Description
This Moroccan meatballs with eggs recipe features tender lamb meatballs infused with warm spices, simmered in a rich tomato and chickpea sauce, and topped with perfectly cooked eggs. It’s a hearty and flavorful one-pan meal inspired by North African cuisine, ideal for a cozy dinner served with crusty bread.
Ingredients
Scale
Meatballs
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 50g fresh breadcrumbs
- 250g lean lamb mince
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 egg
- ½ tsp salt
- Black pepper, to taste
Sauce and Eggs
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 courgette, thickly sliced
- 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
- 2 tsp honey
- ½–1 tsp ras el hanout spice mix
- 20g bunch coriander, mostly chopped
- 400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 4 eggs (remaining from the pack of 5)
Instructions
- Prepare the onion: Fry the finely chopped onion in 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat until soft and translucent. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly.
- Make the meatball mixture: In a bowl, combine the cooled onion with fresh breadcrumbs, lean lamb mince, ground cinnamon, 1 egg, ½ teaspoon salt, and generous black pepper. Mix thoroughly until well combined.
- Shape and fry meatballs: Using wet hands, shape the mixture into about 24 small meatballs. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a shallow pan over medium heat. Fry the meatballs for about 8 minutes, turning frequently to brown all sides evenly. Once browned, lift out and set aside.
- Cook garlic and vegetables: In the same pan with reserved oil, add sliced garlic and fry until softened. Add the thickly sliced courgette and fry for 1-2 minutes until slightly tender.
- Prepare the tomato sauce: Add the canned chopped tomatoes, honey, ras el hanout spice mix, three-quarters of the chopped coriander, seasoning to taste, and 2 tablespoons of water to the pan. Stir well and cook until the sauce becomes pulpy and slightly thickened.
- Add chickpeas and meatballs: Stir in the rinsed and drained chickpeas, then carefully add the browned meatballs back into the sauce, ensuring they are submerged.
- Cook eggs in sauce: Make 4 small hollows in the sauce, break an egg into each hollow, cover the pan with a lid, and cook over low heat for 4-8 minutes until the eggs are set to your liking.
- Garnish and serve: Scatter the remaining coriander over the dish and serve immediately, ideally with crusty bread to scoop up the delicious sauce.
Notes
- To make shaping the meatballs easier and prevent sticking, keep your hands wet while forming them.
- Ras el hanout spice mix varies in heat and flavor; adjust quantity according to your spice preference.
- You can substitute lamb mince with beef or a mixture of beef and lamb if preferred.
- Serve with crusty bread or couscous for a more filling meal.
- Leftover meatballs and sauce freeze well; reheat gently on stovetop.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Moroccan
Keywords: Moroccan meatballs, lamb meatballs, eggs in tomato sauce, North African recipe, one-pan meal, spicy meatballs, chickpeas, ras el hanout
