Baked meatballs with onions & herb yoghurt

An oven dinner with plenty of flavour

These beef meatballs bake alongside wedges of red onion, leaving you free to prepare the yoghurt sauce and a side. Cumin, smoked paprika and parsley bring warmth without making the dish especially hot. The sauce adds freshness at the table.

A shallow roasting tin works better than a deep casserole dish. Leave a little space around the meatballs so hot air can circulate. For a double batch, use two trays rather than squeezing everything into one.

The secret to tender meatballs

Soak the breadcrumbs in milk before mixing them with the mince. This soft mixture helps the meatballs stay tender. Mix just until everything is combined; kneading the mince heavily can make the texture dense.

Dampen your hands lightly and divide the mixture into 16 pieces. Keeping them a similar size helps them cook evenly. The meatballs will be delicate before cooking, so use a broad spoon or spatula to turn them.

Build a meal around them

Serve four meatballs per person with roasted potatoes, couscous or warm flatbreads. Add cucumber and tomato salad for crunch. For a sharing supper, put the tray in the middle with a bowl of yoghurt sauce and let everyone assemble their own plate.

To make the onions softer and sweeter, keep their root ends intact when cutting wedges; they hold together better on the tray. If the edges colour too quickly, tuck them closer together rather than increasing the oil.

Swaps and useful notes

• Use lamb mince instead of beef for a richer flavour, keeping the same safe doneness check.
• Replace parsley with mint, or use a mix of both.
• Use suitable gluten-free breadcrumbs and check your side dishes if avoiding wheat.
• To avoid milk, soak the breadcrumbs in an unsweetened dairy-free alternative and use a suitable yoghurt alternative for the sauce.

Can I freeze them?

Freeze the cooked meatballs separately from the yoghurt sauce. Portion them in small containers, label them, and follow our cooling, freezing and reheating guide. A little tomato sauce or water in the reheating dish helps keep them from drying out. Make the yoghurt topping fresh for a better texture.