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Lean on your pantry to make flavorful, ultra-tender Harissa Meatballs. Using a combination of ground chicken and pork, plus a panade, is key to creating juicy homemade meatballs. Simmer the browned meatballs in a luscious coconut-harissa sauce with a can of chickpeas, then serve it all over rice or with naan to soak up the saucy goodness.
An Easy One-Pan Dinner
I’m a big proponent that simplicity is often best when it comes to cooking. A streamlined ingredient list means you can taste each component—especially when you use high-quality ingredients.
Aside from keeping things simple, this recipe also uses a few foolproof techniques for creating tender, moist and flavorful meatballs. The first technique being a panade—which I also use to keep my Spanish Meatballs moist and tender.
A panade is a paste made of bread and liquid (usually milk) that gets added to the ground meat mixture. It works two-fold in meatballs—binding the meat together and retaining moisture. The function is similar to breadcrumbs, but with better results.
The second technique is a great one-pan trick. Brown the meatballs then remove and set them aside, adn use those flavorful drippings to build the sauces. This adds flavor and cuts down on pans to clean. The meatballs will cooked through as they simmer in the sauce.
Finally, grate the onion instead of dicing it. By grating it, it essentially dissolves into the dish, infusing it with flavor but not adding crunchy texture.
A Simple List of Ingredients
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Ground meat: you’ll need a pound each of ground chicken and ground pork.
- Sandwich bread: two slices of sandwich bread are the basse of the panade. I use whole-wheat but you can use any kind. Just avoid anything overly seedy.
- Canned coconut milk: a few tablespoons are used for the panade in the meatballs and the rest is used for the sauce they are simmered in.
- Harissa: Harissa is a spicy Tunisian chili paste made from roasted hot peppers, garlic, cumin, coriander, caraway and olive oil. It’s commonly used served with couscous but it also adds depth and flavor to soups and stews. You can typically find harissa sold in glass jars in the Middle Eastern or Mediterranean section of the grocery stores.
- Garlic powder and onion powder: both are used in the meatballs. Use a high-quality brand, like Frontier Co-op for the best flavor. Both of these spices are a quick and easy way to add loads of flavor without any work.
- Olive Oil: just a tablespoon to brown the meatballs in.
- Onion: use a yellow onion here. It gets grated and is the base of the creamy harissa sauce.
- Tomato: a large slicing tomato or beef steak tomato is what you’re looking for here. It adds body to the sauce.
- Garlic: one large clove is all you need. It gets thinly sliced for a mild garlic flavor in the sauce.
- Chickpeas: a can of drained chickpeas gets added towards the end of the cooking. They’re tender, creamy and bulk up the dish just a bit more.
How to Make this Meatball Dinner Recipe
- Make the panade in a large mixing bowl by mashing together the bread and a few tablespoons of the canned coconut milk. It should be a paste!
- Add the ground meat, harissa, garlic and onion powder and salt. Mix to combine, I just use my hands for this.
- Scoop the meat mixture using a #24 scoop (red handled) or 3 tablespoons each, and roll into balls.
- Brown the meatballs in a bit of oil in a large sauté pan or enameled cast-iron braiser over medium heat. This will take 4 to 5 minutes, then transfer the meatballs to a sheet pan or plate
- Use the drippings in the pan to cook the grated onion and diced tomato. Once the vegetables have softened, add the sliced garlic and cook 1 minute then add the harissa and cook another minute.
- Stir in the remaining canned coconut milk and bring the sauce to a simmer. Stir in the meatballs then pour the drained can of chickpeas over top (no need to stir them in!). Cover and cook for 7 minutes, stirring halfway through.
How to Serve It
My favorite way to serve these harissa meatballs is in a bowl with some cooked jasmine rice and topped with either cilantro leaves or sliced green onions. It’s fabulous served with naan—the perfect carb to sop up all the luscious sauce—or with couscous.
For a bright and crunchy side dish, I’ll often serve the meatball dinner with my crisp Celery Salad with chives or my popular lemony Fennel Salad—both are insanely simple.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
These harissa chicken meatballs store SO well! Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
I’ve had great success freezing them for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator (or in the microwave) then reheat gently on the stovetop.
Harissa Meatballs with Chickpeas
Description
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Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 pound ground pork
- 2 pieces whole-wheat sandwich bread
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can coconut milk, divided
- ½ cup harissa, divided
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, grated on a large-hold box grater
- 1 large tomato, chopped
- 1 large clove garlic, sliced
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- Cooked rice and cilantro, for serving
Instructions
- Tear 2 pieces of bread into bite-sized pieces and add to a large mixing bowl. Add 6 tablespoons canned coconut milk and mash together until a paste is formed.
- Add 1 pound ground chicken, 1 pound ground pork, ¼ cup harissa, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, and 2 teaspoons kosher salt.
- Using clean hands, mix until combined.
- Scoop meat mixture into 27 portions using a #24 scoop (3 tablespoons). Roll into balls and arrange on a sheet pan or plate.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large sauté pan or enameled cast-iron braiser over medium heat. Add meatballs in an even layer (cook in batches if needed to avoid crowding) and cook until browned, about 4 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Transfer meatballs to a plate or sheetpan and set aside. Add 1 grated onion and 1 diced tomato to drippings in now-empty pan; season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Cook over low heat until softened, scraping up any browned bits, about 6 minutes. Add 1 sliced clove garlic and cook 1 minute.
- Add remaining ¼ cup harissa and cook 1 minute. Stir in remaining canned coconut milk; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat then add meatballs and stir to combine.
- Pour 1 can drained chickpeas over top; cover and cook 7 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper then serve over cooked rice with cilantro.
