Beef Kofta Meatballs

Vibe Israel generously gifted me a trip to Israel to help me create this post. However, I want to clarify that all opinions expressed in this post and my affection for Israel are entirely my own.

These Beef Kofta Meatballs are packed with a bold blend of Middle Eastern spices that create a robust, flavorful profile. These meatballs have a nice tender interior with a beautiful charred exterior. Serve them in a charred pita, accompanied by the best mint-yogurt sauce and fresh, crunchy veggies!

Beef Kofta, Made Into Meatballs!

During my recent trip to Israel, I had the incredible opportunity to taste a wide range of incredible dishes. I’ve already shared a couple of my favorites, such as this delicious Shakshuka and this easy-to-make Mujadara. Today, I’m excited to introduce you to another beloved dish: beef kofta, but in meatball form!

Kofta is a personal favorite of mine and while in Israel, I was lucky to enjoy kofta on multiple occasions. It’s the best! By the way, if you’re unfamiliar, kofta is a Middle Eastern dish typically made with ground lamb or beef, blended with a medley of onions, garlic, and aromatic spices. Traditionally, the meat mixture is molded into balls, patties, or logs, and then grilled before being served alongside warmed pita bread, vibrant salads, irresistible dips, and sauces.

Instead of shaping the kofta into traditional logs, I decided to transform them into meatballs, which I then served in charred pita bread. Trust me when I say that these meatball-filled pitas with the mint-yogurt sauce make for a truly incredible meal!

How To Make Beef Kofta Meatballs (Tips)

Here are some recipe tips to help you make delicious Beef Kofta Meatballs:

• Meat selection: Choose ground beef with a higher fat content, such as an 80/20 blend. The fat adds loads of flavor and helps keep the meatballs moist during cooking.
• Grating the onion: Grating instead of chopping it finely helps to distribute the onion flavor more evenly throughout the meat mixture. No crunchy raw onion pieces in these meatballs!
• Flavorful spices: The combination of spices gives the meatballs their distinctive Middle Eastern flavor. Yes, I know there is a lot, but it creates the best flavor! That said, adjust the amounts according to your taste preferences.
• Don’t overwork the meat: When mixing the ingredients, avoid handling it too much, as it can result in denser meatballs. Mix until the ingredients are just combined.
• Optional fresh herbs: Adding fresh cilantro and mint enhances the flavor of the meatballs and adds a burst of freshness. We love the combo of these two herbs in this recipe!

The Best Sauce For These Meatballs

1. Full-fat plain Greek yogurt: Choose a high-quality full-fat Greek yogurt for a rich and creamy texture. We recommend using Greek Gods plain traditional Greek yogurt for the perfect creamy texture and rich flavor.
2. Look for fresh mint leaves that are vibrant in color and free from wilting or discoloration. Gently chop the mint leaves to release their aromatic oils and enhance the sauce’s flavor.
3. Minced garlic: Freshly minced garlic adds the most robust flavor. Consider using a garlic press or finely mincing the garlic by hand to ensure it blends smoothly into the sauce.
4. Lemon juice and zest: We love zesting the lemons with a microplane and then juicing them with this citrus juicer.
5. Olive oil: Choose a quality extra virgin olive oil for the best flavor and richness.
6. Ground cumin: This spice adds an earthy and warm flavor to the sauce.

Sauce Tips:

• Adjust the quantities of each ingredient based on your personal taste preferences.
• Taste the sauce as you go and make any necessary adjustments to the flavors.
• If you prefer a thinner sauce over your Beef Kofta Meatballs, add a splash of water or lemon juice to loosen it up.
• Feel free to experiment by adding other herbs or spices like coriander or sumac to customize the sauce to your liking.

How To Enjoy These Beef Kofta Meatballs

We’re absolutely obsessed with these meatballs straight out of the oven, but they reach a whole new level of deliciousness when served with a sauce and paired with either couscous or a charred pita. Here are our two favorite authentic serving suggestions:

• In a pita: Start by lightly charring the pitas (see instructions below) and then spread a thin layer of Greek yogurt on them. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and add your favorite veggies such as green leaf lettuce, thinly sliced Persian cucumbers, and quick-pickled red onions. Arrange the meatballs on top and generously drizzle with the mint-yogurt sauce. Simply delicious!
• Over couscous: Prepare our favorite couscous recipe or go with plain couscous. On a plate, spread a thin layer of Greek yogurt and lightly season with salt. Add the couscous on top, followed by the meatballs, and finish it off with fresh veggies of your choice. We recommend pickled onions and diced cucumbers (or try this Israeli Salad). Finally, generously drizzle the mint-yogurt sauce over everything and get ready to savor the flavors!

Other Serving Suggestions:

Serve Beef Kofta Meatballs with traditional Middle Eastern accompaniments like tzatziki sauce, hummus, pita chips, sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, fresh parsley, and lemon wedges. The addition of Tabouli on the side is also fantastic!

How To Char Pita

To char pitas on an open stovetop flame:

1. Turn on a gas burner to medium-high heat.
2. Brush or spray both sides of the pitas with olive oil.
3. Hold a pita with tongs and lower it onto the flames, rotating for even charring.
4. Remove the charred pita from the flame using tongs.
5. Repeat with the remaining pitas.

Alternatively, use a grill pan or non-stick pan:

1. Heat a grill pan or non-stick pan over medium-high heat.
2. Brush or spray both sides of the pitas with olive oil.
3. Cook the pitas for 1-2 minutes on each side, until they have grill marks and a slightly charred appearance.
4. Remove from the pan.

