Harissa Meatballs with Whipped Feta

It’s the big bowl of grocery store wonders such as Hummus and pita bread, olives, and more and topped with a heap of meatballs (also available at the store! SOS life) that have been dipped in a quick harissa/ olive oil/ lemon paste and baked to juicy, crisp perfection, along with roasted peppers, zucchini, and then a spicy, salty, tangy garlicky feta for an extra creamy kick to each bite.

It’s pretty when I write it out, but each bite is complicated and delicious. Nearly everything is available in the store, and you only have two jobs to complete: roasting a meatball and a vegetable sheet pan and making a block of feta.

Ingredients You Need To Make This Happen

Here’s a quick-fix list of ingredients:

• meatballs
• harissa paste (it typically is sold in a jar and is usually found in the “global foods” section at several supermarkets)
• bell peppers
• zucchini
• Hummus
• pita
• Feta

This massive bowl of goodness is yours if you’ve got olive oil, S&P, and garlic.

How To Make This Bowl Come Together

What is happening here is that the meatballs, peppers, and zucchini are all roasted in one pan.

Indeed, this isn’t an excellent method to go about it, but you want every vegetable to be cooked to excellence. If you’re particularly concerned about your zucchini, you are welcome to put it in its pan to ensure the roasting of specific zucchini. However, I have found it the most efficient (and delicious) to put the zucchini in the same pan, not for the entire time but during the final few seconds of cooking. If there’s a method of doing something that gives the same fantastic result, I’m all for it. In this instance, all-in-one-pan is the way to go.

The Whipped Feta Is a Must-Make

The only other “active” cooking step here is to mash up a chunk of Feta cheese in the mini chopper or food processor ( I love this one (affiliate link)) until it is a smooth, spreadable, dollop-able delight that you may be tempted to add on anything from now on.

What recipe is this? What combination of flavors, this texture heaven? This recipe is for those who are big on taste. A lot of color, a lot of puckery, a lot of salt, an excellent quantity of heat from that harissa sauce… More than anything else, please.

If you want to eat this, you can slice it up with your fork, hop inside with your pillowy pita, and swoop it into the Hummus. Top it with a meatball and a few vegetables, then do one last dunk in the whipped feta to make it to the next level. (10/10, I would suggest.)

HARISSA MEATBALLS WITH WHIPPED FETA: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What kind of meatballs that are available in the store are you recommending?

Anything! I’ve tried beef and pork, chicken, and turkey meatballs. I’m thinking vegetarian meatballs could be an excellent vegetarian alternative! This recipe is very adaptable and can be made using pre-cooked meatballs. I’ve also had great success using this recipe using ready-to-eat, UNCOOKED meatballs that you typically find in the meat section. If you are looking for a particular brand, I was awestruck made with ALDI canned, non-cooked Italian-type meatballs (I know, a wrong taste profile, but it was perfect, and the meatballs tasted incredible). I just coated them with the sauce harissa before baking.

I’m able to spare some time. Could I prepare my beefballs to use in this recipe?

Sure! These chicken meatballs baked in the oven are great for this recipe. They also have the best part is that the meatballs are freezer-friendly should you want to make them in advance. Double the formula isn’t the best idea!

Is harissa paste spicy?

It’s not particularly spicy, but the paste packs some heat. I would consider it to be mild+ or medium-degree heat. I left some meatballs without sauce for my daughter to ensure it wasn’t too hot.

I can’t find harissa paste. What other alternatives can I try?

Chili oil, or even Sriracha, can be used instead! Adjust the amount depending on your requirements to ensure you don’t get it too spicy.

Harissa Meatballs With Whipped Feta

INGREDIENTS

Meatballs and Such:

INSTRUCTIONS

Sheet Pan Part 1: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Put the peppers onto the other side of a sheet pan large enough. Drizzle them with oil and add salt. Mix the harissa with olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic powder until you have an easy-to-spread red paste. Cover your meatballs in this sauce (you can make this happen by putting them into an ice cube with sauce if cooked or simply applying the dressing directly to the sheet pan if the meatballs are still raw). Put the meatballs on top of the pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.