Turkish meatballs recipe

Serves 4 
15 mins to prepare and 20 mins to cook 
593 calories / serving 
Freezable

If you're looking for a satisfyingly hearty dish this winter, tuck into a bowl of meatballs in a lightly-spiced broth. Adding a swirl of houmous, pine nuts and a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds adds even more incredible flavour to an already flavour rich dish.

Ingredients

2 slices white bread
150ml milk
500g minced lamb
1 tsp ground allspice
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 garlic clove, crushed
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp very finely chopped shallots
1 tbsp very finely chopped red onion
1 tbsp plain flour
300ml chicken stock

To serve
200g houmous
2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
handful chopped fresh dill
handful chopped mint leaves
handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
½ tsp sumac (optional)
2 tbsp pomegranate seeds (optional)
couscous, cooked to pack instructions (optional)

Method

1. In a shallow bowl, soak the bread in the milk. Put the lamb, spices and garlic in a food processor, add the soaked bread and pulse a couple of times to combine. Roll the lamb mixture into 24 meatballs of equal size and set aside on a plate.

2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan and brown half the meatballs all over. Repeat with another 1 tbsp oil and the remaining meatballs.

3. Once browned, set the meatballs aside on a plate. Add the remaining 1 tbsp oil to the frying pan and cook the shallot and onion for 2-3 mins. Stir in the flour and cook for a further minute, then pour in the stock, stirring, before returning the meatballs to the pan. Cover with a lid and simmer gently for 12-15 mins, until the meatballs are cooked and the gravy has thickened.

4. Serve the meatballs topped with the houmous, pine nuts and chopped herbs. Scatter over the sumac and pomegranate seeds and serve with the couscous.

Freezing and defrosting guidelines

Freeze the meatballs only. Cook as instructed and allow to cool completely. Then transfer to an airtight, freezer-safe container, seal and freeze for up to 1-3 months. To serve, defrost thoroughly in the fridge overnight before reheating. To reheat and serve, place on medium heat, stirring occasionally until the dish is heated through.