Harissa Lamb Dinner
Seasoned ground lamb simmered in harissa and tomato with tender chickpeas, finished with a creamy yogurt feta dressing and served with warm naan, peppery arugula, and a fresh cucumber and pepper salad.
Ingredients
Harissa ground lamb
- 2 lbs ground lamb
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup mild harissa sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cups water, plus more as needed
- 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- Small splash of lemon juice (for finishing the lamb)
- Small drizzle of honey (for finishing the lamb)
- Olive oil, for cooking
Yogurt feta dressing
- 1/2 cup full-fat yogurt
- 4 oz feta cheese
- 1 tsp honey
- 2 tsp lemon juice
Fresh cucumber and pepper salad
- 1 Bell pepper, chopped
- 2-3 Garden cucumbers, chopped
- 1-2 tbsp Lemon juice
- 1-2 tbsp Olive oil
- Salt, to taste
For serving
- Fresh arugula
- Warm homemade naan
Instructions
- Prepare the seasoning: in a small bowl, combine the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, coriander, and salt. Mix well and set aside.
- Brown the lamb: heat a little olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground lamb and cook, breaking it apart as it browns. Once cooked through, tilt the pan and carefully drain or spoon off the excess fat.
- Add the seasonings: stir in the prepared spice blend, tomato paste, harissa sauce, and minced garlic. Cook for a couple of minutes to allow the tomato paste and spices to bloom.
- Simmer with chickpeas: add the water and drained chickpeas. Stir to combine, cover, and let simmer. Add more water as needed to keep the mixture saucy.
- Thicken the mixture: lightly mash some of the chickpeas into the lamb.
- Finish the lamb: add a small splash of lemon juice and a drizzle of honey. Taste and adjust as needed.
- Make the dressing: combine the yogurt, feta, 2 tsp lemon juice, and 1 tsp honey. Blend with an immersion blender until creamy. A little feta texture is perfectly fine.
- Prepare the salad: toss chopped cucumbers and bell peppers with lemon juice, olive oil, and a little salt.
- Serve: spoon the harissa lamb into bowls and drizzle with the yogurt feta dressing. Top with fresh arugula and serve with warm homemade naan and the fresh cucumber pepper salad.
Video
Notes
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Choose your harissa carefully. I used a mild Moroccan red pepper sauce from Thrive Market. Harissa varies in heat and flavor depending on the brand, so start with less and adjust to taste.
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Drain the excess lamb fat. Ground lamb can release quite a bit of grease as it cooks. Spoon off the excess fat before adding the seasonings to keep the sauce from becoming too oily.
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Let the spices bloom. Cooking the spices, tomato paste, and harissa with the browned lamb for a couple of minutes helps deepen the flavor.
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Mash some of the chickpeas. Lightly mashing a few chickpeas into the lamb naturally thickens the sauce and helps everything come together.
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Keep it saucy. The lamb mixture will thicken as it simmers, so add a splash of water as needed to keep it moist and perfect for scooping up with naan.
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Make the dressing ahead. The yogurt feta dressing can be prepared in advance and refrigerated until serving. Give it a good stir before drizzling over the warm lamb.
