Here's a recipe for keto lamb meatballs, seasoned with cumin and coriander, and served on a yogurt moat with chimichurri and fresh arugula. These lamb meatballs are a really good party appetizer, shared dish, or snack. This keto lamb recipe is low carb friendly, with 5 net carbs per serving.
The background and inspo behind this recipe
Meatballs are so easy, and are such a staple if you're doing keto or paleo.
When I was doing keto, I knew I wanted to make some delicious keto lamb recipes so I came up with this dish.
I love lamb in general - braised lamb shanks, roasted rack of lamb, lamb kefta, lamb kebabs - it has a strong, umami, gamey flavor that to me is so delicious.
These keto lamb meatballs are easy to make, and really good/complementary to a keto diet.
How to make lamb meatballs
To make these keto lamb meatballs, you're going to mix the ground lamb with spices, and then sear them in a pan before finishing cooking in a skillet.
If you're working with ground turkey, pork, chicken, beef or lamb, it's generally the same formula.
Take 1 pound of ground meat and season it with about 1 tablespoon of spices. Here, I did a mix of ground cumin (1 teaspoon) and ground coriander (1 teaspoon) + 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Mix in an egg, and mix it all to combine.
If you want a fluffier meatball, add in some dairy (½ cup of milk or ricotta cheese works great) and a ½ cup of a carb to bind it together -- breadcrumbs or almond flour.
If you want your meatballs to keep their round shape, I'd recommend putting them in the fridge for about 30 minutes before cooking so they stay formed.
Mix it all together, and using a mini cookie scooper, scoop out 1 ounce, 1-½" meatballs.
Sear the meatballs in a skillet, then finish in the oven until they're cooked through, about 10 minutes.
Serve with this yogurt and arugula combo, or serve with tzatziki! That would also be good!
How to make chimichurri
My favorite chimichurri/salsa verde recipe is made with parsley, scallions, olive oil, lemon, capers, and a bit of red pepper flakes. The full recipe lives here.
To make this homemade chimichurri/salsa verde, you will need:
- 1 bunch of parsley
- 3-4 scallions, roots and green parts discarded
- ½ cup of olive oil
- zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons of capers (drained)
- Apple cider vinegar as needed
Combine all the ingredients except the apple cider vinegar in a food processor until smooth. Then taste, and if it needs a little more tang, add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, and pulse once or twice to finish.
Drizzle on top of your lamb meatballs and serve!
Frequently asked questions
How do I store these keto lamb meatballs and how long will they last?
- Store in a sealed Tupperware in the fridge.
- These will keep for 3-5 days.
Can i make this recipe spicy?
- Sure! Add 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the ground lamb mixture when you're mixing it all together.
How do I get meatballs to not get dented/deformed when i cook them?
- If you want your meatballs to keep their round shape, I'd recommend putting them in the fridge for about 30 minutes before cooking so they stay formed.
How do I make this recipe Whole30 compliant?
- Don't add any dairy or breadcrumbs to the meatball mixture, and serve it without a yogurt moat.
Can I substitute pork, chicken, or beef for this recipe?
- Absolutely! Pork would be really good.
If you like this recipe, check out my other main course recipes!
📖 Recipe
Lamb Meatballs with Salsa Verde
Ingredients
Ground Lamb Meatballs
- 1 pound of ground lamb
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 Pinch red-pepper flakes
- 1 Pinch cayenne pepper or to taste
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chimichurri
- 1 bunch parsley
- 3-4 scallions roots and green parts discarded
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 lemon the zest and juice
- 2 tablespoons capers drained
- ¼ cup Apple cider vinegar
To serve
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 ounces Arugula
Instructions
Lamb Meatballs
- Preheat the oven to 400F
- In a bowl combine your 1 lb lamb, 1 egg, and 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1 teaspoon of ground coriander, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper, and mix with your hands to thoroughly combine.
- In an ovenproof skillet, heat a little bit of oil and let the pan get hot. Using a spoon or small cookie scooper, portion out 16 one ounce, 1” meatballs and sear them on all sides - about 1 min total. They won’t stay perfectly round, but it will be okay.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook until cooked through, about 10 minutes.
Chimichurri
- While the meatballs are finishing in the oven, in a food processor, combine your 1 bunch of parsley, 3 scallions, ½ cup olive oil, zest and juice of 1 lemon, 2 tablespoons of drained capers, and a splash of apple cider vinegar.
- Pulse a few times to combine.
To serve
- On a platter or on individual plates, smear a layer of greek yogurt on the plate. Then place the meatballs on top, followed by a sprinkling of arugula. Then drizzle the salsa verde -- about half of what your recipe yielded -- on top, and serve.