Kofta is a broad term describing mediterranean inspired ground meat that is either grilled or roasted, on or off skewers and shaped in anything from meatballs to patties or long cylinders.
My favorite thing about kofta is everything added into the meat mixture. In addition to the beef and/or lamb, there is garlic, onions, fresh herbs, fresh lemon and lots of warm spices. I am all about those warm spices and this kofta delivers them in a wonderfully delicious way.
They can be grilled or roasted and both options create a moist interior with a caramelized outer crust that you are going to love.
Let’s get started…
Begin by combining your ingredients in a large bowl. You will need…
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- 2 pounds of ground beef and/or lamb ( I think 1 pound of each is perfect!)
- a medium yellow onion that has been peeled and grated
- 4 finely minced cloves of garlic
- 1/4 cup of finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
- 1 teaspoon each of cumin, sumac and dried rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon each of dried oregano, all spice and black pepper
- and the juice and zest of a large lemon
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Mix everything thoroughly and then begin forming meatballs, patties or cylinders that are all similar in size. The shape does not matter as much as the size, because as long as they are all the same size, they will all cook the same.
If you are doing cylinders, you can skewer them and place one side of the skewer on the lip of a greased baking sheet to help elevate them above some of the grease that will release as they roast.
However you decide to shape your kofta, place them onto a grease baking sheet with a lip. The lip is important, because if you roast them on something flat, the grease will make quite a mess in your oven and we don’t need that stress in our lives.
Roast your kofta in a 425 degree (or 220c) oven for about 15 minutes and towards the end of the roasting time, turn your ovens high broiler on to help caramelize the outer crust on the kofta without overcooking the middle.
Would you take a look at this kofta? Broiling them at the end of their cook time helps to create a golden brown, caramelized crust that protects the moist, juicy interior.
Top them with some crumbled feta, fresh herbs and fresh squeeze of lemon and you will be transported straight into mediterranean street food heaven… and that is a wonderful place to be…
The garlic and grated onions help create great flavor and moisture, but the cumin, sumac, all spice, herbs and lemon just bring a huge punch of warmth and brightness. If you don’t have sumac in your pantry, but want to make this kofta recipe, I would highly recommend getting some, because you will definitely be surprised by its uniquely bold, citrusy flavor. I absolutely love it!
Kofta is delicious however you decide to enjoy them, but I love pairing them with a creamy cucumber salad and some tzatziki sauce. Combining a bright, creamy element with your kofta helps to both bring the whole mediterranean vibe forward and to balance the flavors and texture of the kofta.
Once you take a bite of that beautiful kofta dipped into some tzatziki, you are going to know why I love this kofta so much.
Mediterranean Kofta
Ingredients
- 2 pounds of ground beef and/or lamb
- 1 medium yellow onion, grated
- 4 cloves of garlic, finely minced
- 1/4 cup of fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
- 1 teaspoon of cumin
- 1 teaspoon of sumac
- 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon of all spice
- 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
- the juice and zest of a large lemon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°
- Grease an edged baking sheet and set aside for now
- In a large bowl, combine the ingredients
- Divide the mixture into equal portions and form into long oval’s approximately 1 1/2 - 2 inches thick around metal or soaked bamboo skewers (kofta can be shaped into meatballs or patties, if preferred)
- Place the skewers on the lined baking sheet
- Bake in a 425° oven for about 15 minutes
- Towards the end of the baking time, turn your ovens high broiler on and crisp the outer edges of the kofta (do not leave them unattended!)
- Serve with tzatziki sauce
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