The Recipe Box – Recipe 2.0: Greek Lamb Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce

Welcome to our second Recipe Box post! These Greek inspired mini lamb meatballs and tzatziki sauce bring a whole new meaning to “meatball appetizer!”

Meatballs:

(makes about 24-30 1-inch meatballs)

• 1 pound Fresh New Zealand Lamb ground lamb
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/4 cup minced onion (yellow or red)
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
• 1 teaspoon Member’s Mark by Tone’s Granulated Garlic
• 1 teaspoon Member’s Mark by Tone’s Ground Cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon Member’s Mark by Tone’s Ground Cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon Member’s Mark by Tone’s Spanish Style Paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon Member’s Mark by Tone’s Ground Cayenne Pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup panko or traditional breadcrumbs
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a large bowl. Using your hands, gently work the mixture until well combined. Cover and let sit in refrigerator for about an hour.

When lamb mixture has chilled, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with either non-stick spray or parchment paper.

Shape lamb mixture into individual meatballs, about 1 inch in diameter, and place on cookie sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes until meatballs are nicely browned on the outside and cooked through.

Tzatziki Sauce:

• 1 large cucumber, seeded and peeled
• 1 teaspoon salt (for cucumber prep)
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (fresh squeezed recommended)
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill (or 2 teaspoons dried
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh mint (or 2 teaspoons dried)

Directions:

Shred cucumber into a colander, sprinkle with the salt, and toss gently. Place colander over a shallow bowl and let the cucumber sit for about 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, use a wooden spoon to gently press excess liquid from the cucumber.

In a medium bowl, combine cucumber with remaining ingredients until well blended. Add a pinch of salt if needed. Chill mixture for 1-2 hours or overnight (recommended). Stir before serving and garnish with sprig of fresh dill.

Thanks to YellowDogs Brooke & Rick Meoli for their development and photography of this great recipe!