What To Serve With Lamb Meatballs: 8 Incredible Sides!
Home cooks in the know will often choose lamb for meatballs instead of beef.
It’s flavoursome, it’s tender, and it’s juicy, and it makes for deliciously more-ish morsels of goodness, laden with plenty of herbs and spices.
But what are the best side dishes for lamb meatballs?
If you’re planning your next meal and you’re looking for some tasty inspiration, you’ve certainly come to the right place.
What to serve with lamb meatballs
The best side dishes to serve with lamb meatballs include warm Greek orzo with feta and tomato, fattoush salad, toasted pitta breads with humous, couscous with tomatoes and feta, halloumi with pomegranate, Greek pasta salad, and tzatziki.
Read on for more ideas and the best recipes for you to try tonight…
1. Warm Greek orzo with feta and tomato
For a meal that will remind you of sunny summer nights in Greece, dining at the most authentic and traditional tavernas, try this warm Greek orzo with feta and tomato.
Orzo is pasta that’s around about the same size as rice, and in this recipe it’s cooked until tender with ripe, juicy tomatoes, and topped with tangy, salty feta cheese.
Make sure that you sauté the pasta in a little olive oil before cooking, as this locks in some extra flavour.
This recipe takes just 25 minutes, including prep time, so it’s a good fuss free choice that won’t require too much time in the kitchen.
2. Fattoush salad
A fresh fattoush salad is one of my favourite choices for what to serve with lamb meatballs!
Fattoush is a popular dish in Lebanese cuisine, and it involves lots of crunchy salad veggies such as cucumber, red onion, and radish, topped with khubz, a traditional Lebanese bread.
If you can’t find any of this in your local area, pitta bread will work just as well.
You’ll make a simple dressing using garlic cloves, red wine vinegar, olive oil, and freshly squeezed lemon juice.
I love to serve lamb meatballs with fattoush on lazy weekends when the sun is shining and everyone is looking forward to a bright and vibrant dinner.
3. Toasted pitta breads with humous
Serving lamb meatballs as part of a mezze board is always a fun idea, especially if you’ll be entertaining guests who all have different tastes and preferences.
If you like, you can make a variety of humous to add extra colour and flavour to the table.
Some popular examples here include beetroot humous, red pepper humous, and jalapeño humous.
You can make your dips in advance and just pop them in the fridge until you’re ready to serve them. Toast some pitta breads and serve warm.
Easy but so enjoyable!
4. Couscous with tomatoes and feta
Couscous is a great alternative to pasta for serving alongside lamb meatballs.
The combination gives some serious Mediterranean vibes to your meal, and it’s perfect for the summertime.
This recipe for couscous with tomatoes and feta is so stupidly simple that you’ll find it hard to believe that such an incredible side dish took you just 10 minutes!
You’ll gently fry onion and garlic in olive oil until tender, add broth, basil and salt, and stir in your couscous.
Once it’s sat for a short while, you’ll stir through tomatoes, lemon juice, and feta cheese, before garnishing with fresh herbs.
5. Halloumi with pomegranate
The salty, mellow, and slightly tangy flavour of halloumi cheese complements lamb meatballs so well, making it a great choice to be the star of the show in a side salad for your main meal.
Create a serious taste sensation with this griddled halloumi salad with pomegranate salsa recipe.
The addition of fruit really elevates the flavour profile and balances out the deeply savoury tastes of the popular Cypriot cheese and the meatballs.
Best of all, most of the ingredients that you’ll need are store cupboard staples such as honey and garlic, so you probably won’t have to grab too many extras when you visit the supermarket.
6. Greek pasta salad
Everyone loves a Greek salad, right?
You just can’t go wrong with that colourful combination of tomatoes, cucumber, olives, and feta cheese, and it’s another side dish that will instantly transport you to sunny beaches.
Here, we’re going to add pasta to make a filling and substantial side dish that is an appetising choice for what to serve with lamb meatballs.
This Greek pasta salad can be made ahead so it’s less hassle, and I prefer it served chilled.
Don’t forget to add a glass of wine for that summer holiday vibe!
7. Tzatziki
Tzatziki is a deliciously creamy garlic dip that’s perfect alongside Middle Easter flavours, and it’s a beautiful accompaniment for lamb meatballs.
To make it, you’ll add grated cucumber, crushed garlic, and chopped mint leaves to strained Greek yoghurt and mix well.
Make sure that you buy authentic Greek yoghurt, and not ‘Greek style’.
The latter has a thinner, more watery texture, and just doesn’t offer the same satisfaction levels.
The authentic version is also more likely to be free of any undesirable additives, and though it’s often higher in calories, it’s definitely worth it.
8. Creamy mashed potatoes
Let’s round things off here with a more traditional choice for what to serve with lamb meatballs.
Meatballs and mashed potatoes is like a warm hug on a plate.
It’s simple yet delicious, and it’s one of my favourite meals in the colder winter months when you want something that’s satisfying and hearty.
Add plenty of salted butter to the mash, or a swirl of double cream to make it extra luscious.
The best sides for lamb meatballs
As you can see, Middle Eastern and Greek inspired side dishes work so well with lamb meatballs. Choose from:
- Warm Greek orzo with feta and tomato
- Fattoush salad
- Toasted pitta breads with hummus
- Couscous with tomatoes and feta
- Halloumi with pomegranate
- Greek pasta salad
- Tzatziki
- Creamy mashed potatoes
Adding just one or two of these sides to the table will complete your meal, and leave your guests with happy tummies.
For more ideas, take a look at the best sides for meatballs instead of pasta!
