Description
This tray bake lamb kofta meatballs recipe offers a flavorful and easy one-pan dinner, combining spiced lamb meatballs with roasted capsicum and red onion. Served with fresh leafy greens, tomato slices, and a choice of tahini or lemon yogurt sauce, this dish can be enjoyed as wraps, bowls, or salads for a versatile and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1/2 onion, grated using a box grater
- 500 g / 1 lb lamb mince (ground lamb, or beef)
- 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs (substitute regular breadcrumbs if preferred)
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 tbsp coriander/cilantro, finely chopped
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp coriander
- 2 tsp paprika (plain, substitute smoked if desired)
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste or omit for less heat)
- 3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Vegetables
- 1 large red capsicum, deseeded and sliced into 1 cm thick slices
- 1 large yellow capsicum, deseeded and sliced into 1 cm thick slices
- 1 red onion, cut into thin wedges
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Additional
- Olive oil spray (for spraying the meatballs)
- 1 quantity Tahini sauce
- 1 quantity Lemon Yogurt Sauce (or plain yogurt as an alternative)
- 4 flatbreads (or substitute with rice, couscous, or cauliflower rice)
- 3 cups shredded iceberg lettuce (or other leafy greens)
- 2 tomatoes, halved and cut into thin slices
- 1 tbsp coriander/cilantro leaves, finely chopped (optional for sprinkling)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F) or 180°C (350°F) fan-forced to get it ready for baking the meatballs and vegetables.
- Prepare Kofta Meatballs: In a large bowl, combine the grated onion, lamb mince, panko breadcrumbs, minced garlic, finely chopped coriander, and all the spices including cumin, coriander, paprika, ground cinnamon, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly using your hands until all ingredients are evenly incorporated. Then scoop and roll the mixture into 16 large meatballs and spread them evenly on a large tray.
- Prepare Vegetables: In a separate bowl, toss the sliced red and yellow capsicum along with the red onion wedges in extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper until well coated. Scatter these vegetables around the meatballs on the same tray.
- Bake and Grill: Lightly spray the meatballs with olive oil spray to help browning. Place the tray in the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes. After that, switch the oven to grill/broiler mode on high and cook for an additional 5 minutes, allowing the meatballs and vegetables to develop a nice golden color and some char.
- Serve: Once cooked, sprinkle the meatballs and vegetables with chopped coriander leaves. To serve, use flatbreads to make wraps filled with shredded lettuce, sliced tomato, the baked meatballs, and roasted capsicum and onion. Drizzle generously with tahini sauce or lemon yogurt sauce. Alternatively, serve on a bed of rice, couscous, cauliflower rice, or salad greens for a fresh meal option.
Notes
- You can substitute beef mince for lamb mince if preferred.
- If you want less heat, reduce or omit the cayenne pepper.
- Regular breadcrumbs can be used instead of panko breadcrumbs.
- The dish is versatile and can be served as wraps, with rice or couscous bowls, or as a salad.
- Tahini sauce and lemon yogurt sauce can also be replaced by plain yogurt if desired.
- To make the meatballs crispier, ensure they are evenly spaced on the tray and not touching each other.
- Adjust seasoning to taste before cooking the meatballs for best flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Keywords: lamb kofta, tray bake, meatballs, baked meatballs, Middle Eastern dinner, healthy dinner, easy dinner, one-pan meal, roasted vegetables, lamb recipe
