Moroccan Lentils with Turkey Meatballs

Name: Moroccan Lentils with Turkey Meatballs
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 5
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 pound ground turkey; 1 egg; ½ cup bread crumbs; 3 tablespoons parsley, chopped; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 1 teaspoon cumin; 1 teaspoon paprika; ½ teaspoon turmeric; ¼ teaspoon ground cloves; ¼ teaspoon cayenne; ½ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon pepper; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 1 medium yellow onion, diced; 3 medium carrots, thinly sliced; 1 teaspoon cumin; 1 teaspoon paprika; ½ teaspoon turmeric; ¼ teaspoon cayenne, (optional); ¼ teaspoon ground cloves; ½ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon pepper; 1 cup green or brown lentils; 4 cups chicken stock; 14.5 ounces petite diced tomatoes (canned); 3 tablespoons parsley chopped,, plus more for garnish

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Moroccan Lentils with Turkey Meatballs - a delicious and hearty meal layered with the most delightful combination of Moroccan flavors! With green lentils, tomatoes, parsley, warm Moroccan spices like cumin, turmeric, paprika, cayenne, cloves, and homemade turkey meatballs. The quickest and tastiest trip to Africa ever!

I’ve been making these warm and hearty Moroccan Lentils with Turkey Meatballs for years now. I got the recipe out of a girlfriend’s cookbook back in the day. Of course, I’ve changed it up and added my own spin on the dish - you know I can’t help myself. These yummy Moroccan Meatballs and Lentils are so comforting and filling, and the flavors are a unique and tasty combination of sweet and savory spices.

You may have noticed Moroccan cuisine has become very popular these days.

Before we get into today’s recipe let’s start with a bit of a geography lesson and background on this unique and diverse country.

Morocco is located at the northern tip of Africa just below Spain. Moroccan cuisine is influenced by their interactions and exchanges with other cultures and nations over the centuries. Moroccan cuisine is typically a mix of Arabic, Andalusian, Berber and Mediterranean cuisines with a slight European and African (south of the Sahara Dessert) influence.

Morocco was well-situated along ancient spice routes, which is why its cuisine is so spice-centric today. “Spice routes” are also known as the Maritime Trade Routes and were some of the very first trade routes. They were a network of sea routes that linked the East with the West. They stretch from the west coast of Japan, through the islands of Indonesia, around India to the lands of the Middle East - and from there, across the Mediterranean to Europe. The principal and most profitable goods they transported were spices - giving the routes their name.

Isn’t that interesting!?? But wait there’s more… Now here’s some insight into their cooking!

The flavor profile of Moroccan Cuisine:

There are so many go-to spices for Moroccan cuisine: cinnamon, cumin, coriander, saffron, turmeric, ground ginger, black and white pepper, cayenne or hot paprika, sweet paprika, aniseed, and bay leaves - but there are still more spices that come into play.

Moroccans love to use lamb, poultry or beef mixed with ingredients like apricots, raisins, olives, prunes, apples, dates, nuts, and honey. All served alongside some preserved lemon and olives, couscous with vegetables, steamed greens and vibrant salads.

Moroccans are known for maximizing their available ingredients and infusing as much flavor as possible into every single bite. Vegetables, starches, and meats are all cooked together to extract and mingle as much flavor as possible. Our friends at Real Simple said it best: “It’s all about layered flavors - Moroccans build layer after layer of flavor, and their biggest arsenal is spices. The way you use them and the portions you use determine the flavor profile you’ll get.”

Today, our recipe stays true to the Moroccan style of cooking… combining ingredients together and layering flavors and spices to achieve the most delicious and tasty all-in-one meal. I think you’re really going to love this yummy lentil stew my friend.

We start with the baked turkey meatball recipe.

Annnd of course, they are infused with plenty of warm Moroccan spices. You can also use ground lamb, or chicken for but my choice for this recipe is ground turkey meatballs.

Ready for some turkey meatballs?

To start, combine the turkey, egg, bread crumbs, fresh parsley, minced garlic, spices and mix it together without overworking it.

Next, form fifteen 2-inch meatballs. (An ice cream scoop sprayed with a little cooking spray works well to help form the meat into turkey balls.)

Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spray each meatball with a spritz of cooking spray and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.

While the turkey meatballs are baking, start the green lentil recipe.

How to cook lentils:

First, saute the garlic, onion and carrots in a little olive oil for 8-10 minutes over medium heat. Then stir in the spices.

Now add your lentils and the chicken stock, bring it to a simmer, and cook for 18-20 minutes uncovered.

Finally, add in your tomatoes, meatballs, and parsley and continue to simmer for 10 more minutes.

Top it all off with more fresh parsley, and serve.

The vibrant flavorful spices, the hearty filling lentils and the tender zesty meatballs all come together to make this one scrumptious dish.

I’m excited for you to try these Moroccan Lentils with Turkey Meatballs – a delicious and hearty meal layered with the most delightful combination of Moroccan flavors! And if you're looking for more flavorful Moroccan recipes check out this Cedar Plank Harissa Smoked Salmon or this Low Carb Lemon Harissa Chicken!

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Yield: 5 servings