Mini Lamb Skewers with hummus and parsley onion salad makes a perfect appetizer, especially during the holiday season.
I love bringing a little of my own culture and heritage into any meal I prepare. Lamb is a huge part of Lebanese cuisine and such a special dish to share with friends. This is a variation of the more traditional hummus with fried meat, I took it one step above to create mini lamb skewers perfect to pick up and enjoy one bite at a time.
This post is sponsored by the American Lamb Board. All ideas and opinions are my own.
Cut of Lamb
There are so many amazing cuts of American lamb and it’s important to choose something that will cook quickly and remain tender. While these skewers are marinated, they’ll also just be seared on high heat to get a nice crust. Boneless leg of lamb is melt in your mouth tender and has amazing flavor. Any local butcher will be able to cut a piece for you as large or small as you would like. For this appetizer recipe we’re going to need one pound. They’ll be cut into 1″ chunks to create mini skewers that are easily enjoyed by guests.
Marinade for an hour or overnight to get the optimal flavor.
Use small 4″ skewers to make these perfect appetizers.
Ingredients
First and foremost, we’re going to start with delicious and incredible quality of American Lamb. American Lamb has optimal flavor and freshness that can’t be compared. I also like to support my local ranchers here in Oregon. Other star players in this dish include:
A simple marinade for our lamb loin bites will ensure the a deeply flavored dish. Lamb is such a bold meat that combining it with a fresh parsley salad with bright lemony sumac is very refreshing.
A simple salad of parsley, red onion and sumac brings out the flavor in the lamb.
A quick sear in a hot pan for several minutes is all these little skewers need.
Cooking Lamb
If you’re lucky to be living in a warm area this time of year, grilling these skewers would be incredible! However, a hot pan and a few minutes will also create a depth of flavor. Since our American Lamb Loin is going to be cut into smaller pieces, cooking time will be a flash. 3-4 minutes and you’re ready to serve.
Garnishing Lamb
A very traditional Lebanese dish is seasoned ground beef or lamb topped on hummus, the lemony flavor and creaminess helps to balance the rich flavor. This time of year it’s wonderful to elevate simple dishes. Adding these mini lamb skewers to a creamy plate of hummus is an incredible way to present this dish. Top with the lemony sumac, parsley onion mixture and toasted pine nuts for the perfect flavor profile.
Perfect dish to serve for a party.
Whether you choose to serve these as an appetizer or double to make it a full meal, you will certainly enjoy the simplicity and elegant flavor these American Lamb Skewers will bring.
I hope you enjoy this recipe and are able to share this holiday season. As always, I love seeing your creations. Please leave a review or share your dish with me on social media. You can find me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest. For more delicious recipes to your inbox, sign up for my newsletter!
Simple, elegant lamb skewers make a perfect holiday appetizer.
Ingredients
Scale
Marinade
1 pound American boneless leg of lamb, cut in 1″ cubes
2 cloves of garlic, smashed or minced
1.5 Tbsp pomegranate molasses
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp brown sugar or honey
1 tsp Aleppo pepper
1.5 tsp sumac
1 tsp dried mint
1/2 tsp all spice
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp kosher salt
juice of 1 lemon
Parsley Sumac Salad
3/4 large red onion, sliced
1 cup chopped and cleaned flat leaf parsley
1/2 Tbsp sumac
1 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
Parsley Sumac Salad
Prepare your salad just before you begin cooking your lamb skewers.
Slice your onion as thin as you can and place in a bowl.
Prepare your parsley but chopping finely and cleaning by soaking in water and scooping parsley out and squeezing excess water. Repeat 2 times to ensure no dirt remains on parsley. Add to your onions.
Add in your sumac and salt and gently massage the mixture together until juices are released. Set aside.
Preparing Lamb Skewers:
Begin by trimming your American leg of lamb and cube into 1″ pieces. Set aside.
In a medium sized bowl, combine your marinade ingredients and whisk well to combine.
Place your lamb pieces into marinade, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour up to 24 hour hours. The longer they marinade the more intense the flavor will be.
When ready to cook, skewer your lamb bites onto a small 4″ skewer.
Heat a skillet, preferably cast iron or non-stick with 3 tablespoons of canola or other neutral oil on medium-high heat.
Place your skewers in hot skillet, be careful not to crowd the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side.
Skewers should be nicely seared and browned. Remove from skillet and continue cooking the remainder of your skewers until they are complete. Using a piece of foil, tent your finished skewers to keep warm.
Plate with a layer of hummus and top with parsley sumac salad and toasted pine nuts.
Notes
This recipe makes 15 bite sized skewers, 3 pieces to each one. You may double the recipe if you’d like more of a meal-sized dish
I made this recipe and was able to leave the meat marinating overnight…my family loved it!!! The lamb was so flavorful and tender. I will definitely make this again!
I made this recipe and was able to leave the meat marinating overnight…my family loved it!!! The lamb was so flavorful and tender. I will definitely make this again!
★★★★★
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it, lamb is so tender and delicious!
Xoxo,
Cosette