Cajun Spiced Lamb Meatball Platter
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!
Serving Size: 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.
Directions
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