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Home » All Recipes » Easy Midweek Meal Ideas » Persian Jewelled Rice and Spicy Lamb Meatballs

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Persian Jewelled Rice and Spicy Lamb Meatballs

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Delicious Persian Jewelled Rice and Spicy Lamb Meatballs – sounds like a wonderful meal, but a lot of hassle, right? Actually no! This impressive meal is a cinch to make and takes just 30 minutes – perfect for a midweek treat or a hassle-free dinner party - promise I won’t tell ;-) #lamb #meatballs #persian #rice

Delicious Persian Jewelled Rice and Spicy Lamb Meatballs – sounds like a wonderful meal, but a lot of hassle, right? Actually no! This impressive meal is a cinch to make and takes just 30 minutes – perfect for a midweek treat or a hassle-free dinner party – promise I won’t tell 😉

Persian Jewelled Rice and Spicy Lamb Meatballs

This year I’ve teamed up with the ‘LAMB. Tasty Easy Fun’ campaign to share my love of lamb and to bring you lots of delicious and easy lamb recipes.

I’ve had the idea to make Middle Eastern spiced lamb meatballs in mind for a while now – My whole family absolutely loved the Italian-style Lamb Meatballs from the ‘LAMB. Tasty Easy Fun’ website, that we reviewed back in January and, as you know, I’m a huge fan of Middle Eastern style food – especially lamb tagines! So the idea of creating Middle Eastern-style meatballs was high on my must try list.

Persian Jewelled Rice and Spicy Lamb Meatballs

Another dish that has been high on my must make dish for some time is a simplified version of Persian-style Jewelled Rice…it’s a beautiful, impressive and incredible tasting side dish, but also a rather complicated and time consuming one…normally. I wanted to see if I could create a version that looked the part and tasted just as incredible, but without the hassle and I am so pleased to have finally come up with an easy peasy version I am happy with.

Easy Persian Jewelled Rice

Put the meatballs and the jewelled rice together and you have a really special meal, but amazingly, it’s actually very simple and only takes 30 minutes from start to finish. Yes, really! The secret is doing everything in the right order…

For a quick and hassle-free approach, make the meatballs first. Then, whilst the meatballs are grilling, make the rice. When the meatballs are done, get them out and leave them on the side until they are needed. Then make the meatball sauce and plop the meatballs in, making sure they are heated through. Done this way, everything should be ready within that 30 minutes and no trying to juggle too many things at once!

Spicy Lamb Meatballs ready for the grill

Don’t be put off by the list of ingredients, it’s mostly spices or things which are very quick to prepare, and quite a few ingredients are repeated (I have separated out the 3 elements, for clarity), so it’s not as complicated as it might first look!

Being so quick and simple, but looking and tasting really good, means this Persian Jewelled Rice and Spicy Lamb Meatballs would be totally possible for a midweek treat, but would work brilliantly for a weekend or dinner party meal too.

Persian Jewelled Rice and Spicy Lamb Meatballs

Actually, I’m quite tempted to make this next time my husband and I have a date night in…(we have two small children so date nights out are as rare as hens teeth) – this ticks all the boxes…delicious, impressive, but quick and easy…and it would be super fun to make together!

If you do want to make this for a dinner party, I would really recommend making the meatballs and meatball sauce ahead of time and prepping all the bits you will need for the rice just before your guests arrive (especially de-seeding the pomegranate! Or make your life eaven easier and just buy the seeds.). This way you can quickly make the rice at the last minute and warm through the meatballs and sauce. You could also serve some more mint, pomegranate seeds and orange peel on the table for everyone to help themselves to extra.

Persian Jewelled Rice

If you want to add a side dish to this lovely meal, I would suggest this simple Middle-Eastern Inspired Salad.

For me the perfect wine for this meal would be a Spanish Garnacha-based Rosé from somewhere like Rioja or Navarra. However if you prefer red, a Grenache/Garnacha based red from Southern France or Spain would work well too.

Persian Jewelled Rice and Spicy Lamb Meatballs

 

If you like my Spicy Persian-Style Lamb Meatballs…

…you might also like:

  • Easy Homemade Meatballs with Tomato Sauce
  • Turkey Tikka Masala Meatballs with Bombay New Potatoes
  • Lamb Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
  • Easy Homemade Swedish Meatballs (IKEA Copycat)

 

Persian Jewelled Rice and Spicy Lamb Meatballs
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5 from 5 votes

Persian Jewelled Rice and Spicy Lamb Meatballs

Delicious Persian Jewelled Rice and Spicy Lamb Meatballs – sounds like a wonderful meal, but a lot of hassle, right? Actually no! This impressive meal is a cinch to make and takes just 30 minutes – perfect for a midweek treat or a hassle-free dinner party - promise I won’t tell 😉
Prevent your screen from going dark
Course Main Course, Meatballs
Cuisine Fusion, Middle Eastern, Moroccan, Persian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 847kcal
Author Eb Gargano

