Warm, comforting, filling. A good cold weather dish.
Notes for Spiced Lamb Pasta Salad
- You can use ground beef, or even chicken or turkey for this dish.
- This is a recipe where it’s super important to season at every step – salt your pasta water, season your lamb while it’s cooking, and season your veggies too. When you season at every step, you’ll end up with a full flavored, delicious plate of food!
Spiced Lamb Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup Orzo Pasta
- 1/4 pound Ground Lamb
- 1/2 Cup Onion, diced
- 1 medium Carrot, diced
- 2 Tablespoons Ginger, grated into a paste
- 3 big cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 Tablespoon Jalapeño, minced (optional)
- 1 teaspoon Red Chili Powder (any you have)
- 2 teaspoons Turmeric
- 1/2 Cup Peas, frozen are fine
- Salt and Pepper
- (Optional) Cilantro, Yogurt, Lime to garnish
Instructions
- Get a pot of water boiling for the orzo. Cook according to directions on package. Set aside.
- Heat a pan over medium heat, and when hot, add a touch of oil or butter and the lamb. Season with salt and pepper, break the meat up and brown well. Don't mix too much or you won't get as much brown color on the meat, and brown = flavor!
- Once lamb is cooked, or just before it's done (it will go back on the heat later), take out of the pan and set aside.
- Add onion, carrot, ginger, garlic, jalapeño, red chili powder, turmeric, and salt and pepper to the pan. Cook until veggies start to become tender, but still have a little crunch, about 8-10 minutes.
- Add lamb and orzo back into the pan, along with your peas (you can add them straight from the freezer). Mix thoroughly and cook just a minute or two longer.
- Serve warm or chilled. Garnish with plain yogurt, cilantro, and/or lime if you like.
