Muhammara-Inspired Roasted Meatballs

These roasted Muhammara meatballs are bursting with bold Mediterranean flavor—thanks to a smoky red pepper base that takes its cue from my favorite Syrian dip. Honestly, I could eat them straight from the pan with a spoonful of that sauce and call it dinner.

I remember kofte being everywhere when I lived in Turkey. You know how on road trips in the US, it feels like McDonald’s ads are glued to every billboard? Well, over there, it was kofte — not tied to any one brand or restaurant, just kofte everywhere, like it was the star of the show. Like, okay, got it, kofte’s basically the unofficial national flex.

Okay, enough rambling—these aren’t Turkish köfte. Think Syrian-inspired instead, thanks to that rich muhammara twist. I just know you’re going to love them. Let’s get into it.

Recipe Details

First, make a batch of Muhammara. Remove half of the mixture. Save the other half to serve with the meatballs.

Add the ground beef, muhammara, egg, breadcrumbs, mint or parsley, and a pinch more salt into a bowl and mix (with your hands) to incorporate all of the ingredients.

Form your meatballs. I like to use a cookie scoop to make sure each ball is the same size, which means they will all be cooked at the same time.

Place them in an oven-safe skillet or a baking sheet. Cook at 400°F for 18-20 minutes.

What to Serve with Muhammara Meatballs

Serve these juicy muhammara meatballs alongside the muhammara sauce, along with grilled vegetables, shirazi salad (my favorite), or fattoush salad. If you are the kind of family (like mine), then you probably have a few different meats and sides. In that case, I'd recommend making my za’atar chicken thighs with tahini garlic sauce, or kuru fasulye (Turkish white bean stew) as the starter.

Now, I know these Muhammara Meatballs already have an amazing sauce, but who doesn't love sauce? So, I'd also recommend cacik (Turkish tzatziki), or my all-time favorite, herby tahini sauce.

If you make this recipe, please let me know how it turned out in the comments!

Mediterranean Muhammara-Inspired Meatballs

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Juicy Mediterranean meatballs made with muhammara sauce, fresh herbs, and ground beef. Oven-roasted and served with grilled vegetables full of bold, Middle Eastern flavor.

• Author: Ashley
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: Main Course
• Method: Baking, Oven-Roasted
• Cuisine: Middle Eastern–inspired
• Diet: Halal

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 cups muhammara (store-bought or homemade), divided
• 1 lb 80/20 ground beef
• 1 large egg
• ¼ cup breadcrumbs
• 1 ¼ tsp sea salt
• Coarse black pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint or parsley
• Grilled vegetables, for serving
• Remaining muhammara, for serving

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. Line a baking sheet or prep a cast-iron skillet.
3. In a large bowl, combine half of the muhammara, ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, and herbs. Use your hands to mix gently until just combined. Let the mixture rest for 10 minutes.
4. Use a cookie scoop or your hands to form even meatballs, about 2 tablespoons each.
5. Arrange the meatballs on the prepared pan or baking sheet and roast for 18–20 minutes, or until cooked through and lightly browned.
6. Plate the meatballs with grilled vegetables and a bowl of the reserved muhammara.