beef kofta

Beef kofta brings tender, spiced meatballs to your table in just 39 minutes, loaded with herbs and perfect with pita or salad.

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Total Time 39

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Calories: 385

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

kofta mixture

500 grams ground beef
0.5 unit onion finely grated
2 cloves garlic minced
0.25 cup fresh parsley chopped
0.25 cup fresh cilantro chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
0.5 teaspoon ground allspice
0.5 teaspoon salt
0.25 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

Method

Grate the onion (using the coarse side of a box grater) straight into a large mixing bowl—this helps keep all the juices, which makes the kofta juicy.
Add ground beef, minced garlic, parsley, cilantro, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and pepper to the bowl. Mix using your hands until everything is just combined. Don’t overwork the meat or the kofta gets dense.
Shape the mixture into 8–10 small, torpedo-shaped logs or meatballs. If it sticks to your hands, run your fingers under cold water every couple of koftas.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. The pan should be hot enough that a drop of water sizzles instantly.
Arrange the koftas in the skillet and cook 4–5 minutes per side, turning with tongs until each side is browned and the inside is cooked through (no pink).
Rest the kofta for 2 minutes before serving. Serve with pita, plain yogurt, or a simple salad.

Notes

I come back to beef kofta every time I want something super flavorful but less fussy than burgers or meatballs. The spices do most of the work, and you barely need more than pantry basics.

Practical kofta tips

Grating the onion directly into the bowl makes a big difference—the onion juice keeps the meat tender. If the mix ever feels dry, I sometimes add a spoonful of water before shaping. It sounds odd, but it helps if your beef is very lean.

Don't overmix, or the kofta can end up rubbery. I stop mixing the second everything looks evenly combined—no need to knead like bread dough!

If your koftas look awkward at first, that's normal. Wet hands make shaping so much easier. Resist the urge to make them huge – smaller logs or balls cook more evenly and don't fall apart.

Substitutions and quick swaps

Ground lamb works just as well—use half beef, half lamb if you want it richer (and have some on hand). I don't recommend ground turkey; the texture turns out dry unless you add extra fat.

You can skip the cilantro if you hate it; just double the parsley. If you don't have allspice, try a pinch of nutmeg. It's not exactly the same, but it tastes good.

Make-ahead and leftovers

The mixture holds well in the fridge (covered) for up to 24 hours before cooking. Leftover kofta can go into pita wraps or chopped over a salad—it keeps in the fridge for three days. I always reheat gently in a pan with a splash of water to keep them from drying out.