Harissa Lamb Meatball Bowls

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Spiced lamb meatballs in harissa tomato sauce and served with with your choice of toppings—my favorites are tzatziki, rice, hummus, and pickled red onions!

This recipe is adapted from the one and only Wishbone Kitchen, and not only is it cheaper than it’s Cava bowl counterpart, it’s incredibly flavorful and adaptable! I love to make these bowls as an easy dinner or lunch throughout the week, and the meatballs can even be frozen and used later if you have leftovers!

How to Make Lamb Meatball Bowls

  • Make the shawarma spice (optional) and form the meatballs. The meatball mix is super easy to make—the hardest part is getting all the spices together if you don’t have your own shawarma spice mix. After everything is measured out, just mix the meatballs until combined and place onto a baking sheet.
  • Bake the meatballs and prepare the sauce. While the meatballs bake, prepare the sauce by cooking out the harissa paste and garlic, then add the crushed tomatoes. Once the meatballs are golden-brown, carefully transfer them to the saucepan on the stove to finish cooking.
  • Prepare the bowls. Once done, garnish the meatballs with feta and serve on top of rice with toppings of your choice!

Recipe Tips and Tricks

  1. Don’t overmix the meatball mixture. The more you mix meatball ingredients together, the springier the end result will be. This isn’t always bad, as undermixing creates a crumbly texture, but it’s a good thing to keep in mind! Ideally, you should mix all the ingredients until homogeneous.
  2. Add more harissa, if needed. Each brand of harissa paste varies in spiciness, so start with the minimum amount and add more as necessary.
  3. Don’t be shy with toppings. The best part about rice bowls is the toppings; you can use anything you like, but here are some ideas!
  4. Storage instructions. The meatballs are best stored separate from the rice in order to reheat well, though you can assemble the bowls for easy lunches throughout the week if needed. They’ll last around 3-4 days in the refrigerator, if stored in an airtight container.
  5. Freezing instructions. Since this recipe uses two pounds of ground meat, you may have some leftover uncooked meatballs you’d like to freeze. Simply form the rest of the meatballs as usual, then freeze them on a sheet tray until firm (about 1 hour). Once frozen, transfer them to a plastic bag or airtight container and store in the freezer for up to a couple of months. Let the meatballs thaw in the fridge overnight before following the recipe as written.

Be sure to tag me if you give this recipe a try—happy cooking!

Lamb Meatball Bowls

Spiced lamb meatballs in harissa tomato sauce and served with with your choice of toppings—my favorites are tzatziki, rice, hummus, and pickled red onions!
No ratings yet
Print Pin
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Servings: 8
Author: Mae Martin

Ingredients

For the tomato sauce

  • Olive oil
  • ⅓ to ½ cup harissa paste
  • 3-4 cloves grated garlic
  • 1 (28-ounce can) crushed tomatoes
  • ⅓ cup crumbled feta
  • Fresh parsley, for garnish

For the lamb meatballs (can be halved, if preferred)*

  • 1 pound ground lamb
  • 1 pound ground beef preferably 80% lean, 20% fat
  • 2 egg yolks
  • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt (full fat is best)
  • ½ cup breadcrumbs
  • 2 tablespoons shawarma seasoning, or use the homemade spice blend below
  • 4 cloves grated garlic
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt

Homemade shawarma spice blend (if you don't have your own)

  • ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¾ teaspoon allspice
  • ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ⅜ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ⅜ teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)
  • ⅜ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground coriander
  • ⅛ teaspoon onion powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ⅛ teaspoon chili powder

To serve

  • Rice, hummus, tzatziki, greens, pickled red onions, and pita bread to serve

Instructions

  • Preheat the broiler to high and line a large sheet pan with aluminum foil. Drizzle a couple of tablespoons of olive oil over the pan to lightly coat the foil. Set aside.
  • For the meatballs. Mix together the ingredients for the shawarma spice blend until evenly combined. Add all of the lamb meatball ingredients (including the spice blend) to a large bowl and mix with your hands until everything is just combined and homogeneous. Keep in mind that the longer you mix the meatballs, the tougher and springier they will be once cooked.
  • Using your hands, form the meatballs into spheres about size of a golf-ball. Evenly space the meatballs onto the prepared baking sheet and broil for 6-8 minutes or until caramelized and golden-brown.
  • Prepare the tomato sauce. In the meantime, heat a tablespoon or so of olive oil in a large saucepot over medium-high heat. Add ⅓ cup of harissa paste (you may need to add more, depending on how spicy your harissa is), and cook for around 2 minutes. Add the grated garlic and cook for one minute more, ensuring that the garlic does not burn.
  • Add the crushed tomatoes to the pan and simmer for around 10 minutes, until a saucy consistency is reached. If the mixture becomes too thick, stir in about ¼ cup of water.
  • Carefully add the meatballs to the prepared tomato sauce on the stove, stirring until fully coated. Let the mixture come to a simmer, cover the saucepan, and let it cook for around 5 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 160℉ and the meatballs are no longer pink in the middle.
  • Serve. Remove the pan from the heat and garnish with crumbled feta and fresh parsley. Serve warm on top of rice with your choice of toppings.

Notes

*To halve the recipe, divide all of the meatball and tomato sauce measurements by two. Leftover uncooked meatballs may also be frozen on a sheet tray until firm (about 1 hour), then stored in an airtight bag. They will keep in the freezer for 2 months and should be defrosted overnight before following the recipe as written.