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A white bowl filled with Moroccan meatballs with a spoon resting inside and some small orange wedges on the side.
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5 / 5 votes

Moroccan Meatballs ~ Kefta Tagine

These Moroccan meatballs, or kefta tagine, are made with spiced ground beef or lamb, and bathed with a buttery saffron-cilantro sauce.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Mains
Cuisine: Moroccan
Servings: 4 to 5 servings
Calories: 372

Ingredients

For the saffron water (you will only need to use 1/4 of this in the recipe; see the LC Note above for other uses)

  • 1/2 teaspoon crumbled saffron strands
  • 1 cup hot water

For the kefta

  • 1 pound lean ground lamb or beef
  • 3 tablespoons crème fraîche or grated beef suet
  • 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin, preferably Moroccan
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, preferably Ceylon
  • 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro

For the sauce

  • 1 medium red onion, grated
  • 2 tablespoons (1 oz) unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup saffron water
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, preferably Moroccan
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
  • 2 to 3 pinches cayenne
  • Pinch of ground turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • 1 cup roughly chopped cilantro
  • 1/2 cup hot water
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
US - Metric

Instructions

Make the saffron water

  • Toast the saffron strands in a warm, but not hot, skillet for just a minute or so. Crush again.
  • Soak the crushed, toasted saffron strands in the hot water and store in a small jar in the refrigerator for up to a week. Pour out 1/4 cup saffron water for use in this recipe and reserve the remaining 3/4 cup for another use (see LC Note above). For longer storage of the saffron water, quadruple the recipe quantities above, pour the saffron water into a plastic ice cube tray, and freeze into cubes. Once they are frozen, shake out the cubes and store in a freezer bag. Each cube will be equivalent to 2 tablespoons saffron water or a good pinch of dried saffron threads.

Make the kefta

  • Combine the ground lamb or beef, crème fraîche or beef suet, paprika, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, nutmeg, cayenne, salt and pepper, parsley and cilantro in a food processor and blend until a paste forms. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minute or until ready to cook.
  • Shape the meat mixture into 24 olive-size balls and place on a plate. If you think you may not have seasoned the meatballs sufficiently with salt and pepper, pinch off a tiny bit of a meatball, sizzle it up in a skillet, and taste it. Season the meat mixture accordingly.

Make the sauce

  • Place an 11- or 12-inch tagine or cazuela or Dutch oven on a heat diffuser, if you have one, over medium-low heat. Add the grated onion, butter, saffron water, spices, salt, 3/4 cup of the cilantro, and hot water.
  • Slowly raise the heat and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer gently to blend the flavors, about 10 minutes.
  • Add the kefta, or meatballs, to the sauce and poach, covered, for 30 minutes, turning them midway through the cooking.
  • Add the lemon juice to the sauce. Taste and correct the seasoning with salt and pepper. Transfer the hot pot to a wooden surface or a folded towel placed on a serving plate and garnish with the remaining 1/4 cup cilantro.
  • Spoon the kefta and sauce directly from the pot onto plates, with warm slices of toasted bread for mopping up the sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 372kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 388mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g