Lamb Meatballs with a Spicy Tomato Sauce | Slimming Eats Recipes (2024)

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Delicious Tender Lamb Meatballs Curry - juicy tender meatballs with a yummy flavour packed tomato based curry sauce.

Lamb Meatballs with a Spicy Tomato Sauce | Slimming Eats Recipes (1)

Lamb is a favourite of mine, whether it's a roasted leg of lamb, a lamb curry, or some ground lamb in Shepherd's Pie. There is just no denying the amazing flavour it can add to a dish.

I have to admit though, ground lamb I don't tend to have very often, as it is near impossible to get extra lean ground lamb that is unless you have one of these handy meat grinders and a KitchenAid mixer to go along with it. Then you could have a go at making your own with a lean cut of lamb, where you can remove any visible fat.

Lamb Meatballs with a Spicy Tomato Sauce | Slimming Eats Recipes (2)

I do have the KitchenAid but have never gotten around to getting the meat grinder attachment for it, something I really should do. Maybe I might be tempted after reminding myself tonight. Although I think the sausage maker attachment appeals to me more, can you imagine being able to make your own sausages? Now there is a thought.

Anyway despite lamb or ground lamb should I say, pretty much always having a small value, most tend to avoid it. However, if you cleverly bulk the dish out with lots of sauce and veggies, you don't need to use as much of it, and the value is not too bad then once divided into portions.

Lamb Meatballs with a Spicy Tomato Sauce | Slimming Eats Recipes (3)

To make the meatballs in this Lamb Meatballs with a Spicy Tomato Sauce - it is really easy and basic ingredients. Just the ground lamb, fresh coriander, a red chilli, salt and egg, that's it, no complicated ingredients.

The sauce that follows is pretty easy as far as ingredient's go, most are ones that you will have in the store cupboard.

One thing I like to recommend when starting out any healthy eating journey is to build up a good spice and herb collection. You don't need to go crazy, just buy 1 or 2 a week with your groceries until you have the basic selection, then you can just add to it, as a new spice appears in a recipe that you haven't yet bought.

Lamb Meatballs with a Spicy Tomato Sauce | Slimming Eats Recipes (4)

Those spices will be your saviour for making meals taste amazing. There is nothing worse than bland and boring food. Remember as this is a life long journey, you need to make your food interesting and spices will do that to even the basic of dishes.

I like to keep my spices in plain jars like these156ml Nutley's Jarswhich you can get on Amazon in packs of 6, 12, 24 and even 48.

Lamb Meatballs with a Spicy Tomato Sauce | Slimming Eats Recipes (5)

As they are slightly bigger than your standard spice jar, they are better for storing larger quantities of spices. I don't know about you, but I hate thelittle spice jars you get at most supermarkets, and many are overpriced. If you want to save money, try buying in bulk from local Indian grocers or similar, you can also buy from bulk spices on Amazon. Works out much cheaper all around.

Then I love these little chalkboard labels, which you can stick on the jars and write the name of the spice onto the label. I prefer ones with a chalkboard pen, as it doesn't smudge off as easily as just plain white chalk.

Lamb Meatballs with a Spicy Tomato Sauce | Slimming Eats Recipes (6)

A perfect storage solution for all your spices and they look quite neat and pretty too with the labels. I am a sucker for pretty things.

For the vegetables in the sauce, I must admit to sometimes being a bit lazy, and using myNutri Ninja Food Processor with Auto IQ technology. It literally chops all the vegetables up in seconds, saving heaps of time.I use the chopping blade,just a couple of pulses of the blade and the vegetables are chopped finely – perfect!!

Lamb Meatballs with a Spicy Tomato Sauce | Slimming Eats Recipes (7)

Click here to view the Nutri Ninja Complete Kitchen System on Amazon

If I can save a little bit of time cooking when I know the kids will be hungry and demanding food pretty soon, then I am taking those short cut believe me.

Lamb Meatballs with a Spicy Tomato Sauce | Slimming Eats Recipes (8)

The sauce to these Lamb Meatballs with a Spicy Tomato Sauce is literally spoon worthy. I could literally eat that sauce in a bowl on its own, only trouble is, I would probably want lots of naan bread to go along with it.

If you really can't do without the bread, you could always have a go at this Sweet Potato Flatbread. It's gluten and dairy free and rather yummy. I often have a couple made in advance and in the freezer, so they are on hand when I might need one quickly.

