Spiced Lamb Meatballs with Fiery Eggplant-Tomato Sauce
Spiced Lamb Meatballs with Fiery Eggplant-Tomato Sauce brings juicy lamb spheres scented with cumin, cinnamon, and coriander together with a robust eggplant and tomato base warmed by chile heat. The sauce turns silky as the eggplant softens, wrapping each meatball in rich, aromatic flavor that pairs well with rice, couscous, or flatbread. Serve for a cozy weeknight dinner or an impressive weekend spread.
- Prep25 mins
- Cook1 hr 30 mins
- Serves4
- DifficultyMedium
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Spiced Lamb Meatballs with Fiery Eggplant-Tomato Sauce, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 55 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 10 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityGood
- 90 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Unprocessed or minimally processed
- 1 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 22
- Heart Health
- 74
- Metabolic
- 42
- Digestive
- 23
- Inflammatory
- 38
- Performance
- 47
- General Wellness
- 1
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- 2
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, combine the eggplant, olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Cook, stirring, until the eggplant starts to soften, about 5 minutes.
- 3
Stir in 1/3 cup onion and red pepper flakes. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring, until the onion softens, about 4 minutes. Add the broth and marinara sauce, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the sauce mixture has reduced by half, about 30 minutes.
- 4
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the bread crumbs, egg, and Greek yogurt until the bread crumbs soak up all the liquid, about 3 minutes. Mix in 1/4 cup onion, garlic, kosher salt, black pepper, cumin, cinnamon, and coriander until evenly combined. Crumble in the lamb and sprinkle with cayenne pepper; mix well.
- 5
Shape the lamb mixture into small meatballs and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
- 6
Bake in the preheated oven until browned but still pink inside, about 10 minutes.
- 7
Remove the meatballs from the oven and stir them into the simmering sauce. Simmer over low heat until the sauce starts to thicken and the meatballs are cooked through, 30 to 45 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a meatball should register 160 degrees F (72 degrees C).
- 8
Garnish the meatballs and sauce with mint to serve.
- Calories 682.98 kcal High 34%
- Protein 28.09 g Good Source 56%
- Carbohydrate 45.26 g 16%
- Total Fat 39.25 g High 50%
- Saturated Fat 14.59 g High 73%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 147.48 mg High 49%
- Sodium 1217.62 mg High 53%
- Dietary Fiber 5.91 g Good Source 21%
- Total Sugars 7.89 g --
- Added Sugars 0.3 g Low Source 1%
- Calcium 169.47 mg Moderate 13%
- Iron 4.17 mg Good Source 23%
- Potassium 481.8 mg Moderate 10%
- Vitamin A 35.08 mcg Low Source 4%
- Vitamin C 21.88 mg Good Source 24%
- Vitamin D 0.25 mcg Low Source 1%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Eggs 🥚
- Milk 🥛
- Wheat 🌾
- Gluten
- Tomatoes 🍅
- Garlic 🧄
- Onions 🧅
About This Recipe
Spiced Lamb Meatballs with Fiery Eggplant Tomato Sauce is made with 19 ingredients and serves 4. It takes about 1 hr 55 mins and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Black Pepper, Bread Crumbs, Cayenne Pepper, and Chicken Broth. Each serving provides about 682.98 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Spiced Lamb Meatballs with Fiery Eggplant-Tomato Sauce made of?
- The main ingredients are Black Pepper, Bread Crumbs, Cayenne Pepper, Chicken Broth, Diced Yellow Onion. The full list of 19 is above.
- How long does it take to make Spiced Lamb Meatballs with Fiery Eggplant-Tomato Sauce?
- About 1 hr 55 mins in total: 25 mins to prepare and 1 hr 30 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 682.98 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Spiced Lamb Meatballs with Fiery Eggplant-Tomato Sauce easy to make?
- This recipe is rated medium, with 19 ingredients and 8 steps.
- Is Spiced Lamb Meatballs with Fiery Eggplant-Tomato Sauce healthy?
- Spiced Lamb Meatballs with Fiery Eggplant-Tomato Sauce has an easyChef Pro health score of 48/100. Per serving, it provides 682.98 calories and 28.09 g of protein, or 56% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of dietary fiber, iron and vitamin C. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 1217.62 mg (53% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 14.59 g (73% of the Daily Value). It contains Eggs, Milk, Wheat, Gluten, Tomatoes, Garlic and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
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