Lamb Meatballs with Romesco Sauce

This post is in collaboration with Superior Farms American Lamb. All opinions and statements are 100% my own.

I’m so excited to share this recipe for lamb meatballs with you today! I’ve had the concept on my “to-make” list for a year and it finally came to reality and holy moly, it was AH-amazing!

pile of lamb meatballs with tomato sauce, feta and almonds


 

Lamb meatballs with romesco sauce pairs tender and flavorful mini meatballs with smoky homemade romesco sauce, feta cheese and crunchy almonds. It makes for a fantastic dinner worthy of a special occasion or for the holidays… or just because you are craving lamb.

This is just a bit more involved than some of our typical easy weeknight dishes, but almost all of the elements can be made ahead or frozen (instructions below).

lamb meatball cut in half with a fork

Three Elements

This dish has three elements: orzo, meatballs and the sauce. All three are fabulous on their own, but together, fireworks happen.

overhead of lamb meatballs with orzo and sauce

Lamb Meatballs

I used 2 pounds of ground lamb to make approximately 36 meatballs. I know this sounds like a lot but I will be honest with you people love this dish. They’ll start with three or four meatballs and then they’ll come back for seconds or even thirds.

white bowl of lamb meatballs

Plus, any leftovers can be stored for another meal and the meatballs can even be frozen. I like to use this dish for entertaining large groups. But if you only need to make it for your family of four you can scale it back to half and make 18 meatballs instead of 36 with just 1 pound of meat.

lamb meatballs in a glass dish

Lamb provides the perfect blend of fat, meat and flavor for meatballs. It is one of the reasons it is so common in Italian meatballs and also meatloaf blends.

Orzo Pasta

The orzo is optional, but if you’re serving it is an entrée you’ll want something below to soak up extra sauce and any juices from your meatballs. If you want to use this dish as an appetizer, skip the orzo and go straight to meatballs and romesco sauce.

saucepan of cooked and seasoned orzo

You can also use a pearl couscous, another small size pasta or even rice if you don’t feel like making orzo. Risotto is another good option.

Romesco Sauce

Romesco is a versatile sauce using roast vegetables, nuts, and bread. It can be used on lamb, chicken, seafood, beef or as a dip or spread.

lamb meatball on a fork

It originates from Spain, where the fisherman would serve it with fish or as a dip for spring onions. What makes it stand apart from other tomato based sauces is the addition of almonds, bread to thicken and sherry. The aroma alone will have you drooling and you’ll wonder why you’ve never made it before, but now want it on everything.

how to make romesco sauce


This sauce can be found jarred in specialty shops, but is so much better homemade so you can adjust seasonings.

Superior Farms Sustainably-Raised American Lamb

American Lamb is nutrient dense, providing protein, B12, niacin and zinc and contains monounsaturated fats, the same “good” fats found in olive oil. It also has more omega-3 fatty acids than the same size portion of beef and uses no artificial or synthetic growth hormones during the life cycle.

pile of lamb meatballs over orzo

Make Ahead & Freezing

This recipe does take a little more time and prep than many of our others, but it is totally worth it, especially for a holiday or special occasion. The good news is that you can make nearly all of the elements ahead of time and the meatballs and sauce can even be frozen. The only thing that needs to be made day-of is the orzo and that also happens to be the easiest element.

Lamb meatballs with romesco sauce pairs tender and flavorful mini meatballs with smoky homemade romesco sauce, feta cheese and crunchy almonds. #lambmeatballs www.savoryexperiments.com

Lamb meatballs can be made and frozen raw or cooked. If your lamb meat was previously frozen, I highly recommend cooking them and then freezing. Freeze without the sauce for up to 3 months in an airtight plastic container or bag.

Romesco sauce can be made and frozen for up to 3 months as well. When thawed, heat well and then taste for seasoning. It might need to be re-seasoned with salt, pepper or a fresh splash of sherry to revive its flavor.

lamb meatballs with romesco for pinterest

More Delicious Lamb Recipes:

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closeup of lamb meatballs with sauce
pile of lamb meatballs with romesco sauce

Lamb Meatballs with Romesco Sauce

5 from 5 votes
Lamb meatballs with romesco sauce pairs tender and flavorful mini meatballs with smoky homemade romesco sauce, feta cheese and crunchy almonds.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 minute
Total Time: 21 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients

Lamb Meatballs:

Orzo:

Garnish:

Instructions

Meatballs:

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prep a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
  • In a large mixing bowl, break apart ground lamb into small pieces. Set aside.
  • In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs, parsley, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, sweet paprika and Kosher salt.
  • Sprinkle this blend over ground meat, followed by lightly beaten egg.
  • Toss to combine, but don’t overwork the meat mixture. Roll into 32-36 evenly sized meatballs.
  • Drizzle meatballs with extra virgin olive oil.
  • Bake for 20 minutes or until tops are golden brown.
  • Remove from oven and using a slotted spoon, place on a paper towel lined plate.

Orzo:

  • Cook dry orzo according to package directions for ad dente. When pasta is done, drain and immediately return to hot saucepan.
  • Toss with butter, ground black pepper and Kosher salt.

To Assemble:

  • To plate, start with a generous spoon of cooked orzo, top with 4-5 lamb meatballs, a spoonful of romesco sauce and then crumbled feta cheese and sliced almonds.

Nutrition

Calories: 560 kcal, Carbohydrates: 14 g, Protein: 26 g, Fat: 45 g, Saturated Fat: 16 g, Cholesterol: 119 mg, Sodium: 1148 mg, Potassium: 573 mg, Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 3 g, Vitamin A: 1153 IU, Vitamin C: 12 mg, Calcium: 143 mg, Iron: 4 mg
Author: Jessica Formicola
Calories: 560
Course: Main Course, Main Dish
Cuisine: American, Spanish
Keyword: homemade meatballs, lamb meatballs
Did you make this recipe?I’d love to see your recipes – snap a picture and mention @savoryexperiments or tag #savoryexperiments!
Jessica Formicola in her ktichen

About the Author

Chef Jessica Anne Formicola

Jessica the mom, wife and chef behind Savory Experiments. You might see her on the Emmy- nominated TV show Plate It! or on bookshelves as a cookbook author. Jessica is a Le Cordon Bleu certified recipe developer and regularly contributed to Parade, Better Homes & Gardens, The Daily Meal, Mashed and more!

Read More About Jessica

5 from 5 votes

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Questions and Reviews

  1. 5 stars
    You can never go wrong with a great meatball recipe. We love lamb. What a great change from the traditional beef and pork combination.