Middle Eastern Kofta
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Ready to take your taste buds on an adventure? This flavorful Middle Eastern kofta, packed with minced vegetables, nuts, herbs, and spices, is a must for summer cookouts!
Kofta is a Middle Eastern dish made from ground lamb or beef mixed with onions, garlic, and spices. The meat mixture is shaped into balls, patties, or logs, then grilled and served with pita, salad, hummus, and tahini sauce. There are endless variations of kofta throughout the Middle East—I have a fantastic recipe for Persian kofta in my first cookbook—but I learned this version from a kebab maker in the Old City of Jerusalem. His secret was adding minced vegetables, toasted nuts, herbs, and spices to the meat, giving the kofta a deep, complex flavor. Think beyond grilled chicken and burgers; this is what you should be serving at your cookouts this summer!
“This was outstanding! I made this last night in a grill pan and already passed the recipe along to a bunch of friends and family. This is definitely company-worthy.”
What You’ll Need To Make Middle Eastern Kofta
- Pine nuts, almonds, and walnuts: These nuts add a rich, nutty flavor that enhances the texture and complexity of the kofta.
- Yellow onion and garlic: These aromatics provide a savory flavor base and add moisture to the kofta.
- Red bell pepper and jalapeño pepper: The red bell pepper adds a touch of sweetness, while the jalapeño pepper brings a mild heat.
- Cilantro: This fresh herb adds a bright, aromatic element, giving the kofta a fresh and vibrant taste.
- Ground lamb (or Ground Beef): Lamb offers a rich, distinctive flavor that is slightly gamey, which pairs wonderfully with Middle Eastern spices. Its higher fat content makes the kofta juicy and succulent. Beef provides a milder flavor compared to lamb, making it a great option for those who prefer a less intense taste.
- Cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves: These spices add warmth, depth, and an authentic Middle Eastern flavor to the kofta.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
To begin, place the nuts in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade.
Pulse until finely chopped but not pasty.
Transfer the nuts to a small dry skillet over medium heat; cook, stirring frequently, until the nuts are lightly browned and fragrant, 5 to 6 minutes. Set aside to cool. (But don’t leave the nuts in the pan, as the residual heat may cause them to burn.)
Place the onion, garlic, bell pepper, jalapeño pepper, and cilantro in the bowl of the food processor (no need to clean it first).
Pulse until the vegetables are finely minced but not puréed.
Set a fine sieve over a bowl. Transfer the minced vegetables to the sieve and use a rubber spatula to press out as much liquid as possible.
In a large bowl, combine the minced veggies, nuts, lamb, cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, salt, and white pepper.
Using your hands, mash the mixture together until evenly combined.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Form the mixture into patties about 2 inches in diameter and 1/2 inch thick (they will puff up on the grill to look like meatballs). Place on the baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to cook.
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat and oil the grates. Place the kofta on the grill and cook, covered, until browned, about 4 minutes per side or until cooked through.
Serve the kofta with warm pita and accompaniments and enjoy!
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Middle Eastern Kofta
Ready to take your taste buds on an adventure? This flavorful Middle Eastern kofta, packed with minced vegetables, nuts, herbs, and spices, is a must for summer cookouts!
Ingredients
- ¼ cup each pine nuts, almonds, and walnuts (total ¾ cup)
- 1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 small red bell pepper, roughly chopped
- 1 small jalapeño pepper, seeds and ribs removed, roughly chopped (see note)
- ½ cup cilantro leaves, gently packed (okay to substitute parsley)
- 2 pounds ground lamb or (80% lean ground beef)
- ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
- Heaping ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Heaping ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- Heaping ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- Tzatziki and hummus, for serving
Instructions
- Place the nuts in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse until finely chopped but not pasty. Transfer the nuts to a small dry skillet over medium heat; cook, stirring frequently, until the nuts are lightly browned and fragrant, 5 to 6 minutes. Pour the nuts into mixing bowl large enough to hold all of the ingredients, and set aside to cool. (Don't leave the nuts in the pan, as the residual heat may cause them to burn.)
