Grilled Moroccan Meatballs with Yogurt Sauce
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Spice things up with these grilled Moroccan meatballs, seasoned with warm spices and cooled down with a creamy yogurt sauce—every bite is packed with flavor!
I have a late-night habit of scouring the Internet for gently used cookbooks to add to my collection. I always find great buys—books with stunning photography that look like they’ve barely been cracked open. It’s such a treat when they arrive on my doorstep, like a little gift to myself! One of my recent treasures is Curtis Stone’s What’s for Dinner? I’m slowly cooking my way through the book, and this dish has quickly become a family favorite.
It comes together in a snap: ground beef mixed with spices, fresh herbs, egg, panko, and garlic, then grilled into succulent meatballs. Served with couscous and a refreshing yogurt-cucumber sauce, it’s a quick, easy, and delicious meal that’s just perfect for a spring or summer night.
“Served these for a dinner party and they were an absolute hit! I doubled the recipe as I knew I had some hearty eaters coming, and I’m glad I did – my guests gobbled them up!”
What You’ll Need To Make Grilled Moroccan Meatballs
- Egg & Panko: Work together as binders to help the meatballs hold their shape while keeping them light and tender.
- Garlic, Cumin & Allspice: Add depth and warm, earthy Moroccan flavor.
- Fresh Cilantro: Brings a bright, herbal note to the meatballs (optional).
- 85% Lean Ground Beef: The perfect balance of flavor and fat for juicy meatballs.
- Vegetable Oil: Used for grilling to prevent sticking.
- Cucumber, Yogurt, Lemon Juice & Fresh Dill: Come together to make the cool, creamy sauce that brightens and balances the spiced meatballs.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Combine the egg, garlic, cilantro, cumin, allspice, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Mix until well combined.
Add the ground beef and panko bread crumbs.
Mix together with your hands until just combined.
Use a 1/3 cup measure to portion out the meat and shape into discs.
Preheat your grill to medium-high heat and grease well. Place the meatballs on the grill and cook for about four minutes per side, until charred and no longer pink in the center. As they cook, the centers will dome slightly, creating nicely shaped meatballs.
Meanwhile, make the yogurt sauce by mixing the yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice, fresh dill, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
Serve the meatballs over couscous, topped with the yogurt sauce.
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Grilled Moroccan Meatballs with Yogurt Sauce
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 large egg
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
- 1¼ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1¼ lbs 85% lean ground beef
- ⅓ cup panko
For the Yogurt Sauce
- ½ cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and finely diced
- 1 cup plain low-fat or whole milk Greek yogurt (do not use non-fat)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, from one lemon
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
For the Meatballs
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (about 500°F/260°C).
- Mix together the egg, garlic, cumin, allspice, cilantro, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add the ground beef and panko and mix with your hands until well combined.
- Using a ⅓ cup measure, form 8 disc-shaped meatballs. (They will dome slightly on the grill, forming nicely rounded meatballs.)
- Lightly dip a wad of paper towels in vegetable oil and, using tongs, carefully rub over the grates several times until glossy and coated. Grill the meatballs, covered, for about 4 minutes per side, or until they are nicely browned on the exterior and no longer pink in the center. Transfer the meatballs to a serving plate and let rest for 3 minutes. Serve with the yogurt sauce and couscous, if desired.
For the Yogurt Sauce
- Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Comments
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One of my favorite recipes!! We make this at least once every few weeks, and we always double the amounts. We don’t have a grill so we cook these in the oven at 500° (about 20 min, I think). We make enough to have leftovers the next night, but I confess they’re not as good reheated. Still love them, absolutely a staple in our house.
Hi Jen! These are one of our all-time favorite foods. ❤️ I would like to make them for company. Do you think I could prep the meatballs ahead of time and then grill them later? If so, how far ahead do you think I could prepare them? ( A day? A few hours?)
Thanks for all you do to keep my family and friends so very well fed! Whenever I make one of your recipes for guests, someone ALWAYS requests a copy.
So glad you like these! It would be fine too assemble them up to a day ahead. Hope your company enjoys them as well. 😊
Yes, you should try this recipe combo with the special yogurt sauce … it’s absolutely delicious and has an irresistible fragrance.
So yummy!!!
Can’t wait to try this! Can these be cooked in an air fryer, and if so, what temp and time?
Hi Francesca, I don’t have an air fryer and have never used one, so I can’t say for sure whether or not these will work in one – sorry I can’t be more helpful!
“holy shit this is good” – my husband
Can I use lamb instead of beef?
Yep!
Many compliments to the chef! Simply wonderful recipe, easy to make and delicious.
Hi! I love the sound of this recipe.. I need bring an appetizer for a bbq this weekend. Would I be able to make smaller portion sizes of these? Would they transport well if I grill them at home the night before and serve room temp the next day? Thanks so much!
Yes and yes – hope everyone enjoys!
DELICIOUS!! The meatballs and dill sauce are so yummy. Even better the next day for lunch leftovers. Thank you for another great recipe!