Ingredients

Metric - US Customary

Spicy Lamb Meatballs

  • 700 g lamb mince
  • 2 garlic cloves crushed or grated
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons paprika ideally smoked
  • Salt and pepper

Meatball Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons olive or rapeseed oil
  • 1 onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic crushed or grated
  • 2 cm ginger grated
  • 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
  • 1 teaspoon cumin ground, or seeds
  • 2 teaspoons paprika ideally smoked
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 200 ml coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoons tomato puree
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 tablespoons fresh coriander chopped (plus extra for garnish)

Persian Jewelled Rice

  • 2 tablespoons olive or rapeseed oil
  • Pinch saffron
  • 600 ml boiling water
  • 1 onion sliced
  • ½ cinnamon stick
  • 8 cardamom pods gently bashed (use a pestle and mortar or a rolling pin)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 8 semi-dried apricots finely chopped
  • 300 g basmati rice
  • 2 tablespoons mint finely chopped
  • 100 g pomegranate seeds (roughly 1/2 a pomegranate)
  • Zest of 1 orange

Instructions

  • Start by preparing the meatballs. Pre-heat your grill to medium high, then mix together all the meatball ingredients thoroughly with your hands and shape into 30 balls. Place the meatballs on a grill tray and cook for 4 minutes on each side (8 minutes in total). Remove from the grill and set aside until needed.
  • While the meatballs are grilling, make the rice. Start by placing the saffron in a jug and pouring over the boiling water. Next, gently fry the onions in the oil for 3 minutes until softened. Add the cinnamon stick and cardamom pods together with the apricots, and cook over a low heat for 2 more minutes. Add the rice and the saffron-infused water and cook for 8 minutes on a low heat with the lid on. After 8 minutes turn the heat off, but leave the lid on until you serve the rice.
  • While the rice is cooking, make the meatball sauce. Gently fry the onions in the oil for 3 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, ginger, chilli and other spices and cook on a low heat for 2 more minutes. Add the coconut milk and tomato puree, plus a little salt and pepper, and heat until bubbling. Gently drop in the meatballs and heat until bubbling again, spooning the sauce over the meatballs to coat them. When bubbling, stir in the chopped coriander and remove from the heat.
  • Place the rice in a serving bowl and top with the mint, pomegranate seeds and orange zest, serve with the meatballs and any other side dishes you fancy, such as my Middle-Eastern Inspired Salad.

Notes

Nutrition information is approximate and meant as a guideline only.

Nutrition Facts
Persian Jewelled Rice and Spicy Lamb Meatballs
Amount Per Serving
Calories 847 Calories from Fat 315
% Daily Value*
Fat 35g54%
Saturated Fat 15g94%
Cholesterol 113mg38%
Sodium 435mg19%
Potassium 1198mg34%
Carbohydrates 88g29%
Fiber 6g25%
Sugar 15g17%
Protein 44g88%
Vitamin A 1870IU37%
Vitamin C 10.6mg13%
Calcium 108mg11%
Iron 8.2mg46%
* % Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet
Tried this recipe?I'd love to hear about it! Leave a review in the comments below.

This is a collaborative post with the ‘LAMB. Tasty Easy Fun’ campaign. ‘LAMB. Tasty Easy Fun’ is an EU funded campaign which aims to increase the use of lamb in everyday cooking.  Lamb is often considered difficult to cook, expensive, or something to be saved for Sunday roasts. The aim of the campaign is to demonstrate just how tasty, easy and fun lamb is to cook with every day of the week! 

 

Want more delicious lamb recipes? Find more here…

Love Lamb? Check out my collection of Easy and Delicious Lamb Recipes!

 

Want more delicious and hassle-free midweek meals? Find more here…

20 Delicious & Hassle Free Midweek Meal Ideas

 

Pin Persian Jewelled Rice and Spicy Lamb Meatballs  for later

Delicious Persian Jewelled Rice and Spicy Lamb Meatballs – sounds like a wonderful meal, but a lot of hassle, right? Actually no! This impressive meal is a cinch to make and takes just 30 minutes – perfect for a midweek treat or a hassle-free dinner party - promise I won’t tell ;-) #lamb #meatballs #persian #rice

 

FREE 4 Week Easy Dinners Meal Plan

Have you got your hands on a copy of my meal plan yet? If not CLICK HERE to download a copy of my FREE 4 Week Easy Dinners Meal Plan today!

 

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24 Comments

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Comments

  1. Chloe says

    4th June 2017 at 3:03 pm

    Hi, I do love a meatball dish. The fact that this takes 30 minutes makes it perfect for during the week #freefromfridays

    Reply
    • Eb Gargano says

      5th June 2017 at 9:27 am

      You know me – I love an easy peasy midweek meal, and especially if you can rustle it up in under 30 minutes!! 😀 Eb x

      Reply
  2. Mel says

    5th June 2017 at 2:10 pm

    Oh wow, it looks delicious, Eb! I don’t eat lamb, but I would do something similar with beef or pork meatballs. Yum! Thanks for joining in with #FreeFromFridays.

