Recipe

Zesty Turkey Meatballs with Couscous Salad, the dinner that earns its keep.

Kieran By Kieran
25 June 2026 · 1 min read
Prep 20 mins Cook 30 mins Serves 4 Medium
Turkey meatballs served alongside a lemon and mint couscous salad with peas and radishes, with a yogurt dipping sauce

0

Calories

0g

Protein

0g

Carbs

0g

Fat

Per serving (makes 4).

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Forty-two grams of protein, a bright lemony couscous salad, and meatballs that actually stay together. This one punches well above its effort level.

Turkey thigh mince keeps things leaner than beef while still giving you enough fat to stay juicy, and the mint-lemon combo running through both the meatballs and the yogurt sauce is the kind of move that makes people ask what your secret is. Make the full batch and you've got four solid meal-prep containers sorted for the week.

Mint, lemon, yogurt: a sauce so good you'll want to put it on everything else too.

Method

Soften the base. Heat 1 tbsp. of oil in a frying pan over medium heat and sauté the onion for 5 minutes. Add the chilies and garlic, then continue for another 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl and leave to cool for 5 minutes.

Build and chill the meatballs. Add the turkey mince, half the mint, half the lemon zest and 1 tbsp. of dry couscous to the bowl. Season with salt and pepper, mix well and shape into 16 meatballs. Pop them in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Start the couscous. Put the couscous in a bowl with the remaining lemon zest. Pour over the hot stock, cover and set aside for 15 minutes.

Cook the peas. Blanch the peas in a pot for 2 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Make the yogurt sauce. Mix the yogurt, minced garlic, the remaining mint and half the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, then set aside.

Finish the salad. Fluff up the couscous with a fork and mix in the remaining lemon juice, peas and sliced radishes. Season to taste.

Fry the meatballs. Heat the remaining 1 tbsp. of oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry the meatballs for 10 minutes, turning regularly until browned. Cover with a lid and cook for 5 more minutes on low heat, until thoroughly cooked.

Serve it up. Serve with the couscous salad and yogurt.

Chef's tips

  • Meal-prep ready. This is a four-portion recipe built for the week. Divide the meatballs, salad and sauce into containers and you're set.
  • Keep the sauce separate. Store the yogurt sauce in its own container so the couscous doesn't go soggy overnight.
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Kieran The chef

Kieran

Chef of 15 years, nutrition coach, and the one actually cooking your meals in Hawke's Bay. More about Kieran

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