Description

Inspired by the traditional Turkish dish Karnıyarık, these juicy meatballs are baked in a savory tomato sauce with roasted potatoes, peppers, and tomatoes—a rustic and deeply comforting plate.

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 lb ground beef or lamb
1 small onion, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 egg
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
2 medium potatoes, cut into thick wedges
2 green bell peppers or Turkish peppers
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp sugar
Salt to taste
1 cup hot water

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
In a large bowl, combine ground meat, grated onion, minced garlic, breadcrumbs, egg, chopped parsley, cumin, black pepper, and salt. Knead until well mixed.
Form the mixture into oval-shaped patties.
In a skillet with a touch of oil, lightly fry the meatballs until browned on both sides. They don’t need to be fully cooked through. Set aside.
In the same skillet, lightly sauté potato wedges and peppers until they begin to soften.
In a baking dish, arrange the browned meatballs, sautéed potatoes, peppers, and chopped tomatoes evenly.
In a bowl, mix tomato paste with olive oil, paprika, sugar, salt, and 1 cup of hot water. Stir until smooth and pour over the contents of the baking dish.
Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10–15 minutes until the top is slightly caramelized.
Garnish with chopped parsley and serve hot with rice or crusty bread.

Notes

Ground lamb adds a more traditional Turkish flavor but beef works just as well.
You can add a few slices of eggplant for an even closer take on classic Karnıyarık.
Letting the dish rest for 10 minutes before serving enhances the flavor.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 plate
Calories: 460
Sugar: 6g
Sodium: 620mg
Fat: 26g
Saturated Fat: 9g
Unsaturated Fat: 14g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 28g
Fiber: 4g
Protein: 28g
Cholesterol: 85mg