    Reply
    • Eb Gargano says

      5th June 2017 at 9:13 pm

      Sad to hear you don’t eat lamb, but yes this would work well with beef of pork too. Eb x

      Reply
  3. Mandy says

    6th June 2017 at 9:00 pm

    Looks like a great dish Eb. I particularly like the rice and I ALWAYS buy pre-seeded pomegranate seeds these days. I helped cater for a friend’s wedding once and had to get the seeds out of enough pomegranates to feed 80 people. Never again.

    Reply
    • Eb Gargano says

      7th June 2017 at 12:10 pm

      Oh my goodness??? Pomegranates for 80 people – I’m surprised you even want to look at a pomegranate again…I would buy the pre-seeded except the whole ones just look so pretty in the photographs! But I’ve seen a few tips on FB recently about how to de-seed them so it’s not as tricky as it used to be!! 😀 Eb x

      Reply
  4. Melissa Novotny says

    7th June 2017 at 3:37 am

    My mother and my husband both make this and it is excellent. Always much appreciated by guests.

    Reply
    • Eb Gargano says

      7th June 2017 at 12:17 pm

      It’s a great meal – so tasty and so easy peasy!! 😀 Eb x

      Reply
  5. Monika Dabrowski says

    7th June 2017 at 11:27 am

    There is so much flavour in this recipe, in all of its components, they must be so delicious together. I always like fruit in savoury dishes and I love the apricots in this recipe.

    Reply
    • Eb Gargano says

      7th June 2017 at 6:28 pm

      They really do work well together – the flavours compliment each other so well! And yes, me too – I love dried fruits in pilafs and tagines especially. Eb x

      Reply
  6. jenny paulin says

    7th June 2017 at 11:10 pm

    ok so please do not hate me, but we don’t like lamb in my house! I have tried making meatballs and shepherds pie, but neither dish was successful! BUT I appreciate how delicious looking your meal is, and as always so quick and easy to make. x

    Reply
    • Eb Gargano says

      9th June 2017 at 10:27 am

      Haha – I definitely don’t hate you, Jenny!! A shame you don’t get on with lamb in your house, but thanks for your kind comments about my recipes 🙂 Eb x

      Reply
  7. emma says

    8th June 2017 at 2:46 pm

    This sounds so good and don’t pomegranate seeds just make things look beautiful! #freefromfridays

    Reply
    • Eb Gargano says

      9th June 2017 at 10:37 am

      Thanks Emma – oh yes, pomegranate seeds are a food blogger’s best friend – I through them on everything I can!! 😀 Eb x

      Reply
  8. Kirsty Hijacked By Twins says

    8th June 2017 at 3:17 pm

    What a beautiful looking meal! I love lamb meatballs and the rice looks deliciously tempting with the pomegranate seeds x #CookBlogShare

    Reply
    • Eb Gargano says

      9th June 2017 at 10:39 am

      Thanks Kirsty – I love it when food looks good as well as tasting good, and this is certainly one of those meals!! It would make the perfect easy peasy dinner party 😀 Eb x

      Reply
  9. Louise Fairweather says

    9th June 2017 at 1:10 pm

    My husband would be very happy with this on a date night – sounds delicious #cookblogshare

    Reply
    • Eb Gargano says

      13th June 2017 at 9:45 am

      Haha, thanks Louise 😀 – so would mine! Eb x

      Reply
  10. Corina says

    9th June 2017 at 2:01 pm

    It sounds delicious Eb and a little similar to the meatballs I’ve just made too – I’ll have to have a go at the jewelled rice next time as I’m always a bit lazy with rice. Thanks so much for sharing with #CookOnceEatTwice as well x

    Reply
    • Eb Gargano says

      13th June 2017 at 9:45 am

      Thanks Corina – the jewelled rice is so worth making – it’s really very quick and easy to do, but the flavours are amazing! Eb x

      Reply
  11. Janice says

    6th May 2019 at 9:18 am

    Persian Jewelled Rice was excellent and very simple to make. I served it with your Chicken Shawarma and loved it.

    Reply
    • Eb Gargano says

      7th May 2019 at 10:04 am

      Yay! Thanks so much for this lovely comment, Janice. Delighted to hear you liked it so much. Eb 🙂

      Reply
  12. Ruth says

    25th May 2022 at 9:27 pm

    Hi can I freeze this?

    Reply
    • Eb Gargano says

      26th May 2022 at 8:41 am

      The meatballs and sauce, yes – absolutely! You can also freeze the rice if you are careful to follow food safety rules around freezing and reheating rice (e.g. https://www.food.gov.uk/safety-hygiene/home-food-fact-checker#rice) However, for best results, I recommend you don’t add the mint, orange zest and pomegranate seeds to the rice until you serve the rice. Hope that helps! Eb 🙂

      Reply

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Hi and welcome to Easy Peasy Foodie! I’m Eb – a professional blogger, busy mum and passionate foodie and it is my mission in life to make cooking EASIER and MORE DELICIOUS! READ MORE

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