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
  • WW Points and other Slimming or Weight Loss programs - due to plans regularly changing and updating, we recommend calculating with the official tools you get as a member to those plans to ensure accuracy of values.

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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 meatballs be cooked before putting in sauce? ›

Simmering: You don't have to brown meatballs before adding them to a sauce, particularly if you're cooking them in a slow cooker like these Slow-Cooker Italian Meatballs.

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.

Should you brown meatballs or cook in sauce? ›

Brown them first, then let them finish cooking in the marinara sauce. This results in a nice texture on the outside of the meatball but keeps it juicy and tender on the inside. It also adds more flavor to the tomato sauce.

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 oven 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

What not to do when making meatballs? ›

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Making Meatballs
  1. Not seasoning the meat.
  2. Not adding any moisture to the meat.
  3. Over-mixing the meat.
  4. Not shaping the meatballs correctly.
  5. Not forming evenly-sized meatballs.
May 1, 2019

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

As the collagen in the meat dissolves over time, it transforms into gelatin, which not only adds a silky texture to the sauce but also contributes to the overall richness and depth of flavor. The longer the simmer, the more tender and succulent the meatballs become.

How do you know when meatballs are done in sauce? ›

You will know the meatballs are ready when the internal temperature of the meatballs is 165 degrees.

Is it better to use milk or water in meatballs? ›

Milk: Adds moisture and tenderizes the meat, making our meatballs juicy and tender once cooked.

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.

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].

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.

Can I put raw meatballs in sauce? ›

Although the meatballs are not browned first, they still cook though in the sauce and it is safe to add them to the sauce raw, as long as the sauce is kept at a simmer until the meatballs are cooked through. Cooking the meatballs this way means that they stay quite tender even when cooked.

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

How long do you need to cook raw meatballs in sauce? ›

How long does it take to cook raw meatballs in sauce? Beef meatballs take a bit longer to become tender, so let them simmer for at least one to one and a half, preferably two hours. Pork meatballs only need about 45 minutes of simmering in the sauce.

Does simmering meatballs make them tender? ›

Tenderizing the Meat:

As the collagen in the meat dissolves over time, it transforms into gelatin, which not only adds a silky texture to the sauce but also contributes to the overall richness and depth of flavor. The longer the simmer, the more tender and succulent the meatballs become.

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