Venison Meatballs Spiced Salad Hummus (Printable)

Flavorful venison meatballs with warming spices, crisp salad, and creamy hummus for a balanced, satisfying dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Venison Meatballs

01 - 1.1 lbs ground venison
02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 1 large egg
05 - 1.4 oz breadcrumbs
06 - 1 tsp ground cumin
07 - 1 tsp ground coriander
08 - ½ tsp smoked paprika
09 - ½ tsp ground cinnamon
10 - ½ tsp salt
11 - ¼ tsp black pepper
12 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
13 - 2 tbsp olive oil (for frying)

→ For the Salad

14 - 3.5 oz mixed salad greens
15 - 1 small cucumber, diced
16 - 10 cherry tomatoes, halved
17 - ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
18 - 2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
19 - Juice of ½ lemon
20 - 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
21 - Salt and pepper, to taste

→ For the Hummus

22 - 8.8 oz cooked chickpeas (drained and rinsed if canned)
23 - 2 tbsp tahini
24 - 1 garlic clove
25 - Juice of 1 lemon
26 - 2 tbsp olive oil
27 - 3–4 tbsp cold water
28 - ½ tsp ground cumin
29 - Salt, to taste

# How-To:

01 - In a large bowl, combine ground venison, onion, garlic, egg, breadcrumbs, cumin, coriander, paprika, cinnamon, salt, pepper, and parsley. Mix until just combined.
02 - Shape the mixture into 16 meatballs (about 1 oz each).
03 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook for 8–10 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked through. Set aside and keep warm.
04 - In a food processor, combine chickpeas, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, cumin, and salt. Blend until smooth, adding cold water gradually to achieve a creamy consistency. Adjust seasoning to taste.
05 - In a large bowl, toss salad greens, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and mint. Drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss again.
06 - Spread a generous spoonful of hummus on each plate. Add a portion of salad, top with meatballs, and garnish with extra parsley or mint if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The warming spices make venison taste rich and approachable, even for skeptics
  • Everything comes together in under an hour with simple pantry ingredients
02 -
  • Venison is much leaner than beef, so don't overcook the meatballs or they'll dry out quickly
  • The hummus might taste garlicky at first but it mellows after sitting for a few minutes
03 -
  • Let the meatball mixture rest for 10 minutes before shaping, this helps them hold together better
  • Room temperature ingredients mix more evenly, so take the egg and meat out ahead of time
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