Description
Delicious Moroccan meatball tagine with a vibrant combination of lemon, olives, and warming spices. This hearty dish features tender lamb meatballs cooked slowly in a fragrant sauce with cumin, cinnamon, saffron, and fresh herbs, perfect served with couscous or crusty bread.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 3 onions, peeled
- 500g minced lamb
- Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch cayenne pepper
- Small bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Tagine Sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Thumb-sized piece ginger, peeled and grated
- 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
- Pinch saffron strands
- 250ml lamb stock
- Juice of 1 unwaxed lemon (quartered lemons used for wedges)
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 100g pitted black kalamata olives
- Small bunch coriander, chopped
To Serve
- Couscous or fresh crusty bread
Instructions
- Prepare Onions: Put the onions into a food processor and blitz until finely chopped to achieve a uniform texture that will bind the meatballs perfectly.
- Make Meatball Mixture: In a large bowl, combine the minced lamb, lemon zest, ground cumin, ground cinnamon, cayenne pepper, chopped parsley, and half of the finely chopped onions. Season with salt and pepper, then mix with your hands until all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Shape Meatballs: Form the mixture into walnut-sized balls, ensuring they are compact to hold together during cooking.
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large flameproof dish or tagine over medium heat. Add the remaining onions, grated ginger, chopped red chilli, and saffron strands. Cook for about 5 minutes until the onions soften and begin to brown, releasing the spices’ aroma.
- Add Liquid Components: Stir in the lemon juice, lamb stock, tomato purée, and black kalamata olives. Bring the mixture to a boil to blend the flavors and create a rich sauce base.
- Cook Meatballs: Carefully place the meatballs into the simmering sauce one by one. Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid, and cook for 20 minutes, turning the meatballs occasionally to ensure even cooking and flavor infusion.
- Final Simmer: Remove the lid and add the chopped coriander and lemon wedges by tucking them between the meatballs. Cook uncovered for an additional 10 minutes until the sauce reduces and thickens slightly, intensifying the taste.
- Serve: Serve the Moroccan meatball tagine hot, accompanied by fluffy couscous or fresh crusty bread to soak up the flavorful sauce.
Notes
- Using a tagine provides authentic flavor but a heavy flameproof dish works well as a substitute.
- Unwaxed lemons are preferred to ensure natural oils and zest are safe for cooking.
- Adjust cayenne pepper quantity according to your preferred spice level.
- For a milder version, remove the chilli or reduce the amount.
- Couscous or crusty bread is ideal to absorb the rich sauce and complete the meal.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 35 mins
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Moroccan
Keywords: Moroccan meatballs, tagine recipe, lamb meatballs, lemon and olives, North African cuisine, spicy meatballs, slow simmered meatballs
