Lamb Meatballs with a Trio of Mediterranean Dips

This is one of my favorite dinners that feels fancy but isn't difficult as long as you aren't scared of a little veggie chopping! Next time you want to go to Cava or get takeout, try this instead. All the tips are below!

Prep:

-This is such an easy meal to prep ahead of time and would be great for meal prepping for lunches or dinner for the week as everything can be made in advance!

Tips:

-You could buy all of the dips at the store or a local market if you were pressed for time

-You can make the tzatziki dairy free by using a dairy free sour cream- I like the Tofutti brand which

Leftovers:

-Store everything in an airtight container for 3-4 days

-You could also freeze raw meatballs in a freezer bag for up to 3 months

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The recipe:

Lamb Meatballs with a Trio of Mediterranean Dips

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Serves: 2

For the Meatballs

1 lb ground lamb

1 egg

1 tablespoon mayo

1 tablespoon panko bread crumbs

1 teaspoon paprika

1 tablespoon dill

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

2 cloves of garlic

For the Israeli Salad

For the tzatziki

For the roasted eggplant dip

Instructions:

1. Chop the dill and the garlic for the meatballs, and then combine all the rest of the meatball ingredients in a medium size bowl and set aside

2. For the Israeli Salad, chop the tomatoes, cucumber, and shallot into a small dice and then add in the lemon juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and salt. Toss to combine and set aside

3. For the Tzatziki, first chop the dill. Then, grate the cucumbers with a box grater on the largest setting. Next, put them into a paper towel and wring out all the excess liquid. Then put the grated cucumber into a bowl with the rest of the ingredients to combine and set aside

4. For the eggplant dip, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Then line a small baking pan with tinfoil. Slice the eggplant into half longwise and coat with oil. Place the eggplant cut side down and roast for 30 minutes or until eggplant is very soft on the inside. In a food processor, add the salt, pepper, mayo, and scoop out the inside of the eggplant and add that in (you can use some of the skin or all of it if you want). Pulse until everything is combined and smooth. Place in a small bowl and set aside

5. To cook the meatballs, heat a teaspoon of oil in a cast iron pan until shimmering. Then cook the meatballs until they are deeply golden brown on each side, and until cooked through- about 4 minutes per side (if they are small meatballs lower the cook time)

6. Once all your ingredients are ready, assemble in a bowl and top with some chopped dill

7. Serve and enjoy!