Lamb Meatballs with a Spicy Tomato Sauce | Slimming Eats Recipes (9)

For tonight though, I just fancied some good ole steamed jasmine rice to go with these Lamb Meatballs with a Spicy Tomato Sauce. You don't need to stick to just rice though, these would pair up nicely with a variety of sides including these Perfect Chips and if you are lucky enough to have any leftovers, you will be pleased to know, it freezes perfectly.

Looking for some other lamb recipes to try? Check out these:

  • Instant Pot Bombay Lamb Curry
  • Lamb Rogan Josh
  • Lamb and Vegetable Curry
  • Greek Style Lamb Burgers
  • Rosemary Lamb Loin Chops with Mint Gravy
  • Lamb Meatball and Bean Curry
  • Lamb Meatballs with Mint Gravy
  • Lamb and Mint Meatballs in a Sweet and Spicy Sauce
  • Moussaka Meatballs
  • Baked Spicy Kibbeh
  • Shepherds Pie
  • Moussaka
  • Doner Kebab Fakeaway Night

and don't forget my FULL RECIPE INDEX with over 500+ Delicious Slimming Eats Recipes.

Sprinkle these Lamb Meatballs with a Spicy Tomato Sauce with some freshly chopped coriander, and serve with a side ofonion bhaji and a drizzle of mint yoghurt (plain yoghurt, fresh mint, lemon juice and a little sweetener). If doing an SP day or are following a paleo diet, try serving with this Roasted Cauliflower Rice.

Lamb Meatballs with a Spicy Tomato Sauce | Slimming Eats Recipes (10)
Made this Lamb Meatball Curry? Tag me at #slimmingeats on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram so I can see your pictures.

Recipe Card

Lamb Meatballs with a Spicy Tomato Sauce | Slimming Eats Recipes (11)

Lamb Meatball Curry

Yield: SERVES 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Tender Lamb and Mint Meatballs in a sweet and spicy sauce packed with healthy vegetables.

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

  • 400g (14oz) of lean lamb mince
  • fresh coriander
  • 1 red chilli, finely chopped
  • 1 clove of garlic, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon of fresh grated ginger
  • salt and black pepper
  • 1 egg

For the sauce:

  • 240ml (1 cup) of passata
  • 240ml (1 cup) of lamb or chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 large carrot, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
  • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 2 teaspoons of cumin
  • 2 teaspoons of coriander
  • 1 teaspoon of chilli powder
  • 1 teaspoon of paprika
  • ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper (increase if you like spicy)
  • ½ tablespoon of granulated sweetener (I use erythritol)
  • spray oil
  • fresh mint or cilantro to garnish

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, add the lamb mince, a few tablespoons of freshly chopped coriander, 1 finely chopped red chilli, 1 clove of garlic, some freshly grated ginger, salt, pepper and 1 egg and bind it all together well.
  2. Form into equal sized meatballs.
  3. Spray a frying pan with some spray oil, and brown the meatballs. Then set aside.
  4. Add the onion, garlic, some ginger, and the carrot to the frying pan and cook for 2-3 mins until softened.
  5. Add the passata, tomato paste, stock, all the spices, and sweetener and bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
  6. Add the back in the meatballs and continue to simmer for an additional 20 minutes.
  7. Top with some freshly chopped coriander
  8. Serve with your choice of sides.

Notes

Please see below for full nutritional info and additional details about recipe:

  • Calories - scroll down to nutritional info box
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Nutrition Information

Yield 4Serving Size 1 SERVING
Amount Per ServingCalories 299Total Fat 18.9gSaturated Fat 8.5gCholesterol 111mgSodium 250mgCarbohydrates 12gFiber 2.8gSugar 5.1gProtein 20.3g

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Lamb Meatballs with a Spicy Tomato Sauce | Slimming Eats Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Should you cook meatballs before putting in sauce? ›

You can brown the uncooked meatballs in a sauté pan before adding them to the sauce. You can brown them in the oven. Or you can skip browning altogether and put the raw meatballs straight into the sauce to cook.

How does Gordon Ramsay make meatball sauce? ›

To make the tomato sauce, heat the olive oil in a pan and gently fry the shallots, garlic and chilli for 2-3 minutes until soft. Deglaze the pan with a splash of white wine, then add the tinned tomatoes along with the basil, oregano and some seasoning.

