Flavourful North African Meatballs with Ras El Hanout
These North African meatballs are not like other meatballs — these are rich, bold, and flavourful.
I serve these when my family come over. Blended with North African spices, you can serve these meatballs as the main dish with flatbreads and plain yoghurt, couscous, or your preferred sides.
If you cannot find the main spice ras el hanout, I have created a homemade ras el hanout, which you can find here.
About Ras El Hanout:
Ras el hanout is a North African spice blend that is full of flavour and boldness. In Arabic, it literally means “head of shop,” meaning it features the best or premium spices offered on the shelf of the shop (top shelf product).
Ras el hanout is a bright concoction of black pepper, ginger, cumin, cinnamon, allspice and more, the blend varies but usually always includes a few key spices such as, coriander, ginger, cumin seeds, turmeric, black pepper, etc.
Tunisian ras el hanout is a bit milder than the blend you might find in Morocco. I like the use the mix of both because I love a kick of spice, and I’ve always had it made with rose petals (a version of how you may find it in many Tunisian blends). So, my version has a slight bold kick — the most important thing to note is to make certain the quality of spices that you use is premium, to ensure your blend comes out amazing.
These North African meatballs are not like other meatballs — these are rich, bold, and flavourful.
- 1 1/2 pounds (680g) minced lamb (or minced/ground turkey)
- 4 large cloves garlic, minced (reserve 1 garlic clove for the sauce in step #6)
- 1 tablespoon Ras El Hanout (*See FAQs)
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, (divided into 1 ½ teaspoons, and ½ teaspoon)
- 1/2 teaspoon red chilli flakes
- 1 small white onion, (chopped)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 tablespoon sumac
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup (40g) panko (or plain breadcrumbs)
- 4 tablespoons dried parsley
- 2 tablespoons pistachios, roasted & lightly salted (finely chopped)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
- 1 large egg
- 1 medium red onion, (thinly sliced)
- 1/2 teaspoon dark brown sugar
- 2 cups (472ml) passata (or crushed tomatoes)
- 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) beef broth or vegetable broth (low sodium)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander leaves/cilantro, (for garnish)
- 2 tablespoons harissa (optional)
- fresh pita bread, lavash (or your favourite flatbread to serve)
Special Equipment: Medium to large ice cream scoop, baking tray, 10-inch cast-iron skillet, large mixing bowl
Yield: Makes 12-15 large meatballs
Serves: 4 to 6 persons
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add the lamb. Then, add 3 large cloves of minced garlic (set aside the remaining minced garlic clove). Add the ras el hanout, black pepper, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, red chilli flakes, chopped onion, coriander, sumac, ground cinnamon, panko, parsley, pistachios, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and large egg.
3. Use a silicone spatula and a fork (or use your hands with food-safe gloves) to blend the mixture evenly. Make sure to mix the spices with the meal well and not to compact the meat.
4. Use a scooper or spoon to shape the meat into large 2 ½ to 3-inch rounds, forming meatballs. *Tip: Dip your fingers into water to help shape the meatballs. Place the meatballs on a large plate until you have at least 12 meatballs.
5. In a large 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, swirling the oil in the skillet to coat it evenly. Carefully, place the meatballs in the skillet, and sear the meatballs on each side about 20-40 seconds each side or until the top and bottoms are crisp and browned. Remember, you are not cooking the meatballs completely, only browning them. Use a metal spatula or tongs to carefully remove the meatballs. Set aside.
6. Leaving the oil and crispy bits from the meatballs in the skillet, place the sliced red onions in the skillet. Add the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt, and the remaining minced clove of garlic to the skillet. Then, sprinkle ½ teaspoon of brown sugar over the onions. Place the meatballs on top of the red onions. Place the skillet in the preheated oven and bake for 17-20 minutes.
7. Remove the skillet from the oven and add the passata to the skillet, pouring some of the passata over the meatballs. Then, add the beef broth. Place the skillet back in the oven and bake for a further 15 minutes.
8. Turn off the oven and allow the meatballs to sit for 5 minutes before removing from the oven. Immediately, garnish with chopped fresh coriander/cilantro or parsley. Serve each plate with a small spoonful of harissa and fresh pita bread, or lavash. Enjoy!
