These unique Apricot Glazed Lamb Meatballs with Pistachios would be a great spring/summer appetizer for your many potlucks!

I don’t know about you, but I LOVE lamb. My second post ever was on Mediterranean lamb burgers and boy, was I proud of those puppies. The photography was horrible and the recipe wasn’t mind-blowing, but still totally delicious.

I had a random craving for ground lamb recently and instead of burgers, I decided to whip up these Apricot Glazed Lamb Meatballs with Pistachios.

I’m poking around to see what kind of parties I can get invited to if I promise to bring these with me. They’re seriously so so so good. I’m obsessed with the classic mint and lamb combo and these meatballs are speckled with just the right amount.

The sweet apricot glaze is slightly spicy and we can’t forget about the salty crunch from the pistachios… perfection.

Speaking of glaze, my love for Bonne Maman runs deep. I use them for everything from these meatballs to a simple peanut and butter sandwich, which Norah absolutely loves! I used the apricot preserves but they also have quite a few flavors that I had no idea existed. The cranberry-cherry preserves are out of this world!

These would be so perfect for Easter as well! So, if you want to invite me to your party I’ll commit to bringing a big batch of these meatballs and you feed me cookies, kay?

If you’re looking for more meatballs, these Italian Salmon Meatballs are one of my all-time favorite recipes!

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Apricot Glazed Lamb Meatballs with Pistachios

Yield: 18 Meatballs

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 lb ground lamb
• 1 small shallot
• 1/2 cup fresh mint, packed
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 egg, whisked
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/4 cup apricot preserves
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup chopped pistachios

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.
   
2. In the bowl of a food processor, combine shallot, garlic, mint. Pulse until finely minced. Alternatively, you can mince everything by hand.
   
3. In a large bowl, combine the ground lamb with the mint mixture, panko, egg, and salt and pepper. Mix well, but don't over mix.
   
4. Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop out equally sized balls and place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 20 minutes or until internal temperature reaches, 160ºF.
   
5. While the meatballs are in the oven, prepare the apricot glaze. Place a small saucepan over medium heat and add the apricot preserves, vinegar, and red pepper flakes. Simmer until it's slightly thickened and reduced.
   
6. When the meatballs are cooked through, remove from the oven and brush with apricot glaze. Top each meatball with a sprinkle of chopped pistachios and serve on a cocktail pick.

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