This lamb meatball recipe uses a mixture of ground lamb meat, aromatics, seasonings, and a binding agent. Here are some ideas to personalize your meatballs by altering or adding new ingredients.

• Substitute lamb: If you don’t have ground lamb, substitute the lamb with ground beef or ground chicken. Keep in mind, the flavor will change based on the type of meat you use.
• Adjust the spices: These meatballs are typically made with a spice blend of salt, black pepper, and ground cumin. Instead of cumin, use dried rosemary or dried thyme. For a spicy kick, add cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the meatballs. For a slightly different herby taste, use fresh cilantro instead of parsley.
• Alter the binding agent: In this recipe, the egg is the main binding agent used to keep the meatball together. Optionally, add 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs (panko is great) to the meatball mixture.

Tips for the Best Lamb Meatballs

Lamb meatballs may be incredibly simple to make, but what is a recipe without a few good hacks to make it even easier?

• Mix ingredients well: Make sure to mix ingredients very well so the meatballs hold together when baked.
• Avoid skipping the egg: The egg is a vital part in ensuring the meatballs bind together and don’t fall apart.
• Use a cookie scoop: For easy shaping and to help make equal sized meatballs, use a cookie scoop. Here’s our favorite cookie scoop set. (I use the smallest scoop from this set.)
• Wet your hands: Wet hands with warm water or oil for easier meatball shaping. The moisture prevents the meat from sticking to your hands.
• Mince the parsley well: To avoid large chunks of herbs in the meatballs, mince the parsley into tiny pieces.

Ingredients