lamb smash tacos

the best way to be a protein princess !

hello my protein princesses (and princes amongst us) <333 we’re back on our protein recipes in a hot and sexy way and flavorful way and I thiiiink this might be my favorite one yet. the first time I made these was with just ground beef, lettuce, tomato and mac sauce for a classic burger vibe. but then I got thinkiiiin what else can be done here. lamb! shirazi salad! tahini! sumac! mm mm mm!

these are very reminiscent of arayes - which is also a lamb/meat spiced mix and stuffed in pitas. they’re so good and definitely a favorite of mine to cook in the summer on the grill - they’re the perfect main to batch for a crowd btw. I always get raaaave reviews on them, recipe here!

however, I think these might just become a strong contender for next summer bbq too! especially on a flatop grill/blackstone to batch them up. they’re so light and balanced and perfect to meeeeee

okay so a few things:

• make these with just beef - if lamb isn’t your vibe just use beef. I also love making these burger style with shredded lettuce, american cheese, pickles, diced tomato + onion and an in and out copycat sauce. super fun for summer or big crowds etc.

• if you’re lazy: omit the parsley and onion in the mix and portion 1/4 lb meat straight from the pack on to your tortillas. mix your spices together and sprinkle on top of the meat. this is slightly unhinged but I have done it because I too am often too lazy to get one more mixing bowl dirty. however, I would definitely recommend making it as directed for optimal flavor and distribution (at least once so you can’t shit on me)

• you can half this recipe and just use 1 lb of meat total but meat is usually coming in 1 lb quantities and unless you’re freezing it (and not forgetting about it) while you’re already putting in the effort, may as well prep some meatballs! I usually turn half the finished mix into the smash tacos and the other half as just meatballs (kofta) to have for the next day - win win!!! just form into small oval shaped meatballs, lightly flattening them, and pan frying until browned on the outside and cooked on the inside. covering for 2-3 minutes towards the end if needed!

• for the shirazi salad, I like to dice everything as small as possible so it acts almost as a salsa and gives you alllll the flavor in every bite. you can cut them larger too i don’t really care

• I use these trader joes carb savy tortillas and tbh I love them for things like this - they have 45 calories and 6 g fiber/3 g protein per! I eat these with my turkey rollups for lunch etc.

lamb smash tacos:

• 1 lb ground beef (85-93% works given how juicy the lamb is)

• 1 lb ground lamb

• 1 jalapeno, seeds and white pith removed, finely minced

• 1/2 white onion, grated or finely diced

• 4 garlic cloves, grated

• 3 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

• 1 tsp onion powder

• 1 tsp sweet paprika

• 2 tsp cumin

• 2 tsp ground coriander

• 1 tsp chili flakes

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• 3/4- 1 tbsp kosher salt (I like salt and this was perfect for me, but use less and fry off a piece of the patty once seasoned to see if it needs anything more!)

• lots of freshly cracked black pepper

• 6-12 small tortillas, depending how many you choose to make

• tahini to drizzle (highly recommend including!! if you need an idea to use it up, make my tahini choc banana bread here)

• sumac to serve

shirazi salad:

• 3 persian cucumbers, finely diced

• 2 small tomatoes

• 1 watermelon radish or a handful of regular, diced

• 1/2 red onion, diced

• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh dill

• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

• 1 lemon juiced

• generous sprinkle of dried oregano flakes

• lots of nice olive oil (1/4-1/2 cup ishhhh)

• salt + freshly cracked black pepper to taste

garlicky yogurt:

• 3/4 cup greek yogurt

• 1 large garlic clove, grated

• 1 lemon, juiced

• salt + freshly cracked black pepper

• optional: drizzle with pomegranate molasses and/or sumac

1. for the yogurt: combine all the ingredients together in a small bowl and mix, tasting for salt and lemon. set aside.

2. for the salad: dice all your vegetables then add to a medium bowl, dressing with a nice amount of olive oil - like a really niiiiiiiiice amount. cover and set aside in the fridge as you cook the meat. it needs about 15-20 minutes to marinate together

3. for the meat: combine all ingredients together in a large bowl and mix thoroughly with your hands.

4. set out as many tortillas as you’ll be making. I usually do half of the mix (1 lb of meat) with a little less than 1/4 lb per serving, depending on the size of your tortilla. there should be a nice even thin layer of meat on each, covering the entire surface of tortilla. the meat will shrink once cooked so be sure to cover it all the way to the edge of the tortilla!

5. heat the largest heavy bottomed skillet you have over medium high heat with just a smidge of oil until hot. then, place the tortillas, meat side down, cooking for 5-7 minutes or until deeply browned. I like using a grill press to press them down while they cook for optimal browning, but you can also use a spatula to press them.

6. once golden, flip and cook on the other side for a few minutes until lightly browned. remove and set on a wire rack (if making many, to minimize any sogginess) or a plate if having right away.

7. to serve: add a scoop of shirazi salad to the center of the meat, then a dollop of the yogurt. drizzle with tahini and sprinkle with sumac. yummmmay and delicious and nutritious!!!

yay I hope you try them :* tag me if you doooo

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