In many countries, lamb is much more popular than pork or beef. It is also in demand among our fellow citizens, and there are more and more admirers of this type of meat. And this is not surprising, since this product serves as the basis for many delicious dishes: baked shoulder, fried loin, barbecued lamb ribs. But not all of our fellow citizens know what is best to serve these wonderful snacks with. Side dishes for lamb can be prepared from different products, but traditionally one of them is considered more suitable for this type of meat, while others are less suitable. An experienced cook will definitely give preference to the first, so that the side dish decorates the main dish and does not spoil it.
Cooking features
Side dishes that go with lamb can be very different. The principles of their preparation are also different. However, there are still several points that should be taken into account when choosing and preparing an addition to a hot appetizer from this type of meat.
- Lamb fat quickly hardens and becomes tasteless. Therefore, lamb is served hot. It is believed that it is also better to choose a warm side dish for this type of meat. In other words, fresh vegetable salads are not considered a good choice in this case.
- Vegetables contain a lot of fiber and organic acids. Thanks to this, they contribute to the good digestion of lamb. Because of this, vegetable stews, as well as baked vegetables, are considered one of the best additions to lamb meat.
- A lot of fiber is also found in cereals. Dishes made from them can also be served as a side dish with lamb meat. It is best to choose cereals and cereals that are most popular in the East. These include rice, bulgur, couscous. However, if you serve buckwheat or pearl barley with lamb, this will not be a big mistake either.
- Dishes made from legumes are very popular in the East. They also taste well with lamb, although they do not contribute to its better absorption. It's a good idea to make a side dish for your lamb with green peas or green beans, as they are easier on the stomach compared to chickpeas, split peas or grain beans. And these products cook much faster.
- One of the most versatile side dishes is potatoes. It also goes well with lamb. It is better to serve it boiled or baked. Mashed potatoes will also work.
Any side dish intended to accompany a lamb appetizer can be supplemented with oriental spices and herbs, and it is better not to skimp on the latter.
Rice as a side dish for lamb
Compound:
- rice – 0.2 kg;
- water – 0.4 kg;
- carrots – 100 g;
- onions – 100 g;
- refined vegetable oil – 20 ml;
- salt, seasonings for pilaf - to taste.
Calorie content of the dish per 100 g: 115 kcal.
Cooking method:
- Rinse the rice thoroughly.
- Scrub the carrots, wash, dry with a napkin and grate coarsely.
- Remove the skins from the onion and cut it into small cubes.
- Pour oil into the bottom of the cauldron, place onions and carrots in it. Fry the vegetables until golden brown.
- Add rice, seasonings and water. Stir. Cover the cauldron with a lid.
- Cook the rice for another 15-20 minutes, without stirring, until there is no liquid left in the cauldron.
The side dish for this recipe can also be prepared in a slow cooker. At the first stage, you need to use the “Frying” or “Baking” program, at the second - the “Pilaf” program or any other program designed for preparing cereal dishes.
Lamb with prunes in the oven
Necessary:
- Lamb meat - 1 kg
- Pitted prunes – 130 g
- Strong hot tea - 1 pc.
- Chopped parsley - 6 tbsp. l.
- Ground ginger - 0.5 tsp.
- Curry powder - 0.5 tsp.
- Nutmeg - a pinch
- Ground cinnamon - 2 tsp.
- Saffron - 0.5 tsp.
- Hot water - 2 tbsp. l.
- Honey - 6 tbsp. l.
- Lamb or beef broth - 250 ml
- Roasted almonds until golden brown - 120 g
- Chopped cilantro - 2 tbsp. l.
- Hard-boiled eggs - 3 pcs.
- Ground black pepper, salt - to taste
Preparation:
1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
2. Place the prunes in a deep cup, pour in strong tea and let stand for 1.5 hours to swell.
3. Wash the lamb meat, cut off the membranes and tendons. Place the prepared meat in a saucepan and add finely chopped onion. Also add parsley, ginger, curry, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and pepper.
4. Cover the saucepan with a lid and place in the oven for 1.5-2 hours until the meat is soft.
5. Drain the liquid from the prunes and add it to the meat.
6. Mix saffron with hot water and pour it, along with broth and honey, into a saucepan with meat.
7. Keep the meat in a saucepan and in the oven with the lid open for 30 minutes. Turn the meat periodically.
8. At the end, add prunes and mix everything.
9. Place the finished lamb on a large dish. Top with toasted almonds and chopped cilantro. Garnish with more boiled egg slices.
