This is a fan favorite recipe that’s part of our Fall 2022 SOS Series! View the full series.

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Here’s a stunner for you.

You are looking at a big ol’ bowl of store-bought wonders such as hummus, olives, and pita bread, topped with a pile of meatballs (also store-bought! SOS life) that have been coated in a quick harissa / lemon / olive oil paste and baked to juicy-crisp perfection, roasted peppers and zucchini, and a super tangy, salty, whipped garlicky feta to add a little creamy punch to every bite.

It sounds fancy when I write it all out, and actually, every bite really does feel very complex and so delicious. But in reality, almost everything can be store-bought, and then you just have two tasks: roasting a meatball and veggie sheet pan, and whipping up a block of feta.

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In This Post: Everything You Need For This Bowl

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Ingredients You Need To Make This Happen

Here’s our shortcut-friendly ingredient list:

• meatballs
• harissa paste (it usually comes in a jar and is often sold in the “global foods” section at many grocery stores)
• bell peppers
• zucchini
• hummus
• pita
• feta

And assuming you’ve got olive oil, S&P, and garlic…this big bowl of goodness is yours for the taking.

How To Make This Bowl Come Together

Essentially what is happening here is the meatballs, peppers, and zucchini get roasted on one single pan.

I know technically this isn’t the correct way to do it because you want each veggie to be cooked to its own perfection. And if you are particular about your zucchini, feel free to give it its own pan for optimal zucchini-specific roasting. But I found it most efficient (and 100% delicious) to just add the zucchini on the same pan – not for the whole time, but just for the last few minutes of roasting. If there’s an easy way to do something that still gets the same super-yum end results, you know I’m all over that. And in this case, everybody-on-one-pan is the way.

The Whipped Feta Is a Must-Make

The only other really “active” cooking step here is blitzing up a block of feta cheese in a food processor or mini chopper (I love this one (affiliate link)) until it becomes a creamy, spreadable, dollop-able wonder that you might be tempted to put on, like, everything from here on out.

This recipe, this combo of flavors, this textural heaven? This one is for those of us who like to go big. Lots of color, lots of puckery zip, lots of salt, and a good amount of heat from that harissa paste… more of all, please.

In terms of eating this, you can just fork-and-knife it, OR you can get right up in there with your pillowy pita and swoop it directly into the hummus, top with a meatball and some veggies, and do a final dunk into that whipped feta to just take this day right over the top. (10/10 would recommend.)

Harissa Meatballs with Whipped Feta: Frequently Asked Questions

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Click here to watch step-by-step stories for how to make this recipe!

Source Notes: Harissa paste is “a Tunisian hot chili pepper paste, the main ingredients of which are roasted red peppers, Baklouti peppers, spices and herbs such as garlic paste, caraway seeds, coriander seeds, cumin and olive oil to carry the oil-soluble flavors.” (definition from Wiki!) It reminds me a little bit of curry paste – it’s packed with flavor and vibrantly red in color. In the US, you can find it at many grocery stores that have a solidly stocked “global foods” section. It’s usually is sold in small jars. If you want to dabble with making your own (and I am actually tempted to after reading Suzy’s description), here is a recipe for homemade harissa paste.

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We Love Sheet Pan Recipes. Here Are More Faves!

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One More Thing!

This recipe is part of our collection of savory meatball recipes. Check it out!

Crispy, creamy, tangy, and summery all on one plate.

Yes, yes, and yes to all of three of these things right now:

Let’s talk about Socca first. The origin of Socca is heavily debated between France and Italy (known as Farinata there) but one thing is certain: this simple street food made with only chickpea flour, olive oil, water, and salt is the crispy rich snacker of your dreams.

And here is how you make this meal that isn’t really a meal but also is everything a meal should be: take your piping hot freshly baked socca out of the cast iron, break it into a few crispy, chewy pieces, swoop it through a tangy dollop of herby whipped feta, and top the whole thing with a spoonful of juicy, vinegary tomato and cucumber salad on top for a crunchy finish. If you want to take it even further, this little lemony minty cucumber salad would be delicious too.

I cannot get enough of this meal-that-isn’t-really-a-meal which is exactly how I like to eat in the summer.

Prefer To Watch Instead Of Read?

Want to add chickpeas or roasted chicken? Do it.

Want to eat straight spoonfuls of whipped feta out of the food processor? You’re not wrong.

Want to make the golden crunchy edges of that socca a part of your regular life routine? I support you.

This whole combo platter meal is low-key, it’s summery, and it’s currently my favorite (healthyish) thing to eat. The variations are endless. It works well for serving people because they can make it what they want – we served it for Bjork’s parents out on the deck the other night and it was a hit all around (especially the socca).

I know you think you cannot bear to turn on your oven right now but that is the only effort required of you. Also, personal opinion, but oven in the AC > grill outside. It is HOT out there.

Go forth, whip that feta, load up your socca, make it your own!

Common Questions About Socca

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