- Place the onion, garlic, bell pepper, jalapeño pepper, and cilantro in the bowl of the food processor (no need to clean it first). Pulse until the vegetables are finely minced but not puréed. Set a fine sieve over a medium bowl. Transfer the minced vegetables to the sieve and use a rubber spatula to press out as much liquid as possible. Add the strained vegetable mixture to the bowl with the nuts.
- To the veggies and nuts, add the lamb (or beef), cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, salt, and white pepper. Using your hands, mash the mixture together until evenly combined.
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Form the mixture into patties about 2 inches in diameter and ½-inch thick (they will puff up on the grill to look like meatballs). Place on the baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap, then refrigerate until ready to cook.
- Preheat the grill to medium-high heat and oil the grates. Place the kofta on the grill and cook, covered, until browned, about 4 minutes per side or until cooked through. Serve with tzatziki and hummus.
- Note: If you like your kofta spicy, reserve some of the seeds from the jalapeño pepper and add them with the vegetables. Also, be sure to wash your hands well after handling hot peppers, and do not touch your eyes while working with them.
- Make-Ahead: The patties can be made and refrigerated up to two days ahead of time.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The uncooked patties can be frozen for up to three months. (Freeze the patties on a baking sheet or plate so their shape sets, then transfer them to a sealable plastic bag for easy storage.) Defrost the burgers overnight in the refrigerator prior to serving and then cook as directed.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 4 meatballs
- Calories: 438
- Fat: 36 g
- Saturated fat: 14 g
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
- Sugar: 1 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 23 g
- Sodium: 382 mg
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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I know OUAC recipes are fool proof and always better than good but every time I make these I am blown away at how good they are. The combination of nuts and veggies with the ground lamb and wonderful spices gives them a juicy, complex flavor that is unique. I make them all summer long in double quantity, slightly larger (slider sized) and freeze them. I don’t vary or substitute anything because perfection is not to be tweaked with.
This is such a great recipe, thank you! Very tasty. We serve it with sautéed cherry tomatoes and spinach, couscous and hummus, babaganoush or tzatziki. I’ve made this several now. One of our new favourites.
Jenn, your recipes are sure-fire winners all the time – thank you! We plan to make the lamb kofta for a picnic with friends but cannot use garlic (due to an allergy). Should I just omit the garlic or substitute with something else? Many thanks, Carroll
Hi Carroll, So glad you like the recipes! I’d just omit the garlic and add a bit more onion. Hope everyone enjoys!
These were delicious. Served with hummus and Tzatziki from your recipes. Also homemade pita and a Greek style salad. Definitely worth a repeat!
I am making these tonight!!
Too cold to stand outside and grill so maybe I’ll use stove top grill pan!
Great recipe, even though sunflower seeds are all that I had!
hi Jen, I am looking forward to making this recipe but I don’t have a barbecue. If I want to bake these, what temperature should I bake them at, and how long should I bake them for? (and thank you, I really love your recipes)
Hi Cathleen, So glad you enjoyed the recipes! You can cook these in the oven. I’d broil them — cook time will be about the same.
Great recipe! One of my teen sons said it was “fresh and flavorful”. We made our own pita bread and the hummus.
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon for 2lb of meat :D. How’s that going to enhance the flavour? Ha ha ha
Wow! These are delicious!! Especially with Jenn’s naan and hummus. 🙂 I make these on the weekend, then freeze them to be grilled or broiled after work. I highly recommend making these!
Another winner! Great meal tonight with the tzatziki, Israeli salad and hummus. Not having a grill, I baked them like the Vietnamese “flavour-bombs” but would also like to try broiling them. I’d love any advice. Thanks again for the lovely recipes.🥰
Glad you enjoyed them! You can definitely broil these in the oven; the cook-time will be about the same. (And so glad you like the recipes!) 🙂
Thanks! And super excited that there’s a second book coming out. Good luck.
Thank you!! 🙂