One-Pot Lamb Meatballs with Eggplant and Chickpeas
By Mark HuxsollPublished on April 20, 2022
Time
1 hour
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Meatballs
1 pound ground lamb½ cup panko bread crumbs1 large egg, lightly beaten1 tablespoon ras el hanout2 teaspoons grated lemon zest2 garlic cloves, minced1 teaspoon table salt2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oilEggplant and Sauce
1 pound eggplant, cut into ½-inch pieces1 onion, chopped fine4 garlic cloves, minced1 tablespoon ras el hanout1 teaspoon table salt1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed¾ cup golden raisins½ cup water½ cup pitted green olives, halved¼ cup harissa2 teaspoons grated lemon zest½ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, divided½ cup coarsely chopped fresh mint, dividedBefore You Begin
Harissa is available in spicy and mild varieties; we prefer spicy, but you can use the mild kind here or less of the spicy variety if you're spice averse. You can substitute ground beef for the lamb, if desired. Couscous makes a nice side dish.
Instructions
- Combine lamb, panko, egg, ras el hanout, lemon zest, garlic, and salt in large bowl and mix with your hands until thoroughly combined. Divide into 16 even portions, about 1¼ ounces each. Using your hands, roll each portion into ball.
- Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add meatballs and cook until well browned all over, about 5 minutes. Transfer meatballs to large plate, leaving fat in pot.
- Heat fat left in pot over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add eggplant, onion, garlic, ras el hanout, and salt and cook until vegetables are beginning to soften, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Stir in tomatoes, chickpeas, raisins, water, olives, harissa, and lemon zest. Nestle meatballs into sauce. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover; and cook until eggplant is very tender and meatballs register 160 degrees, about 10 minutes.
- Off heat, stir in ¼ cup cilantro and ¼ cup mint. Sprinkle remaining ¼ cup cilantro and remaining ¼ cup mint over top and serve.
for the meatballs
for the eggplant and sauce
Time
1 hourYield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
For this recipe, we drew inspiration from the flavors commonly used in Moroccan tagines, stewed dishes cooked in earthenware pots of the same name. Cooked in a Dutch oven instead of a tagine, this dish features lemony lamb meatballs in a tomato-based sauce, which we spiced with harissa and studded with eggplant and chickpeas for more heft and substance. Bold ras el hanout linked the meatballs and the sauce while golden raisins and pitted green olives brought sweetness and brininess, respectively. We added fresh herbs at the end for visual pop and bright flavor. This dish deserves a spot in your weeknight rotation.
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