Photo: E4024 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Kofte (Meatballs)
Ground meat mixed with grated onion, cumin, and paprika, shaped into ovals and grilled or pan-seared — the Turkish take on the meatball. Charred outside and juicy within, served with rice pilaf, grilled vegetables, and yogurt for a full plate.
Ingredients
- Ground beef · or beef + lamb500 g
- Onion · grated1
- Minced garlic2 cloves
- Breadcrumbs · or 1 slice bread0.5 cup
- Egg1
- Parsley · chopped2 tbsp
- Cumin1 tsp
- Paprika1 tsp
- Salt1 tsp
- Black pepper0.5 tsp
- Olive oil · for cooking2 tbsp
- To serve
- Rice pilaf · optional
- Grilled tomato & pepper · optional
- Plain yogurt · optional
Steps
- ⏲ 3 min
Grate the onion and squeeze out some of its juice — too much liquid makes the mix wet.
- ⏲ 5 min
Knead the beef, onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, egg, parsley, and spices for 5 minutes until sticky.
- ⏲ 30 min
Wrap and chill the mixture 30 minutes so it binds and stays moist.
- ⏲ 5 min
With wet hands, shape the mixture into long ovals (or flat patties).
- ⏲ 1 min
Brush a pan or grill with olive oil and heat over medium-high, then add the kofte.
- ⏲ 8 min
Cook 3-4 minutes per side, turning, until charred outside and cooked through.
Serve with rice pilaf, grilled tomato and pepper, and yogurt or flatbread.
Tips & Variations
Variations
- Sis kofte: Press the mix onto skewers and grill.
- Izmir kofte: Braise with potatoes in tomato sauce.
- Lamb kofte: Mix in lamb for a Middle-Eastern aroma.
- Yogurt kofte: Top cooked kofte with a garlicky yogurt sauce.
Tips
- Grate and drain the onion so the mix isn't wet but keeps the aroma.
- Knead until sticky and chill so the kofte hold together on the heat.
- Shape with wet hands to keep the mix from sticking.
- Don't flip too often — let one side char for that grilled flavor.
The basics behind this dish
- Browning and the Maillard ReactionMeat fails to brown for one of three reasons: it is wet, the pan is cool, or you put too much in at once. Plus how the brown film stuck to the pan becomes your sauce.
- Cooking Meat: Temperature, Resting, and Cutting Against the GrainDoneness is a core temperature, not a number of minutes. What resting actually does, how to handle a thick cut, and why the direction you slice changes the texture.
- Knife Skills: Grip, Cuts, and Why Size MattersHow you hold the knife matters more than how fast you cut. The pinch grip, the claw hand, and why uniform size is a cooking decision rather than a cosmetic one.
More of the same kind
More from this country
Turkish →
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