated
1/2 tsp aleppo pepper or smoked paprika (more to your liking)
more parsley for garnish
Tools
oven thermometer (most ovens are inaccurate! use this to make sure the temp. is correct)
large oven-safe pan
Steps
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
In a large bowl, combine 1 lb ground lamb, 1 egg, ¼ cup plain breadcrumbs, ¼ cup minced parsley, ¼ cup grated onion, 2 cloves grated garlic, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Mix the ingredients together until well combined.
Form the meat mixture into approximately 24 small meatballs, about 1 inch in diameter.
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large, oven-safe skillet over medium heat.
Add the meatballs to the skillet, cooking them for about 3-4 minutes per side, until they're browned on the outside but not fully cooked through. You may need to work in batches to avoid overcrowding the skillet.
Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake the meatballs for 10-12 minutes or until they're fully cooked.
While the meatballs are baking, prepare the farro and labneh. In a small pot, add 1 cup of farro to boiling water. Cook according to package instructions, drain, and sprinkle with salt.
In a small bowl, mix 1 cup labneh or Greek yogurt with 1 grated garlic clove and ½ teaspoon aleppo pepper and a pinch of salt.
To serve, spread the labneh on the side of a serving plate or shallow bowl. Add 1/4 of the cooked farro to each bowl, then top with about 5 or 6 meatballs. Sprinkle aleppo pepper over the top as a garnish. Optionally garnish with chopped fresh mint, chopped fresh parsley, and lemon wedges.
to prevent the meat sticking to your hands while rolling, rub your palms with olive oil before.
if you do not have an oven-safe pan, transfer the meatballs to a sheet pan after browning.
Ground lamb: While this recipe is based around the lamb, this can of course work with ground beef or ground chicken as well.
Labneh: If you can’t find labneh, feel free to use a good quality greek yogurt. I would advise opting for full-fat greek yogurt.
Aleppo pepper: In place of aleppo pepper, you can use smoked paprika or even red pepper flakes. Aleppo pepper is not very spicy though.
Farro: In place of farro, you could use quinoa, rice, barley, or another grain of your choice.
I hope you enjoy this recipe! If you try it, please comment below or tag me on social media!