This one pot family favourite will have you eating delicious lamb and feta meatballs in no time. Luscious lemon rice and meatballs only need a salad to make the perfect meal
Grab a pot and in no time you’ll have this lemony rice with olive, oregano and feta, meatball dish. I love the flavours of lemon rice and feta.
It’s quick cooking once you roll up the meatballs. Just serve it with a salad. A Greek salad would be perfect but I also love grilled zucchinis or broccoli a tomato salad or even mixed leaves.
I can’t resist a big dollop of natural yoghurt or making a cucumber and yoghurt sauce like the one here. The flavours are what I’d call Greek. feta, lemon, oregano and lamb. I love these flavours together, what a treat.
This makes a great make ahead meal for a couple of days
If you are into making life even easier this makes the best one pot make ahead. Pop it into an airtight container in the fridge and snack on it if you are busy. It is perfect reheated for lunch and even tastes extra good mixed into an omlette!
Just reheat and serve for dinner with tomatoes, cucmber and extra feta cheese sprinkled on top
The meatballs are a recipe you’ll want to keep making over and over. They are well seasoned due to the feta in them but they are also light because they have the addition of panko breadcrumbs. Make them with beef too!
What you’ll need:
Lamb mince. Although you can make these meatballs with beef the lamb mince gives these meatballs a Sunday roast flavour.
Oregano: The home flavour of Greece
Lemon: this gives a zesty kick to the meatballs and makes that Lemon rice irresistable
Feta: You need Danish feta this adds salty seasoning and creaminess.
Garlic, smoked paprika and lemon zest all add depth of flavour
Panko Crumbs these make the meatballs lighter. These can be substituted with gluten free crumbs if required
Egg Helps the meatballs stay together and prevents crumbliness
This is such an easy dish all you need to do is this:
- Mix the Lamb mince meatball mix and roll the balls
- Seal and colour the meatballs in an oven pot, baking dish or fry pan that has a lid
- Using the same pot sweat off the onions, herbs and garlic and add the washed rice
- Add the stock, lemon juice and zest and bring up to the boil
- Take off the heat and add all the meatballs. Pop the lid on and bake. take off the lid after 20 minutes and bake a further 10 minutes for colour.
Try these one pot meals too!
- One pot chermoula chicken
- African Chicken with spinach and peanuts in one pot
- Pork belly in black vinegar caramel baked in one pot
- One Pot Mexican chicken
Lamb and Feta Meatballs, lemon rice in one pot
Ingredients
Lamb meatballs
- 500 gm lamb mince
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest very finely grated
- 1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 Tablespoon oregano, dried
- 100 gm bread crumbs panko preferred, 1 cup
- 1 whole egg
- 150 gm Danish feta crumbled
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 clove garlic crushed
Lemon Rice
- 380 gm Jasmin rice 2 cups (Aust)
- 200 gm onion, chopped
- 60 ml olive oil
- 350 ml chicken stock
- 100 ml lemon juice about 2 lemons
- 1 tablespoon oregano dried
- 1/4 cup parsley chopped
- 100 gm olives whole or seedless, green or black
Instructions
- You will need an oven proof pot for this recipe. A frypan with high sides or a classic baker. You could also use a baking tray that is about 28 x 13cm (12 inches x 7 inches). Cover with a lid or foil. Preheat the oven to 180C or 350 F.
- In a medium sized bowl mix the lamb mince crushed garlic, egg, spices, breadcrumbs and 3/4 of the crumbled feta and a pinch of salt and mix thourghly with your hands till combined .
- Crumble the remaining feta over the top and gently combine (This is so that some small lumps remain when the balls are rolled)
- Roll the balls into walnut sized balls. You should get about 36 total
- Put 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the oven pot and add the meatballs about 10 at a time. Turn them over getting some colour on them. They don't need to be cooked through just with some nice colours. Set them aside while you prepare the rice
Lemon rice
- Finely dice the onion and crush the garlic
- Wipe out the pot with some kitchen paper if it has a lot of burnt bits. I tend to keep the bits and pieces because they add flavour. If your mince is particularly fatty though you might want to get rid of some fat.
- Add the onions and garlic and cook till softened then add the herbs, olives and *washed rice rice along with the stock and juice. Stir then bring up to a simmer. Turn off the heat and add all of the meatballs.
- Put the lid on the pot and put into the oven. Bake for 20 minutes. Open the oven and take off the lid. Cook a further 10 minutes.
- Serve with salad or vegetables. This is also great with Tzatziki
Notes
Hey,
I must say I was fascinated with your idea and you know I tried it myself but just couldn’t do it the way you did there! What I loved the most was the combination and the way you prepared there. It did taste good too!
I am waiting to read more and try and probably make it till the end. Have a great day,
Thanks once again for sharing such a brilliant recipe.
I make Keftedes (Greek Meatballs) and serve them with tzatziki. Now I can’t wait to try your meatballs cooked with the lemon rice…it sounds great. I’ve pinned the recipe.
This food looks so yummy and tasty?. Thanks for sharing all of your helpful advice and instructions.
The meatballs made with feta must have tasted particularly great 🙂 And I really love the idea of serving it with lemon rice. A perfect one pot meal!
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yes Angie. The feta makes them extra delicious