Greek Lamb Salad

This Greek lamb salad with dill kefir dressing is one of my favorite meals I’ve made in a while plus it’s so easy to make. I promise it will convert any salad hater. It’s packed with fresh parsley, mint and dill giving incredible flavor, juicy lamb for protein and a dill kefir dressing for some healthy fats and gut healing properties. 

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Quick and easy to make.
• Full of flavor.
• The whole family will love it.
• The creamy dill dressing is incredibly versatile.
• It can easily fit into many different diets and lifestyles. The salad is naturally gluten free. and can be made dairy free with an easy swap.
• Not a boring salad. This greek lamb salad will convert even the biggest veggie hater.
• Perfect weeknight meal. A lot of this recipe can be made ahead of time making for an easy meal during the week.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Ground Lamb. The ground lamb adds incredible flavor to this greek lamb salad but if lamb isn’t your thing you can swap it with ground beef.
• Red Onion. Finely diced. The red onion will be added to the lamb kofta and can be switched with yellow or white onion as well.
• Fresh Parsley. This greek lamb salad uses fresh herbs like parsley, mint and dill to add vibrancy.
• Garlic. Garlic is added to the meatballs and the dressing to enhance the flavor. You can use whole garlic cloves and mince them yourself or buy minced garlic.
• Kefir & Yogurt. The mix of kefir and yogurt make the perfect creamy consistency for the dressing. Always choose full fat yogurt. I love using Lifeway Kefir organic kefir because it’s the best quality. To make this recipe dairy free, swap kefir and full fat yogurt for 1 cup dairy free yogurt.
• Lemon Juice. Using the juice from half of a lemon adds the perfect tangy flavor to the dill dressing.
• Greens of Choice. I like doing a mixed blend of greens here but you can choose whatever lettuce you prefer for the salad base.
• Radicchio. Shredded. The radicchio adds a little bit of texture and flavor to the salad base. You can also use red cabbage.
• Toasted Nuts & Seeds. You will be using almonds, pistachios, and sesame seeds for the dukkah. You can also add in hazelnuts. I like to lightly toast them in a skillet on the stovetop.
• Seasonings. This recipe calls for a lot of different herbs and spices like cumin, aleppo pepper, turmeric, and fennel seeds to really bring out the best mediterranean flavors.

How to Make this Greek Lamb Salad

Mix together and cook lamb kofta.

1. In a medium bowl, add meat then season with all of the seasonings. Mix well, then add in red onion and parsley. Mix again until fully combined. 
2. Let the lamb sit for 30 minutes to an hour to allow the flavors to mesh.
3. Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet, once hot add lamb. Pan fry them on a medium high heat. Cooking for 8-10 minutes or until crispy on all sides. Once finished, I like to cover with a lid to keep cooking slightly.

Make the dressing.

1. Add all ingredients to a mason jar or glass. Stir until fully combined. 

Whip up the Almond & Pistachio Dukkah

1. Add toasted almonds, pistachios, and sesame seeds to food processor. Then add fennel seeds, spices and dash of salt and pulse for a few seconds until you get a course mixture. (You don’t want to push too long or it’ll become too finely ground.

Assemble the Lamb Kofta Salad

1. Add greens, radicchio, fresh herbs and almond dukkah to a large bowl. Toss to combine. Drizzle with desired amount of dressing and toss again. 
2. Top with more fresh herbs and dukkah. Serve with lamb kofta. Enjoy!

Expert Tips

• To save time when making this greek lamb salad, I suggest making the dressing and almond pistachio dukkah ahead of time. You can store both in the fridge.
• Bring the lamb to room temperature before adding the seasonings and forming into kebabs. When forming add a little bit of water to your hands to prevent the meat from sticking to you.
• Don’t be bashful with the fresh herbs. They add so much flavor to this greek lamb salad.
• You can toast the nuts and seeds in the oven or on the stovetop. For this recipe I prefer stovetop so I can have better control of them.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can this greek lamb salad be made ahead of time? You can make the dressing and dukkah ahead of time and store in the fridge. The lamb kofta can also be made ahead of time, it’s actually better the longer it marinates.
• How do I store this? Store the salad, lamb and dressing separate. It is good in the fridge for up to 4 days. When you go to serve, reassemble the salads.
• Can this be made dairy free? Yes! This greek lamb salad can absolutely be made dairy free, just swap the kefir and yogurt but a dairy free yogurt.
• What is Kefir? Kefir is a tart and tangy cultured milk smoothie that is high in protein, calcium and vitamin D. Thanks to our exclusive blend of kefir cultures, each cup of kefir contains 12 live and active cultures.
• Is Kefir dairy free? Kefir is not dairy free but Lifeway Kefir’s unique fermentation process and specific kefir cultures ensure it is up to 99 percent lactose-free and suitable for most people who are lactose intolerant.

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