Crispy lamb meatballs with herby feta yoghurt is the best way to welcome spring

To mark the start of a new season (whenever it actually arrives), try this recipe from G Daniela Galarza

Fresh, tender herbs are central to these lamb meatballs (Rey Lopez/The Washington Post)

Is it feeling like spring yet where you are? Do you hear more birds chirping? Are there tender buds on the trees? It’s full-on spring mode where I am, but I have friends in the southern hemisphere who are gearing up for colder days, and I know others who’ve been reveling in warm weather for months now. Time and space still feel a bit nebulous, but at least we have our seasons to ground us.

To mark the start of a new season, I’ve got a new recipe for you. Lamb meatballs, pungent with spring onions and lemony sumac, are served on top of a soft, green sauce made from herbs, feta and yoghurt.

Fresh, tender herbs are central to this dish, because when I think of spring, I think of the first few chives and green onions, the frilly dill and the eager shoots of coriander, just as the first leaf splits into two.

Start by chopping spring onions and dill (or use parsley, coriander or marjoram) in a food processor. Scoop out half of the chopped herbs and add them to a bowl with ground lamb – or, you could use this formula to make mushroom-walnut “meatballs”. Garlic goes in, along with lots of sumac. The tangy spice is especially good with meats, but I use it in salads and stews, too. If you can’t find it, use lemon zest instead.

The meatballs stay tender thanks to the addition of cooked rice or breadcrumbs. I love how, once they’re roasted, the rice or breadcrumbs on their surface crisp and caramelise.

While the meatballs cook, add feta and yoghurt to the herbs left in the food processor. They’ll produce a sauce that’s pale green and wonderfully tangy. It’s great with the meatballs, along with wedges of warm pita. Serve everything family style, for dipping and sharing, or make pita pocket sandwiches by smashing a meatball into halves of pita and drizzling on some sauce.

Sumac adds a lemony tang to these roasted lamb meatballs (Rey Lopez/The Washington Post)

Lamb meatballs with sumac and feta

Active time: 20 minutes | Total time: 40 minutes

Serves: 4

Sumac adds a lemony tang to these roasted lamb meatballs. Cooked rice or breadcrumbs help keep them moist and tender. Served with a dill and scallion feta-yoghurt spread, they make a filling meal.

Where to buy: Ground sumac can be found in well-stocked supermarkets, spice shops and online. Ground lamb can be found at well-stocked supermarkets, or ask a butcher to grind it for you.

Ingredients:

5 spring onions, roughly chopped

1 small bunch fresh dill (30g) or parsley, or a combination, roughly chopped, plus a few sprigs reserved for garnish

455g ground lamb

155g cooked rice or plain breadcrumbs

2 cloves garlic, minced or grated

2 tbsp ground sumac

1 tsp fine salt

½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper

115g feta, roughly crumbled

3 tbsp Greek yoghurt, plus more as needed

Flatbreads, cooked rice and/or salad, for serving (optional)

Substitutes:

Vegan? Apply these flavours to this (or your favourite) meatless meatball recipe. Use a plain non-dairy yoghurt instead of the feta and yoghurt, or make the sauce with silken tofu.

No spring onions? Use chives or skip them and use additional leafy herbs.

No lamb? You could use beef or turkey.

No rice and breadcrumbs? Omit them, but be sure not to overwork the mixture.

No sumac? Use the zest of a large lemon.

No feta? Try goat cheese, ricotta or just make this with yoghurt.

Method:

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 180C. Line a large, rimmed baking tray with foil, if desired.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the spring onions and dill and/or parsley and process or pulse until finely chopped, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

In a large bowl, combine the lamb, rice or breadcrumbs, garlic, sumac, salt, black pepper and about half of the chopped herbs (leave the remaining herbs in the food processor). Using your hands, gently mix everything together and form the mixture into 15 to 20 approximately 1-ounce meatballs. Place them, evenly spaced, on the rimmed baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, or until browned and cooked through.

Meanwhile, add the feta and yoghurt to the remaining herbs in the food processor and process until a bright green sauce forms, about 3 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. If the sauce seems too thick, add 1 more tablespoon of yoghurt.

To serve, spoon the sauce onto a large plate and top with the cooked meatballs. Garnish with sprigs of dill and serve with flatbreads, a salad or extra rice.

How to store: Refrigerated for up to 4 days.

Nutrition information per serving, based on 4 | calories: 417; total fat: 34g; saturated fat: 16g; cholesterol: 110mg; sodium: 995mg; carbohydrates: 16g; dietary fibre: 2g; sugar: 2g; protein: 27g.

This analysis is an estimate based on available ingredients and this preparation. It should not substitute for a dietitian's or nutritionist's advice.

© The Washington Post