• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Every Little Crumb logo

  • Mother’s Day Brunch
  • Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Sides
    • Soup
    • Main Meals
    • Healthy
    • Dessert
    • Drinks
  • Eating Out
  • About Me
    • Privacy Policy
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

Home » Recipes » Lamb Mince

Lamb Mince

Published: Nov 4, 2021 · Modified: Nov 8, 2021 by Farah Abumaizar · 10 Comments

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

An easy throw together lamb mince with Middle Eastern spices, the starting point of many of our recipes. You can make a big batch and freeze some for the perfect shortcut for future cooking!

lamb mince in a skillet with a wooden spoon

Recipe originally published January 2020 updated with some photos and a video Nov 2021

What is lamb mince?

Lamb mince is the starting point for a lot of Middle Eastern recipes. We use it to make a simple spiced rice dish, to top cooked eggplant with, top pasta in yogurt sauce with (like one of my favorite throw together meal ever) for shepherds pie, bolognese, to fill kebbe with.

Lamb has a distinct flavor that is enhanced with spice but still kept simple. That being said, you can absolutely follow the below recipe and use ground beef instead of lamb. That’s something we do all the time!

Is lamb mince healthier than beef mince?

It’s close, but according to this article , lamb might emerge victorious. It is fattier than beef, but has good quality fats, with a good ration of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. It is also much more likely to be grass fed than beef (which is usually grain fed) which means it’s more digestible and has good quality protein sources.

Ingredients you need for lamb mince:

ingredients you need to make lamb mince

Ground lamb: I usually get lean meat, but you can get whatever you prefer

Onions: I often have red onions on hand, but any onions will work. Dice the onions finely so they incorporate well into the meat.

Garlic: Minced garlic gives great flavor to the cooked lamb

Olive Oil: to cook with

Spices: A classic Middle Eastern spice in seven spices, a combination of allspice, black pepper, cinnamon, ground cloves, cumin, ground coriander, and white pepper.

If you can’t find it (although it’s available online and in Middle Eastern supply stores), feel free to substitute any mixed spices you like or all spice.

We also add ground cinnamon, salt and pepper. As always, once the meat is finished cooking taste and adjust seasonings if you feel it needs more salt or pepper or mixed spices.

How to make Middle Eastern lamb mince:

  1. In a large skillet over medium high heat, add the olive oil. Once hot, add the diced onions and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened, stirring continuously.
  2. Add the crushed garlic, and cook for a further minute or so, then add the minced lamb.
  3. Cook for a minute, breaking apart any clumps of meat with a wooden spoon, cooking, a good 6-8 minutes until lamb is all cooked through and brown with no pink bits remaining. Keep stirring and breaking apart clumps of meat- you can even use a potato masher to break the meat apart a little.
  4. If desired, drain any extra fat. Add all the spices (seven spice or all spice, cinnamon, salt and black pepper) and stir to combine. Taste the mince and adjust for seasoning.
lamb mince in a skillet with a wooden spoon

How to keep minced meat from clumping:

I don’t like big clumps of meat, so I’m very vigilant to keep breaking it apart as it cook with a wooden spoon. Tip: I sometimes even use a potato masher and squish the meat until it breaks apart. You want the minced to be evenly textured and bite sized.

That’s about it! I usually make a big batch, same as the recipe quantities below, so that I can freeze at least half of it for use in other recipes. Makes prep so much easier in the future!

How to store minced meat:

Cooked minced meat will last for three days tightly covered in the fridge.

weighing out lamb mince to freeze

How long does frozen cooked minced meat last in the freezer?

It lasts up to four months, tightly covered. I like to weigh out individual portions (however much I’d typically use in a recipe- like 300-500g (up to 1lb) and keep them in freezer safe Tupperware or freezer bags, labeled with the date I froze them. Then, I can thaw individual portions either overnight in the fridge, or in the microwave right before using.

Can I make this recipe with ground beef instead?

Yes! You can swap out ground beef and nothing else in the recipe will change. You can also do a 50/50 mix of ground beef and lamb.

What can I use instead of 7 spices?

Seven spices are very common in Middle Eastern cooking. If you can’t find them in a Middle Eastern supply shop or online, you can also make your own. Alternately, you can just use all spice or any mixed spice blend you want.

Should I drain the meat of fat after cooking?

That’s a personal choice! Some people like the flavor the fat gives, I prefer to drain it if too much has accumulated. Depends how lean the meat is. If draining, make sure you add the spices after draining so that you don’t lose out on the flavor.

