The protein cooking time listed in this recipe has been updated.
As of December 2025, we’ve revised cooking times for all our proteins to reflect improved food safety guidance.
Check out the latest recommended times in our Cooking Guidelines.
Harissa Beef Meatballs, Buckwheat Tabbouleh & Baba Ganoush
Making your own baba ganoush is quicker than you think – all you need is aubergine mezze, tahini and lemon. Dish it up with shawarma-spiced British beef meatballs drenched in harissa and a herby tabbouleh salad and dinner’s done.
Prep in 10
High protein
6 plants
Serving size
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp dukkah (Celery, Nuts, Peanuts, Sesame) (Sesame Seeds, Almonds, Peanuts, Pumpkin Seeds, Hazelnuts, Sunflower Seeds, Poppy Seeds, Walnuts, Celery Salt, Thyme, Coriander, Cumin, Black Pepper, Paprika, Cayenne)
- 1 cucumber
- 2 tbsp tahini (Sesame)
- 2 unwaxed lemon
- 200g baby tomatoes
- 80g baby spinach
- 2 handful of fresh mint
- 500g beef mince (british beef mince (10% fat))
- 1 tbsp sweet harissa paste (Rapeseed Oil, Water, Raisins, Apricot, Capers, Garlic, Balsamic Vinegar, Paprika Flakes, Cayenne Flakes, Salt, Rice Flour, Black Pepper, Oregano, Rose Petals, Ginger, Nutmeg, Turmeric, Cumin, Cardamom, Cloves, Cinnamon, Citric Acid)
- 1 handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 120g buckwheat
- 4 tbsp baba ganoush (Aubergine, Water, Rapeseed Oil, Sunflower Seed, Fine Sea Salt, Ground Coriander, Ground Cumin, Parsley, Lemon Juice Concentrate)
- 1 tbsp shawarma spice mix (Black Pepper, Garlic, Cinnamon, Pimento, Nutmeg, Oregano, Cardamom, Chilli Powder, Clove, Sea Salt)
Nutritional Information
Calories: 523
Protein: 34g
Carbs: 37g
Fat: 28g
Harissa Beef Meatballs, Buckwheat Tabbouleh & Baba Ganoush
Making your own baba ganoush is quicker than you think – all you need is aubergine mezze, tahini and lemon. Dish it up with shawarma-spiced British beef meatballs drenched in harissa and a herby tabbouleh salad and dinner’s done.
Cook time:
30 mins
Cuisine:
Middle Eastern
Food group:
Beef
Allergens: Celery, Nuts, Peanuts, Sesame
Getting hungry?
Find 56 recipes a week just like this one at Mindful Chef, that are all:
Delicious, high quality food - and lots of it
No stodgy refined carbs - no food comas here
Goodness from natural food - full of fibre
Cooking Instructions
- Heat a large saucepan on medium heat, add the buckwheat and toast for 1 min. Fill the pan with salted hot water. Bring to a boil and cook for 10-12 mins, until cooked, then drain and allow to cool.
- Zest and quarter 1 lemon, then cut the remaining lemon in half. Make the baba ganoush; in a bowl, mix together the baba ganoush, tahini, juice from 2 lemon wedges, 2 tbsp water and a pinch of sea salt.
- Make the meatballs; in a large bowl, combine the beef with the shawarma spice, a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Mix and form into 16 meatballs.
- Heat a large frying pan with 1 tsp oil on medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook for 10-15 mins, turning regularly, until golden and cooked through. At the last minute, add the harissa and 1 tbsp water. Gently mix to coat.
- Pick the mint from the stalks and finely chop (save some whole leaves for garnish), along with the parsley and spinach. Finely dice the cucumber. Halve the tomatoes. Combine everything in a large bowl with the cooked buckwheat, zest, juice from 1 lemon (to taste), 1 tsp oil, a pinch of sea salt and black pepper.
- Serve the buckwheat tabbouleh topped with the meatballs and the baba ganoush on the side. Garnish with the dukkah, remaining lemon wedges and mint leaves.
Looking for more recipe inspiration?
Subscribe to our newsletter and get delicious seasonal inspiration and recipes, plus 25% off your first 4 boxes with us!
By signing up to our mailing list you agree to the terms of our Privacy Policy.