This recipe is brought to you by my friends SpiceTribe! They have an incredible line of ethically sourced spice blends and ship nationwide, with free shipping over $45. California Love all-purpose chile blend is one that we use regularly at home, and trust me, you’ll get no fresher than their single origin late harvest peppercorns. I used both in this recipe, which is healthy, easy to make and a real crowd pleaser! Serve it like a salad with my homemade ranch sauce for dipping if you’re eating low-carb, or put some pita pockets on the side for a more filling lunch. You can use your oven to bake the meatballs or the air fryer as I have here. I find that it doesn’t heat up the kitchen during these warm Summer months. Enjoy!
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Serves: 2-3
Ingredients
- MEATBALLS:
- 1 lb ground lamb (80/20)
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 tablespoon sour cream or plain yogurt (This helps keep it juicy)
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 serrano chili pepper, seeds removed and very finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Spice Tribe smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon Spice Tribe California Love (It has roasted chile, garlic, cumin)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper (Spice Tribe's late harvest black peppercorns)
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- RANCH SAUCE:
- 1/3 cup whole milk plain yogurt or sour cream
- 1/3 cup avocado oil mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup buttermilk
- 2 cloves garlic, made into a paste OR 2 teaspoons garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon each chopped chives, dill, parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon California Love or chili powder
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest + 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- TO SERVE:
- 1-2 cups fresh baby spinach or chopped lettuce per person, cherry or campari tomatoes, kalamata olives, red onion, sliced cucumber, cubed feta cheese, lemon wedges...The possibilities are endless.
Steps
- RANCH DRESSING:
- Combine all ingredients for ranch dressing sauce and refrigerate in an airtight container - can be made up to one day ahead of time.
- MEATBALLS:
- Combine dry ingredients together to ensure they are evenly distributed throughout the meatballs.
- Sprinkle the spices over the lamb and add egg, sour cream, garlic and chopped serrano peppers, mixing gently using a fork. (don't overwork the lamb)
- Roll into 1 oz meatballs and place in your air fryer at 400F (200C) until lightly browned or cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.
- If you are using the oven, preheat to 400F (200C) and roast on a sheet pan for 10 minutes, turing once during the cooking time.
- Serve with vegetables and dipping sauce
Things to remember
- If using an air fryer, work in batches for even, uncrowded cooking.