Name: Little Lamb Meatballs in a Spicy Eggplant Tomato Sauce
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 115 min
Ingredients: 1 eggplant, cubed; 2 tablespoons olive oil; salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste; 0.33333334326744 cup finely minced onion; 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste; 1.5 cups chicken broth; 1 cup marinara sauce; 0.25 cup plain dry bread crumbs; 1 large egg; 1.5 tablespoons Greek yogurt; 0.25 cup finely minced onion; 4 cloves garlic, finely minced; 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt; 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 0.25 teaspoon ground coriander; 1 pound ground lamb; cayenne pepper to taste; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

Prep Time:

25 mins

Cook Time:

1 hr 30 mins

Total Time:

1 hr 55 mins

Servings:

4

Yield:

4 servings

Jump to Nutrition Facts

Ingredients

1 eggplant, cubed
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
⅓ cup finely minced onion
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 ½ cups chicken broth
1 cup marinara sauce
¼ cup plain dry bread crumbs
1 large egg
1 ½ tablespoons Greek yogurt
¼ cup finely minced onion
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground coriander
1 pound ground lamb
cayenne pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Combine eggplant, olive oil, salt and black pepper in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until eggplant begins to soften, about 5 minutes.
Mix in minced onion and red pepper flakes. Reduce heat to medium; cook and stir until onion softens, 4 minutes.
Stir in chicken broth and marinara sauce. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until sauce mixture has reduced by half, about 30 minutes.
Whisk bread crumbs, egg, and Greek yogurt in a large bowl until the bread crumbs absorb all the liquid, about 3 minutes.
Mix onions, garlic, Kosher salt, black pepper, cumin, cinnamon, and coriander into the bread crumb mixture.
Crumble lamb into bread crumb spice mixture; stir in cayenne pepper.
Form lamb mixture into small meatballs and transfer to prepared baking sheet. Place baking sheet into the preheated oven and bake until browned, but still pink inside, about 10 minutes.
Remove meatballs from the oven and stir into simmering sauce. Simmer over low heat until sauce begins to thicken, 30 to 45 minutes.
Garnish with chopped fresh mint.

Cook's Note:

Add more stock or water to sauce if it appears to be getting dry while simmering.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

420	Calories
26g	Fat
22g	Carbs
25g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Calories 420
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 26g	34%
Saturated Fat 8g	42%
Cholesterol 124mg	41%
Sodium 1284mg	56%
Total Carbohydrate 22g	8%
Dietary Fiber 7g	24%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 25g
Vitamin C 11mg	53%
Calcium 84mg	6%
Iron 3mg	19%
Potassium 808mg	17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.