Can you jar meatballs in sauce? ›

Ladle sauce over meatballs in jars leaving 1 inch headspace. Warm lids and rings in hot water. Clean the rims of the jars, and screw on the lids. Pressure can for 90 minutes at 10 pounds if canning 1,000 feet beneath sea level.

Is it better to pan fry or bake meatballs? ›

Baking will result in meatballs with a crunchy exterior, though the caramelisation achieved from frying will be superior. Baked meatballs take the least amount of effort, as you'll only need to turn them once or twice throughout the cook and you can make a larger batch at once.

Is it better to bake meatballs at 350 or 400? ›

For 1-2 inches of beef, pork, or turkey meatballs without any pre-cooking, use these guidelines for your wall oven:
  • 350°F wall oven:
  • 8–14 minutes for 1-inch meatballs.
  • 14–18 minutes for 2-inch meatballs.
  • 400°F wall oven:
  • 6–10 minutes for 1-inch meatballs.
  • 10–14 minutes for 2-inch meatballs.
  • 425°F wall oven:
Aug 16, 2023

Do meatballs get more tender the longer they cook in sauce? ›

The longer the simmer, the more tender and succulent the meatballs become. 3. Concentration of Flavors: Simmering at a low temperature for an extended period also encourages the sauce to reduce and thicken.

What's the difference between Italian style meatballs and regular meatballs? ›

Italian-style meatballs often include additional ingredients such as milk, olive oil, ground pork, fresh parsley, red pepper flakes, Italian herb seasoning, and sometimes a combination of ground beef, veal, and pork [2].

How to make meatballs that don t fall apart in sauce? ›

You can do a few things while preparing the meatballs to ensure they don't fall apart once they go into the tomato sauce.
  1. Don't add too much moisture: ...
  2. Keep the meat as cold as possible: ...
  3. Don't overwork the meat: ...
  4. Add meatballs to a simmering sauce, and don't over-stir:
Mar 15, 2019

Can you overcook meatballs in tomato sauce? ›

Don't overcook your meatballs! Most recipes instruct us to bake the meatballs until they are completely cooked. Next, we are to let them simmer away in some kind of sauce for hours. It should be no surprise that your meatball is going to be completely overcooked and dry by the time you eat it.

Can meatballs be a little pink inside? ›

To be sure all harmful bacteria are destroyed, cook all ground beef products to an internal temperature of 160 °F throughout. Ground beef can be pink inside after it is safely cooked. The pink color can be due to a reaction between the oven heat and myoglobin, which causes a red or pink color.

Is milk or egg better for meatballs? ›

Add Milk for Moisture

A little bit of milk will add moisture to your meatballs. (Many people think it's the eggs that add the moisture, but their role is to bind the meat, breadcrumbs, cheese and herbs.)

What causes meatballs to fall apart in sauce? ›

But too much bread crumbs make them too loose, and not enough bread crumbs won't help them hold together either. Similar issues can be caused by eggs: Too many eggs, and the meatballs will be too soggy.

How do you thicken tomato sauce for meatballs? ›

5 Ways to Thicken Tomato Sauce
  1. Cook It Down.
  2. Add Tomato Paste.
  3. Add Cream.
  4. Add Cheese.
  5. Use a Roux or a Slurry.
Jul 19, 2023

Is it OK to cook raw meatballs in sauce? ›

Yes, you can cook raw meatballs directly in the sauce. This method infuses the meatballs with the flavors of the sauce as they cook, resulting in a delicious and savory dish.

Do you cook meat before adding simmer sauce? ›

It is often preferable to cook the meat and vegetables separate from the simmer sauce at high heat first. Then add the sauce, cover, and simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes and using the time you saved in preparation to make a salad or even catch up on social media.

Do you cook the meat before putting it in spaghetti sauce? ›

Combine ground beef, onion, garlic, and green pepper in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until meat is browned and crumbly and vegetables are tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain grease. Stir diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and tomato paste into the pan.

Will meatballs overcook in sauce? ›

Meatballs Can Overcook In A Soup

If they're left in stock, sauce, or soup for too long, they will become soggy and unappetizing. You should only cook them until they are browned before adding them to your soup to finish cooking.

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