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: Acts as a binder to help the meatballs hold their shape.
- Garlic: Adds depth and a pungent flavor to the meatballs.
- Cumin and Allspice: Provide warm, earthy flavors that are characteristic of Moroccan cuisine.
- Fresh Cilantro: Brings a bright, herbal note to the meatballs (can be omitted based on taste preference).
- 85% Lean Ground Beef: Offers a good balance of flavor and fat, making the meatballs juicy.
- Panko: Japanese breadcrumbs that help keep the meatballs light and tender while also acting as a binder.
- Vegetable Oil: Used for grilling, it helps to prevent sticking and adds a slight richness to the exterior of the meatballs.
- Cucumber: Adds a fresh, crisp texture and mild flavor to the sauce.
- Yogurt: Serves as the creamy base of the sauce; choose low-fat for a lighter sauce or whole milk for richer flavor.
- Lemon Juice: Provides acidity, brightening up the sauce and balancing the richness of the yogurt.
- Fresh Dill: Infuses the sauce with a sweet, grassy flavor that pairs well with the other ingredients.
- 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 combining the yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice, fresh dill, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
Mix to combine.
Serve the meatballs over couscous, topped with the yogurt sauce.
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Grilled Moroccan Meatballs with Yogurt Sauce
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!
Ingredients
For the Meatballs
- 1 large egg
- 3 garlic cloves, 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 pounds 85% lean ground beef
- ⅓ cup panko
- Vegetable oil, for grilling
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 degrees).
- 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.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The meatballs can be frozen for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to serve them, reheat them tightly covered in a 300°F oven, until hot in the center.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 418
- Fat: 27g
- Saturated fat: 9g
- Carbohydrates: 9g
- Sugar: 3g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 34g
- Sodium: 1028mg
- Cholesterol: 152mg
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.
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This has become one of my go-to recipes. The allspice flavors the meat perfectly. Instead of a ball shape, I make mine oblong and flatten each side. After I grill them, I tell the eater to cut their “meatball” horizontally, so you end up with two pieces. We then put the sliced meatball in pita and top with the yogurt sauce. If I have hummus, we add that too along with veggies. Whenever I make this, I double the recipe and freeze half. I shape the meat first, freeze it on a pan, and after it’s thoroughly frozen, store in a ziplock. I thaw it before I grill it, but you might be able to grill them from frozen…haven’t tried that. Thanks for a great recipe!
Such an easy, tasty recipe! I especially liked the idea of using the measuring cup to shape the meatballs. They grilled well and did not stick. The yogurt sauce was a hit and the dill gave a special accent flavor. Keep the recipes coming Jenn! I always look forward to your recipes.
Excellent!!! Didn’t have quite enough ground beef so popped a couple of Italian sausages out of their casing and mixed with all the other ingredients. The all spice gives an added flavour that shouldn’t be missed. Served on a naan bread with chopped tomato, onions and the delicious sauce, ceasar salad on the side. A feast! Will be making again.
Our whole family has been enjoying your recipes. We all loved these meatballs. My 5 year old son inhaled them. I used the oven instead of a grill. Worked out great!
I made these as instructed, in the oven as suggested in the comments and they turned out great! Even the picky kiddo liked them!
Hi,
These look amazing. We are have a large group for dinner and I was wondering if I could cook these on the griller an hour or so before required and then heat up in oven. Or will this dry them out too much?
Hi Miranda, You can but I’d undercook them on the grill — that way, they can finish cooking in the oven and won’t dry out. Hope everyone enjoys them!
This recipe received raving reviews at the table for our Resurrection Day meal, even from the kids! I used grass fed ground lamb instead of ground beef, omitted the cilantro, and served it alongside soft unleavened bread, vegetables, and rosemary garlic roasted potatoes. We found the dish to be a refreshing alternative to ham for the holiday.
A huge hit! I made this for a crowd of 10 of varying ages (18 months to 75 years including some middle schoolers) and everyone thought it was outstanding! I did half beef and half lamb and it worked out perfectly. I say the cilantro is a must, or at least some fresh herb like parsley. The yogurt sauce paired perfectly. I made a chopped salad (cukes, tomatoes, tri color peppers, lemon juice and feta) which went really well. The meatballs reheated really well the following day for lunch.
Hi Jenn ,
Can I substitute half of the ground beef with lamb? I am planning on baking and the finishing with a quick broil. If use the lamb how should I alter the cooking time? Thanks!
Sure Elizabeth, you can use a combination of beef and lamb. The cooking time should be about the same. Enjoy!
Is it possible to make and freeze the meatballs before grilling them? Would freezing them affect the flavor or texture?
They should freeze nicely Hildy. Hope you enjoy!