Vegetable stew
Compound:
- zucchini – 0.4 kg;
- eggplants – 0.4 kg;
- sweet pepper – 0.4 kg;
- tomatoes – 0.4 kg;
- onions – 0.2 kg;
- fresh basil – 30 g;
- fresh cilantro – 30 g;
- salt, ground black pepper - to taste;
- refined vegetable oil - how much will be needed;
- dry red wine (optional) – 100 ml.
Calorie content of the dish per 100 g: 50 kcal.
Cooking method:
- Wash the eggplants. Without peeling, cut them into thick quarters or halves. Fill with salted water. After 20 minutes, drain the water, rinse the “little blue” ones and dry them with a paper towel.
- Wash the zucchini, cut them into approximately the same pieces as the eggplants. If your zucchini is mature, it doesn’t hurt to first remove the peel and pulp with large seeds.
- After peeling the onion, cut into medium-sized cubes.
- Remove the seeds from the peppers and cut the pepper pulp into square pieces about 1.5 cm in size.
- Heat the oil in a cauldron or thick-walled pan with a high-quality non-stick coating. Place zucchini and eggplant in it. When they are slightly browned, add the onion, 5 minutes after it, add the pepper.
- Pour boiling water over the tomatoes and remove the skins. Cut into small pieces of arbitrary shape. Add to the rest of the vegetables 5 minutes after adding the pepper.
- Salt and season the vegetables to taste. Simmer them over low heat for 7-8 minutes, add chopped herbs, stir.
- After 2-3 minutes, remove the cauldron from the heat.
A vegetable stew prepared according to this recipe is suitable as a side dish not only for lamb, but also for any other meat.
TOP 5 popular side dishes with which lamb is served
Not every side dish and sauce goes well with lamb. In this selection of recipes, we have selected those that will not overpower the taste of the meat, but will only harmoniously emphasize it.
Greek style couscous
Fresh cucumber, tomato, oregano and cheese come together in a flavorful and light couscous-based dish.
✍ Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp. couscous;
- 200 g Feta cheese;
- 1 PC. tomato;
- 1 PC. fresh cucumber;
- ½ bell pepper;
- 1 tbsp. olive oil;
- 1 tsp lemon juice;
- 2 tbsp. water;
- fresh oregano;
- 1 can of small olives;
- salt to taste.
Preparation:
- Pour couscous into a saucepan, add water, add oil and salt. Stirring, bring to a boil and turn off.
- Sprinkle the mixture with lemon juice and leave for 10-15 minutes.
- Cut vegetables and cheese into cubes, olives into rings. Combine with cooled cereal. Mix well.
- Before serving, garnish with oregano.
You can prepare couscous with pumpkin in a similar way. To do this, bake or boil 250 g of pumpkin and combine with porridge.
Baked potato
A classic side dish, combined with rosemary, herbs and black pepper.
✍ Ingredients:
- 1 kg potatoes;
- 1 tbsp. dry (fresh) rosemary;
- ½ tbsp. ground black pepper;
- 2 tbsp. vegetable (olive) oil;
- greens (onion and parsley);
- salt to taste.
Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 200 C.
- Cut the potatoes into large slices and place in a deep bowl. Drizzle with oil, add rosemary and season with pepper, stir.
- Place the slices on a baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes until golden brown.
- Sprinkle with herbs before serving.
Potatoes can be pre-boiled in salted water for 7 minutes, then drained in a colander. As soon as the water has drained, place it in a frying pan with heated butter and rosemary. Fry until done.
Pearl barley with bacon and radishes
A spring-like fresh, simple and satisfying side dish.
See also: Mechanical processing of vegetables, what is it?
✍ Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp. pearl barley;
- 100 g bacon;
- 1.5 tbsp. finely chopped radish;
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice;
- 1 tbsp. vegetable oil;
- 1 tbsp. honey;
- 1 tbsp. green pea;
- ½ tsp. ground black pepper;
- arugula greens;
- salt to taste.
Preparation:
- Boil the pearl barley until tender and cool.
- Add chopped bacon to the heated pan and cook for about 3 minutes until lightly browned.
- Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside. Send radishes in its place. Fry for 3-4 minutes over medium heat.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Add oil, lemon juice and honey to the radishes. Stir. Combine with pearl barley and other ingredients.
Can be served as a side dish or as a warm salad.
Pasta with green beans and ricotta
Creamy ricotta, pasta and fresh vegetables make this side dish super easy.
