Middle Eastern Meatballs. Learned this dish from an Egyptian Grandmother!

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground lamb

Ground turkey is leaner, while ground lamb is often more affordable in some regions.

olive oil

🥗Healthier: avocado oil

💰Cheaper: canola oil

Avocado oil offers a healthier fat profile, while canola is typically less expensive.

chickpeas

🥗Healthier: lentils

💰Cheaper: white beans

Lentils are nutritious and cheaper than canned chickpeas.

potatoes

🥗Healthier: sweet potatoes

💰Cheaper: yams

Sweet potatoes provide more nutrients, while yams can be less expensive.

Wash 2 cups of medium grain rice and set aside to soak for 30 minutes.

Roughly chop 1/2 of a large white onion and set aside.

Chop 1 large red pepper and set aside.

Crush 6 cloves of garlic using a garlic press.

Add 1 cup of cilantro and 1 cup of parsley to the food processor with 2 tbsp of olive oil and blend until well combined.

Run the mixture through a cheesecloth to remove excess liquid.

In a pan, heat olive oil and butter, then brown the vermicelli until golden, about 5 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning.

Add the soaked rice, water, and salt to the browned vermicelli and cook until done.

In a bowl, combine 1 lb of ground beef and 1 lb of lamb with cumin, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and coriander, and mix well.

Add 1.5 cups of the reserved vegetable mixture to the meat and combine well.

Form the meat mixture into meatballs.

Lightly oil a pan and cook the meatballs, simmering on each side for about 5 minutes until nicely browned, then remove from the pan.

For the sauce, add 1 tbsp of olive oil to the pan, then add 3 tbsp of the reserved vegetable mixture and 1 tbsp of tomato paste, stirring to combine.

Add 2 cups of water and 1.5 tbsp of chicken bouillon to the sauce and let it simmer for a few minutes before adding the meatballs back in.

Chop 3 Yukon Gold potatoes and add them to the sauce, letting it simmer for about 35 minutes until the potatoes are soft but not too soft.

Taste for salt and adjust as needed, then add 3 tbsp of parsley before serving.

Plate the dish by placing rice in the center and surrounding it with the potatoes and meatballs.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: