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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.
Great and easy recipe!!! I added a blend of Italian seasons I purchased in Italy, a teaspoon of brown sugar, and a bit of red wine after the lamb was browned. Delicioso!
So glad you liked it!
Everything about this recipe was excellent. We made the tumeric rice and homemade hummus.
So happy you loved it!
Every element of this recipe was delicious! I also used your hummus, turmeric rice, and pita recipes which were perfect. The turmeric was a great way to spruce up my day old rice. The pizza stone tip gave me perfect pitas for my first ever attempt. I added some red cabbage and pickled carrots for more color and crunch.
I’m so happy you loved everything!
Love, Love this recipe and I really don’t love lamb. It is so good we eat it twice a month. The presentation is so pretty and so easy it makes a great dinner to make for friends.
I’m so glad to hear that!
OMG I made this for dinner tonight and I am swooning with delight! It’s very delicious and hubby says it’s a keeper. I only made one minor change sort of. I didn’t have fresh mint so I used about 1 1/2 tsps of dried mint. I also made the turmeric rice to serve with it and the bowls look so pretty. I will be making this again and again.
I’m so happy to hear that Judith!
This is on heavy rotation at our house! I spent a year in the ME and this captures those flavors nicely. Thank you for sharing. Fabulous recipe!
So glad you love it!
Loved this recipe!!! I added Zahtar to the lamb, one of my favorite lamb seasonings along with a little cumin. Used goat cheese instead of feta also. Served with jasmine rice and orzo. This was a hit last night for dinner and for lunch again for hubby!
So happy you loved it!
I had to prepare this with couscous and more toddler-friendly (less spices etc.) and even then it was sooo delicious. The lamb and hummus are perfect together. Also a big hit with my one year old. Next time – and there will be a next time soon 😉 – I‘ll make the bread as well.
I’m so glad you loved it!
Winner….Winner…Mediterranean Lamb Bowls for dinner!
These are great…making them again today.
I put the mint on the side as some find it overpowers the lamb.
Such a beautiful presentation too.
Thanks for the recipe!
So happy you loved it Louise!
Wow! The flavors in this dish are phenomenal! Most flavorable rice I’ve ever made, and the lamb delish!
So glad you love it Amber!
Winner Winner Ground Lamb Dinner! This was an instant hit! Have made the rice three times, tonight is the second time for the complete meal 🙂
I am so glad to hear that Deb!
We love lamb, and I am always looking for a new recipe to use the inexpensive ground lamb I can get here. This tastes like something you would get in a restaurant — have made it several times already, as written, except have served it with tumeric cous-cous (available at HEB here in TX). Highly recommend.
Hi Marian, I’m so happy to hear that!
Very tasty. Adding this to rotation of weekday dinners 🙂
So happy to hear that!
So delicious! The whole family loves it!
Wonderful!
absolutely delicious! Will recommend and make again
So glad to hear that Rae!
Delicious. A little heat balanced with hummus and vegetables. Will make this again.
So glad you loved it Janice!
So easy and delicious. The turmeric rice was the perfect paired with the lamb. I was a little concerned that the lamb would be gamey but the spices made it wonder delicious.
I’m so happy to hear that!
Purchased ground lamb for the first time in my life and fortunately found your recipe! I made the lamb bowls, the turmeric rice and the hummus recipe. WOW! My family of seven raved about the food. My husband said he’s never had a better meal!
Thank you!!!
Wonderful, I am so happy to hear that!
This was delicious. First time for me cooking minced lamb, followed the recipes, which is unusual for me. Shared with a friend and granddaughter, they liked it too.
So glad you loved it Sandra!
so tasty!! we really enjoyed this recipe – we substituted sour cream instead of Greek yogurt and it was delish.
So glad you loved it Kaley!
Wow! I made this today! So good! I didn’t have pepper so I used cayenne and I had no mint on hand. I did have peppermint herbal tea in bags, so I made do with that substitution and reduced by half since it was dry rather than fresh. I will certainly be making this again. Thanks for an awesome recipe!
Wonderful! I am so happy you loved it!