Mix things up with this fast recipe for Cumin Spiced Lamb Meatballs with Chimichurri Drizzle. A bit of Mexican flair turns this into a whole new dish.
This post is sponsored by The American Lamb Board – are you a fan of lamb? Seriously, it’s kind of delicious, and so are these meatballs.
We often think of tacos, enchiladas, fajitas, and nachos when we think of Mexican dishes. After that, most of my Northern US buddies kind of get a little bland when it comes to the amazing diversity that Mexican cuisine has to offer. I am a huge fan of latin flavors and spices and even though I am a self-proclaimed taco enthusiast myself, I love testing out new recipes to incorporate those signature flavors and test my cooking skills. Can we talk about sopes? How’s about tamales? Fried street foods, crazy stews, and the amazing slow and low bbq scene (like this recipe for Lamb Barbacoa) that happens when you’ve got great meat and ingenuity.
Mexican cuisine is so much more than yellow rice and corn tortillas. It’s a passion for spice. A use of everything and a collection of time-honored recipes that take hands-on skills passed down for generations. There are so many uses and re-purposes for traditional ingredients that the possibilities are endless and if we just stop at tacos we are seriously limiting the discoveries for some amazing recipes.
When thinking on what to make for Cinco de Mayo this year, and how to step out of the taco zone, I decided that whipping up a pan filled with sauteed veggies, yellow rice, and zesty lamb meatballs was a must. These Cumin Spiced Lamb Meatballs with Chimichurri Drizzle hit the spot! You can serve these as a meal themselves, allowing everyone to fill their plate and drizzle the chimichurri themselves or arrange a full-on taco or tortas bar with corn tortillas or romaine lettuce for handheld delivery.
Step out of the boring zone, grab something fresh and new, and embrace the heat of thinking outside the box a bit and I guarantee your experiment won’t disappoint.
I never get any complaints.
Ingredients
- 1 lbs ground lamb
- 1 teas cumin
- 1/2 teas dried oregano flakes
- 1/2 teas garlic powder
- 1/4 teas onion powder
- 1/4 teas red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teas ancho chili powder
- 1/8 teas ground coriander
- salt and pepper
- 2 tbs bacon fat or cooking oil
See this recipe for my classic Chumichurri Sauce
Instructions
- Mix the ground lamb with the cumin, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flankes, ancho chili powder, coriander and salt and pepper. Roll into 1 1/2" meatballs and arrange on a platter. Wrap in plastic wrap and let chill in fridge for 30 minutes before cooking.
- When ready to cook, heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the cooking oil and swirl to coat. When cooking fat / oil is smoking, place the meatballs in and brown on all sides, checking and rotating as needed.
- Cover and cook over low until meatballs are cooked through, about 15 minutes longer.
- Drain any excess fat and toss in sauteed veggies and rice - or cauliflower rice if creating a whole 30 approved recipe.
- Serve with fresh chimichurri sauce, hot sauce, and chipotle aioli to drizzle over top.
Oh man I have never had lamb in any Mexican dish before and now I feel like I am missing out. That chimichurri drizzle on top has me sold.