I have experimented back and forth with these Moroccan meatballs for a long time. This is as close to a beautiful dish I had some time ago in a London, North African restaurant. The secret is to get the level of heat compared to sweetness just right. I often throw these Moroccan meatballs into my Spicy Moroccan Shakshuka. But they are just as good to eat on a bed of couscous with a green salad.

Adjust

If you plan to eat these meatballs as is with couscous or some other grain, then use less cinnamon to adjust the level of sweetness. Or you might have the problem that the cinnamon will overpower the other spices, without the balancing heat from the Shakshuka sauce.

Freezable

Cook the meatballs in the oven and freeze them flat on a cookie sheet, before putting them in to a freezer bag or airtight container. Freezing them flat will allow you to take out just the amount you need for tonight’s dinner. If you are putting them into a sauce no need to defrost them first. Otherwise let them defrost in the fridge, then heat them up in a frying pan, which will also give them a nice golden exterior.

Variations

A variation of meatballs are my plain Almost mum’s Swedish meatballs, which are always a favourite. Another variation is my Mediterranean meatballs made with black olives, sun-dried tomatoes and feta cheese.

Print Recipe

Fragrant Moroccan meatballs

Spicy, fragrant meatballs to eat as is or throw into a Shakshuka

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Total Time40 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Moroccan

Keyword: cumin, Meatballs

Servings: 4 portions

Ingredients

• 1 yellow onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 200 ml milk
• 40 g bread crumbs
• 500 g mince meat
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 -2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp turmeric
• A pinch of chili

Instructions

• Take mince meat out of the fridge and let come close to room temperature.
• Dice the onion and mince the garlic.
• Mix onion, garlic, milk and breadcrumbs in a bowl and let sit for at least 5 minutes.
• Once the mixture has come together in to a sludge add the mince, egg, salt, pepper and all the spices.
• Stir it all together. I will do it using my hands but feel free to use a spoon, just make sure that everything comes together in a smooth batter.
• Wet your hands with cold water and roll the mince batter into round meatballs. Place on a cooking tray, spaced apart.
• Oven cook for 10 mins in the middle of the oven 180 degrees C fan (360F).
• If using a frying pan, add some butter in the bottom of the pan and fry the meatballs on all sides until golden in colour.

Notes

At home we would use a mixture of beef and pork, but I have tried this recipe with everything from beef to pork to turkey and chicken.

If you plan to big batch meatballs, the oven is your friend. They are freezer friendly and fry up on the day you need them.

When freezing, if you have the space in your freezer, freeze them flat on a cookie sheet before putting them into bags or other containers, that will make it easier to take out just a few for a quick lunch or dinner.