Salads To Pair With Beef Kofta Meatballs:

• Cucumber Feta Salad with avocado
• Sun Dried Tomato Couscous Salad with a lemon vinaigrette
• Cucumber-Pepper Salad with mini sweet peppers
• Jennifer Aniston Salad with quinoa or bulgur wheat
• Moroccan Carrot Salad with spiced chickpeas

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Beef Kofta Meatballs

5 from 1 vote

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These Beef Kofta Meatballs are packed with a bold blend of Middle Eastern spices that result in a robust and flavorful profile. These meatballs have a nice tender interior with a beautiful charred exterior. Serve them in a charred pita, accompanied by the best mint-yogurt sauce and fresh, crunchy veggies!

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Beef Kofta Meatballs

5 from 1 vote

- Review this recipe

SAVE TO RECIPE BOX

Print Recipe

These Beef Kofta Meatballs are packed with a bold blend of Middle Eastern spices that result in a robust and flavorful profile. These meatballs have a nice tender interior with a beautiful charred exterior. Serve them in a charred pita, accompanied by the best mint-yogurt sauce and fresh, crunchy veggies!

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Healthy, middle eastern

Keyword beef kofta, beef kofta meatballs

Prep Time 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time 23 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 8 minutes minutes

Servings 6 loaded pitas

Chelsea Lords

Calories 448kcal

Author Chelsea Lords

Cost $15.12

Ingredients

Meatballs

• ▢ 1/3 cup white flour
• ▢ 1 lb. (80/20) ground beef (we need higher fat meat for this recipe!)
• ▢ 1 large red onion, separated use (Note 1)
• ▢ ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
• ▢ 1 large egg
• ▢ 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• ▢ 2 teaspoon each: cumin, coriander, paprika
• ▢ ½ teaspoon each: turmeric, oregano, beef bouillon powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon each: ground cinnamon and red pepper flakes (Note 2)
• ▢ Fine sea salt and pepper
• ▢ Optional herb additions: 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint, ¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

MINT-YOGURT SAUCE

• ▢ ½ cup full fat plain Greek yogurt
• ▢ ¼ cup finely chopped fresh mint
• ▢ 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• ▢ 1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus ½ tsp zest
• ▢ 1½ tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground cumin

FOR SERVING:

• ▢ 6 pitas
• ▢ ½ cup Greek Yogurt
• ▢ fresh lemon, 4 mini cucumbers (thinly sliced widthwise), 6 pieces of leaf lettuce

OPTIONAL:

• ▢ couscous, pickled onions

US - Metric

USMetric

Instructions

• PREP: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Generously grease a dark-colored rimmed sheet pan with cooking spray and set aside. Add flour to a small bowl and set aside.
• MEATBALLS: Peel the onion and cut in half. If desired, make pickled red onions with one half (See Note 1) or save it for another recipe. Grate the other half on the large holes of a cheese grater until you have a completely filled ½ cup of grated onion. Add onion to a large bowl. Add remaining meatball ingredients (except for the flour). Season to taste with salt and pepper (I add 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper). Gently knead the ingredients until they are integrated, being careful not to overwork the meat.
  
• MEATBALLS CONT.: Use a tablespoon measuring spoon to scoop a heaping tablespoon of the meat mixture and roll it into an evenly-sized ball. Repeat with the remaining meat mixture to make around 25 meatballs. (I find it helpful to lightly grease my hands with cooking spray to make rolling the balls easier.) Working with one meatball at a time, roll to lightly coat in the flour, shaking off the excess. Arrange the meatballs, spaced apart, on the sheet pan.
  
• BAKE: Generously spray the meatballs with cooking spray. Bake for 15 minutes; then use a metal spatula and your fingers (careful, they're hot!) to gently flip the meatballs over to the other side. Bake for another 5-8 minutes, or until nicely golden brown/charred on each side and baked through.
  
• MINT-YOGURT SAUCE: Meanwhile, prepare optional sauce. Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Season to taste (I add ¼ tsp salt and ⅛ tsp pepper). Whisk until completely smooth then place in the fridge for flavors to meld.
  
• SERVE: Lightly toast the pitas (See Note 3). Spread 2 tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt on one side of each pita and sprinkle with salt to taste. On top of the yogurt, layer in lettuce, cucumber slices and, if desired, add in pickled red onions (See Note 1). Add 4-5 meatballs on top and drizzle lots of sauce on top of everything. Enjoy immediately.

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Pickled onions: We love pickled red onions on these; here's my super-simple version: Very thinly slice half the red onion and place it in a bowl. Top with 2 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1-1/2 tsp sugar. Stir to dissolve sugar. Toss every 5-10 minutes or so until softened (~30 mins). I usually start these first and stir throughout the process.

Note 2: Red pepper flakes: Adjust to preference. If you love heat add a touch more. Don't love heat, reduce or omit.

Note 3: Toasting pitas: To toast the pita, spray both sides of the pita with olive oil cooking spray (or brush lightly with oil) and char directly over the gas flames (at medium to medium-low heat) for a few seconds. Use tongs to flip until pitas are lightly charred.

Nutrition information is for a serving of meatballs, toppings and pita; pickled onions, couscous, and optional toppings are not included.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 448kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 414mg | Potassium: 437mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 938IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 132mg | Iron: 3mg

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

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