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These Mediterranean Lamb Bowls are an easy and healthy ground lamb recipe with exotic Mediterranean flavors to spice up dinner any night of the week!
Have you ever tried to make a ground lamb recipe? Lamb isn’t as popular in the U.S. as it is in some other countries, but don’t let that deter you! If you’ve never tried it, you may be wondering what lamb tastes like.
What does ground lamb taste like?
Lamb has a great, meaty flavor – a stronger flavor than beef. It really has a distinctive taste unlike anything else. Some people would call it gamey, but not in an unpleasant way.
What spices and herbs go best with lamb?
The classic herb to mix with lamb is mint. However, lamb is used in many different cuisines. It is a popular choice in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean foods. Because of that I decided to use the same spices I used in my Grilled Lamb Kofta Kebabs. In that recipe I used Aleppo Pepper, but due to the conflict in Syria, where Aleppo Pepper comes from, that spice hard to find. Instead, I substituted paprika and red pepper flakes. I also added allspice and ground ginger.
To make an easy dinner, the Mediterranean Lamb Bowls have vibrant Turmeric Rice, fresh tomatoes and cucumber, hummus, feta cheese and some pita bread on the side. It’s a complete meal in a bowl!
If you want to really go all out, you can make the hummus and pita from scratch using my Easy Hummus and Homemade Pita recipes. But if you want to use store bought, that will work too. This actually makes a quick dinner if the hummus and pita are already made!
Mediterranean Lamb Bowls
Ingredients
For Spiced Ground Lamb:
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup finely diced onion
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped plus more for garnish
- 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped plus more for garnish
For Bowls:
- 1 cup Turmeric Rice or other rice of choice
- Spiced Ground Lamb
- 1 tomato diced
- 1 cucumber peeled and diced
- 1 cup hummus homemade or store bought
- 1 cup feta cheese
- 2 pita bread optional, for serving
Instructions
To Make The Spiced Ground Lamb:
- Heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Add olive oil.
- When oil is hot, add onions and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes, until starting to soften.
- Add ground lamb. Brown lamb until cooked through.
- Add paprika, allspice, red pepper flakes, ginger, salt and pepper. Mix until fully combined, cook for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in fresh herbs.
To Assemble Bowls
- In a bowl, layer Turmeric Rice, then top with some of the spiced ground lamb, tomatoes, cucumbers, hummus and feta. Sprinkle with more fresh mint and parsley if desired.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So good and very quick and easy
So glad you love it!
Excellent recipe! Used my own Lebanese 7 spice with the lamb mix and added pickled onion with a drizzle of tahini and homemade tzatziki. No pictures as plates licked clean. The rice was very flavorful.
So happy you loved it!
Hi- this looks delicious! I actually have some Aleppo pepper- could you tell me where to sub it in? Or should I add some to the recipe as written? Thank you!
Hi, you could probably use it instead of the red pepper flakes!
Absolutely fantastic flavor and the tumeric rice was the perfect compliment. I added some CINNAMON to the meat mixture at the end of cooking to add to the warmth and complexity fo the flavors.
My husband loved it and, rare for him, asked me to make it once a week!
So glad to hear that!
Cant wait to try your recipes..
Literally my go-to lazy meal. Easy to make but packed full of flavor.
A delicious and light dinner. This was an easy recipe to pull together. I will add some tzaziki next time.
We loved this recipe and the homemade hummus. Will definitely be making this again!
So glad loved it!
We loved this dish.
So happy you loved it!
Outstanding! Full of flavors and easy.
So happy to hear that.
This was a fantastic recipe! I made the hummus recipe linked from this recipe and used fresh herbs throughout. The combination of flavors was so satisfying! This recipe is going into regular queue! Thank you!
So glad you loved them!
You have “1/4 cup fresh mint and flat leaf parsley, chopped plus more for garnish”, but I don’t find them used in the recipe. I only find them used as a garnish.
Hi Bob, it is in step 4: “Add paprika, allspice, red pepper flakes, ginger, salt and pepper. Mix until fully combined, cook for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in fresh herbs.” you stir in the 1/4 cup each of mint and parsley there, then garnish with more at the end.
This was packed with amazing flavors! I would definitely make again. Served on the turmeric rice linked and made homemade hummus. Very satisfying meal. Fresh mint, cilantro and cherry tomatoes top this off perfectly.
First time I have made it. Was Delicious!!
SO happy to hear that you loved it!
Delish, this is a keeper, the flavors surprisingly robust.
I buy gyro meat, it’s like a halal Steak-um, at my local international market normally. I tried this because it started pouring rain when I was going to grill lamb burgers. Thank God for the rain. This was delicious and I am not sure if I’ll buy the premade stuff again!
So happy you loved it!
Excellent! I did add some toasted pine nuts to the lamb mixture. Also combined the tomato, cucumbers, feta, olive oil and a bit of lemon juice so some of the juices could soak into the rice. So good! Thank you
Love this recipe. Won’t change anything
This was huge hit with hubby and kids!! Thank you!!!
Delicious! great combination of flavors and textures.