Description
Turkish Meatballs in Yogurt Sauce is a flavorful dish featuring tender, spiced meatballs served in a creamy, tangy yogurt sauce. The addition of Aleppo pepper and Urfa Biber adds a unique heat, while the spicy olive oil brings it all together.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 slice bread
- 1 pound lean ground beef, or a mixture of beef and lamb
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon Urfa Biber
- 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper, plus more for later
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Pickled red onions, optional, to serve
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For the Yogurt Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 egg
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
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For the Spicy Olive Oil:
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes
Instructions
- Soak the bread slice in water for a few minutes until softened, then squeeze out the excess water.
- In a large bowl, combine the soaked bread, ground beef (and lamb if using), diced onion, minced garlic, parsley, egg, cumin, coriander, Urfa Biber, Aleppo pepper, salt, and black pepper. Mix until everything is well combined.
- Form the mixture into small meatballs, about 1-1.5 inches in diameter, and set them aside on a plate.
- Heat a bit of oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook the meatballs in batches, turning them occasionally until they are browned and cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. Remove the meatballs and set them aside.
- For the yogurt sauce, whisk the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl until smooth. In a saucepan, whisk the egg, Greek yogurt, and broth together. Gradually add the cornstarch mixture, and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- For the spicy olive oil, heat the extra virgin olive oil in a small pan over low heat. Stir in the Aleppo pepper flakes and cook for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Serve the meatballs with the yogurt sauce poured over the top, and drizzle with the spicy olive oil. Garnish with pickled red onions, if desired.
Notes
- You can substitute ground turkey or chicken for the beef and lamb mixture for a lighter version of this dish.
- To make the yogurt sauce extra creamy, use full-fat Greek yogurt.
- For an extra kick, add more Aleppo pepper flakes to the yogurt sauce or the spicy olive oil.
- Serve this dish with rice, pita bread, or a fresh salad for a complete meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 10g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 115mg