Spiced turkey meatballs with herb labneh

Meatball platter for two…or one

Meatball platter for two…or one

Meatball recipe

Makes around 15-18 meatballs, depending on size—double recipe for more

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. ground turkey meat — preferably dark meat (white is fine, dark is just more flavorful and contains more fat)

  • 1/2 small onion, finely minced (about 1/3 - 1/2 cup)

  • 1 clove garlic, crushed or minced super fine

  • 1 egg, beaten

  • 1/4 cup unseasoned bread crumbs

  • A few generous cranks of black pepper

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1/2 teaspoon coriander

  • 1 teaspoon paprika (sweet - or spicy if you like it hot)

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • Oil for frying

  • Chopped fresh herbs: dill, parsley, cilantro, mint, or any mixture of those for serving

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400°. In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients thoroughly. Shape mixture into balls around 1 1/2 - 2 inches in diameter (smaller than golf ball size). It helps to have a small bowl of water nearby to dip your hands into between shaping, so the mixture doesn’t stick. (You can shape the meatballs as much as a day ahead and cook later if you wish — refrigerate meatballs on a tray covered with plastic film.)

  2. Heat a large, oven-safe skillet over medium high heat and pour in enough oil just to coat the bottom of the pan. Put the meatballs in, leaving a little space in between. Fry them, using tongs to gently turn them and brown on all sides, until they are evenly cooked on the outside. If you like nice round meatballs, turn them frequently, not allowing them to sit too long on one side. But if they get flat spots that’s ok too! Once they’re browned, move the skillet to the oven and allow them to cook for another 5-10 minutes until they are cooked through (you can check the middle of one by poking into it with a paring knife and peeking.) Remove and serve immediately with herb labneh sauce and lots of fresh herbs scattered on top.

Herb Labneh* Sauce

  • 1 cup labneh* or Greek yogurt

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1 clove garlic, crushed or finely minced

  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

  • 1 squeeze lemon juice

Stir all ingredients together and mix. Add more herbs if you like it extra herby! Keeps up to a week in the refrigerator.

*Labneh is a Middle Eastern soft cheese that’s similar to Greek yogurt but thicker and richer. Greek yogurt and quark make fine stand-ins but if you can get labneh, definitely try it!