Lamb mince recipes to use up your mince:

Macarona Billlaban

Indian Spiced Shepherd’s Pie

Spaghetti Bolognese

Lamb Mince

Middle Eastern spiced minced lamb that we use in a myriad of recipes. Easy, delicious and very versatile!
5 from 5 votes
Print Pin
Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 300kcal
Author: Farah Abumaizar

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3-4 small red onions, finely chopped
  • 4-6 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 kg ground lamb or beef* about 2 pounds
  • 2 teaspoon seven spices or all spice
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
  • 1-1.5 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  • In a large skillet over medium high heat, add the olive oil. Once hot, add the diced onions and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened, stirring continuously.
  • Add the crushed garlic, and cook for a further minute or so, then add the minced lamb.
  • Cook for a minute, breaking apart any clumps of meat with a wooden spoon, cooking, a good 6-8 minutes until lamb is all cooked through and brown with no pink bits remaining. Keep stirring and breaking apart clumps of meat- you can even use a potato masher to break the meat apart a little.
  • If desired, drain any extra fat. Add all the spices (seven spice or all spice, cinnamon, salt and black pepper) and stir to combine. Taste the mince and adjust for seasoning.

Video

Notes

*The same technique and ingredients are used for either beef or lamb mince, so use whichever meat you most prefer.
You can easily halve the recipe.
Storing leftovers: Leftover cooked mince lasts 3 days tightly covered in the fridge
Freezing lamb mince:
Mince can be frozen for up to four months, tightly covered. I like to weigh out individual portions (however much I’d typically use in a recipe- like 300-500g (up to 1lb) and keep them in freezer safe Tupperware or freezer bags, labeled with the date I froze them. Then, I can thaw individual portions either overnight in the fridge, or in the microwave right before using.

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcal
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @everylittlecrumb or tag #everylittlecrumb!

Did you make this? Tag @everylittlecrumb or hashtag #everylittlecrumb and I’ll share your images!

« Flourless Monster Cookies
Tom Yum Noodles »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jo says

    January 30, 2020 at 5:02 pm

    5 stars
    I love the way you spiced your mince I can almost smell all the spices! Such a fantastic and versatile recipe to have in one’s repertoire as can be used in so many dishes. I will be making a batch this weekend!

    Reply
    • Farah Abumaizar says

      January 30, 2020 at 5:53 pm

      Thanks so much Jo! So glad to need you enjoyed the recipe

      Reply
  2. safira says

    January 30, 2020 at 4:34 pm

    5 stars
    Such a handy recipe and guide especially with Ramadan coming up! Thank you for sharing

    Reply
    • Farah Abumaizar says

      January 30, 2020 at 5:53 pm

      That’s the truth! Can’t wait to post a lot more Ramadan recipes 😋

      Reply
  3. Pam Greer says

    January 30, 2020 at 4:30 pm

    5 stars
    This is such a great recipe to have on hand. We use it for so many things – a favorite is as a stuffing for zucchini!

    Reply
    • Farah Abumaizar says

      January 30, 2020 at 4:30 pm

      One of my favorite uses too!!

      Reply
  4. Veena Azmanov says

    January 30, 2020 at 1:39 pm

    5 stars
    So easy and yet so delicious. Would love to enjoy it at any meals. Would go well on a sandwich or as a Pizza topping too.

    Reply
    • Farah Abumaizar says

      January 30, 2020 at 3:15 pm

      Totally would! Thanks Veena!

      Reply
  5. Romina says

    January 30, 2020 at 1:23 pm

    5 stars
    This is a great guide. I love the recipe for the middle eastern spiced lamb, it’s something we make time and time again!

    Reply
    • Farah Abumaizar says

      January 30, 2020 at 3:15 pm

      So glad to hear that!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Hi, I'm Farah! I've been cooking and baking most of my life. I love Middle Eastern food, and decadent breakfast and desserts. Welcome to my food world!

More about me →

Popular Recipes

  • Halal Guys Chicken and Rice
  • Pink Sauce Pasta
  • Sourdough French Toast
  • Karak Chai

Spring Recipes

  • Lemon Turmeric Cake
  • Chocolate Orange Cake
  • Sweet Potato and Beetroot Salad
  • Creamy Lemonade

Get more stuff

Subscribe to our mailing list and get interesting stuff and updates to your email inbox.

Thank you for subscribing.

Something went wrong.

we respect your privacy and take protecting it seriously

Copyright © 2019 on the Seasoned Pro Theme