✍ Ingredients:
- 300 g green beans;
- 150 g ricotta cheese;
- 2 tsp lemon juice;
- 350 g pasta shells;
- 1 tbsp. olive oil;
- 4 things. radish;
- salt to taste.
Preparation:
- Place the pasta in boiling, salted water for 10-12 minutes.
- Stir in cheese and lemon juice. Cut the radishes into thin rings.
- Add frozen beans to the cooking pasta. Cook for 5 minutes. Then drain in a colander.
- Combine all ingredients together, sprinkle with black pepper.
- Serve immediately after preparation.
Any mixed vegetable can be an alternative to green beans.
Baked zucchini
A low-calorie, Mediterranean-style side dish.
✍ Ingredients:
- 6 pcs. young zucchini;
- 1 tsp vegetable (olive) oil;
- seasoning and salt to taste.
Preparation:
- Peel the zucchini, cut into three parts, then cut each part into thick strips.
- Preheat the oven to 180 C. Mix the zucchini strips with salt, oil and spices. Place on a baking sheet.
- Bake for at least 30 minutes. Serve hot. You can sprinkle fresh herbs on top.
You can cook baked eggplants in a similar way. To do this, first soak the eggplants, place them on a baking sheet, place the tomato on top, sprinkle with grated cheese and herbs. Bake for about 40 minutes.
An easy side dish for lamb made from green beans
Compound:
- green beans (fresh or frozen) – 0.4-0.5 kg;
- carrots – 0.2 kg;
- onions – 100 g;
- seasonings - to taste;
- soy sauce – 40-60 ml;
- refined vegetable oil - how much will be needed.
Calorie content of the dish per 100 g: 79 kcal.
Cooking method:
- Wash the carrots and boil them in their skins. Leave it to cool.
- Boil clean water.
- Wash the beans, cut into pieces 2 cm long. If they are frozen, they do not need any preliminary preparation - there is no need to even defrost them.
- Pour the beans into boiling water and cook for 10 minutes. Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water.
- Peel the onion and cut into thin half rings.
- Pour oil into the frying pan, add onion, fry it for 5 minutes.
- Add carrots and beans. Fry the vegetables together for 2-3 minutes.
- Sprinkle the food with seasonings and add soy sauce to them.
- Cover the pan with a lid. Simmer the beans with onions and carrots in the sauce for 5 minutes.
The side dish according to this recipe turns out to be quite light, but at the same time satisfying. All the products included in its composition go well with lamb.
Delicious sauces for lamb
Peanut sauce
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp. walnut kernels;
- 1 tsp mustard;
- 2 pcs. boiled egg yolk;
- 1 tbsp. l. vegetable oil;
- 2 tsp crushed garlic;
- sugar, salt, to taste.
See also: Recipe for homemade Imeretian cheese, how to replace Imeretian cheese
Preparation:
- Grind the walnut kernels with a blender, mix with mustard and two mashed yolks.
- Salt the mixture, add a little sugar, olive oil and garlic. The consistency of the sauce should be like liquid sour cream.
It is better to lightly fry the nuts before cooking, this will reveal their taste. For spiciness, you can add 9% vinegar diluted with water at the end (ratio 4:1).
Tomato sauce
Ingredients:
- 1 PC. bulb onions;
- 2 cloves of garlic;
- hot pepper pod;
- 2 tbsp. vegetable oil;
- 220 g chopped tomatoes;
- 15 pcs. small olives;
- parsley or cilantro;
- salt and sugar to taste.
Preparation:
- Finely chop the vegetables and fry in vegetable oil.
- Add chopped tomatoes (200 g), olives, sugar and salt to taste. Simmer in a frying pan until the sauce thickens.
The sauce based on tomato paste will be no less aromatic. To do this you will need 150-220 g of natural paste. Parsley, basil and mint, 3-4 chopped leaves each, are welcome.
Narsharab sauce
Ingredients:
- 5-6 tbsp. pomegranate seeds;
- 1 tsp Sahara;
- a pinch of salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, black and red pepper.
Preparation:
- Crush the pomegranate seeds with a pestle or juicer.
- Let it cook. As soon as the grains float, strain the juice and return to the pan. Simmer while stirring until the volume is reduced by 2/3.
- At the end of cooking, add salt, sugar, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, black pepper.
It is better to use brown sugar, as it will give the sauce caramel notes. In the classic recipe, only pomegranate juice and a little salt are used for preparation.
Video recipe for pomegranate sauce
And here you can find out which part of lamb you need to choose for pilaf.
