Moroccan Meatballs with Pomegranate Glaze can be a festive holiday appetizer, or served up as a main- either way, you’ll love the tasty combination of flavors. Love appetizers? See our 25 Best Appetizer Recipes!
Art washes away from the soulthedust of everyday life. ~Picasso~
Hi friends, hope this finds you well and rested. Just one more celebration to go! You can do it!
Here is a little appetizer inspiration forNew Year’s Eve – a big hit in our catering business. Festive Moroccan Meatballs with Pomegranate Glaze – sumptuous andflavorful and best of all, these easy guys can be made ahead, then reheated in the oven right before your guests arrive.
They also make a deliciousholiday dinner, served over fluffy mashed potatoes, couscous, quinoa, or a bed of seasoned lentils. Make them with ground lamb or beef, your choice. Here, I used lamb.
Our favorite Moroccan Meatballs!
We love this Moroccan meatballs recipe because they are fragrant and bursting with Moroccan Spices! Bathed in a pomegranate glaze, it’s a marriage made in heaven! There is something truly special about cooking with pomegranate that makes your soul come alive. They are so vibrant, potent, mysticaland healing.
If cooking for one or two, know these will freeze well, so save half for later. I promise you won’t forget about them in your freezer, they are that good. 😉
How to make Moroccan Meatballs
To make the meatballs, place all ingredients in a bowl and mix with your hands until well combined. EASY right? You can use ground lamb or round beef.
Using wet hands, form ping-pong-sized balls and set aside. You’ll have roughly 12-16 meatballs.
Make the Pomegranate Sauce!
Heat a little oil in a skillet and brown on all sides lightly over medium heat. Reduce the pomegranate juice at the same time (it takes about 15 minutes).
Cook the Moroccan meatballs, pan-searing in a skillet.
Pour the warm glaze over the meatballs, garnish with fresh pomegranate seeds and herbs and serve as an appetizer with mini forks.
Ways to Serve Moroccan Meatballs
- Serve as an appetizer with mini forks on a platter.
- Serve as a sumptuous main course – think holidays or even Valentine’s Day over fluffy mashed potatoes, rice, couscous or quinoa.
The deep and flavorful Pomegranate Glaze is bright and tangy.
Hope you enjoy!
More Ground Lamb Recipes:
- Turkish Lamb Wraps!
- Middle Eastern Meatball Soup
- Lamb Meatballs with Indian Curry Sauce
- Pastit*io | Baked Greek Pasta with Lamb
- Grilled Lamb Kofta Wraps
- Grilled Lamb Burger with Harissa Aioli
- Grilled Lamb Kebabs with Herb Salad and Yogurt Sauce
- Thai Larb Salad
- Turkish Cabbage Rolls
P.S. Get ready for January “Detox” – clean, plant-based recipes for the WHOLE entire month!
xoxo
Moroccan Meatballs
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- Author: Sylvia Fountaine | Feasting at Home Blog
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 45 mins
- Yield: 16 meatballs 1x
- Category: appetizer, entree, beef, lamb
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: Moroccan
Description
Moroccan Meatballs with Pomegranate Glaze – a festive holiday appetizer or sumptuous dinner served over fluffy cous cous, rice or quinoa.
Ingredients
UnitsScale
MEATBALLS:
- 1 fat shallot, very finely chopped – reserve 1/3 for the sauce.
- 1 lb. ground lamb, beef, or a combo
- 4–5 large garlic cloves, minced or crushed through a garlic press
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup chopped herbs – flat leaf parsley, mint or cilantro or a blend
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, more to taste
- 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup toasted bread crumbs (feel free to use gluten-free bread crumbs
Pomegranate Glaze
- 1/3 of a shallot – finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cup pomegranate juice
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey.
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- pinch salt and pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
Garnish: pomegranate seeds, fresh herbs (cilantro, parsley or mint), or optional toasted pine nuts
Instructions
- Sart the Pomegranate Glaze. In a small saute pan or pot ( do not use cast iron) saute shallot in a drizzle of olive oil, over medium heat for 3 minutes, or until tender. Add pomegranate juice, a pinch of salt and pepper, maple, balsamic, and allspice. Bring to a simmer, turn heat to medium, then simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until it reduces to ½ cup. Turn heat off.
- While its simmering make the Meatballs, place meatball ingredients in a medium bowl and, using hands, combine well, adding enough breadcrumbs to make them easy to roll into balls.
- Using wet hands, roll them into ping-pong sized balls (about 1 ¾- 2 inches in diameter) and set aside. You should have about 12-16.
- To cook the meatballs: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Working in batches (don’t overcrowd) brown the meatballs, giving the skillet a little shake now and then to roll them around a bit and cook each side. Once browned, turn the heat down to the lowest setting, cover and cook through for just a couple of minutes.
- Place in an oven-proof dish, pour glaze over top and keep warm until ready to serve, or refrigerate and reheat.
- Garnish with fresh pomegranate seeds and herbs.
Notes
The pomegranatejuice may react to a cast-iron or aluminum pan, so use a stainless or enamel pan.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 meatball with pomegranate sauce
- Calories: 156
- Sugar: 4.3 g
- Sodium: 271.5 mg
- Fat: 6.8 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 17.1 g
- Fiber: 1.1 g
- Protein: 7.5 g
- Cholesterol: 41.4 mg
