This Turkish beef Kofta recipe walks you step-by-step through how to make one of the most popular Middle-Eastern street foods.
Turkish Kofta, or “Kofte,” as it’s sometimes called, is one of the most popular foods to eat across the Middle East. Whether you’re traveling through Morocco, Iran, or Turkiye, kofte can be found sold by street vendors, casual restaurants, and cafes nearly everywhere.
This traditional Turkish beef Kofta recipe has been put crafted from my favorite Kofta recipes from travels across the Middle East from Jordan to Egypt. Beef Kofta is one of my go-to dishes while in the Middle East, this delightful street food can be found just about everywhere, usually grilled over charcoal in an alley or on a street corner.
Whether it’s made into a beef Kofta kebab, served with crisp and fluffy pide bread, or served with a side of potatoes, this Turkish Kofta recipe is a favorite for parties, casual dinners, or just to reminisce about past travels in the Middle East. Kofta is usually loaded up with fresh parsley, onion, garlic, and cumin and it’s a hit every time.
So it’s time to get grilling with my favorite beef Kofta recipe.
How To Make Turkish Beef Kofta
Beef Kofta is very versatile and can be served in many different ways. You can shape it into meatballs, skewer it and serve Kofta kebabs, or stuff them into pitas. Kofta is pretty easy to prepare, in fact, the whole process involves just four major steps.
Mix the beef, onion, herbs, and spices ( a similar mixture to what goes into traditional Turkish ravioli), press the mixture into the desired shape, and then cook over a grill (preferably charcoal for flavor), and then serve the beef Kofta with your favorite dipping sauce such as hummus, tzatziki, either on its own or on pita bread.
Turkish Beef Kofta Ingredients
Turkish Beef Kofta is traditionally made with either beef, lamb, or a combination of the two types of meat. It’s rare to find two beef Kofta recipes that are exactly the same, as the ingredients often change based on personal preference, but the traditional beef Kofta recipe uses these ingredients as the base:
- beef, lamb, or a combination of the two
- garlic
- parsley
- cumin
- seasonings
When making beef Kofta from scratch, those who make it all the time usually measure their ingredients by taste. But when I met with a few chefs while exploring where to eat in Istanbul, they all had the same base for making the perfect beef Kofta kebabs.
Traditional Homemade Beef Kofta Recipe
Traditional Turkish Beef Kofta Recipe
This traditional Turkish beef Kofta recipe is packed with Middle-Eastern flavors from parsley, onion, garlic, and cumin and grilled to perfection for the perfect casual dining dish.
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 cup of fresh parsley
- 2 lbs. of ground beef (can be substituted for lamb or a combination of both meats)
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Using a food processor, mince and combine the onion, garlic, and parsley.
- Using a large bowl, combine meat with chopped herbs, salt, and pepper. Mix ingredients together thoroughly.
- Shape the meat mixture into oblong shapes approximately 3/4 of an inch thick. If you plan on cooking the beef Kofta recipe into skewers, form the meat around the skewers at this stage.
- Cook the beef Kofta or skewers over a charcoal grill, grill, or by pan-frying. As they are cooking, sprinkle the meat with generous amounts of salt and pepper. Cook to an internal temperature of 160°F-165°F.
Notes
Turkish beef Kofta is best eaten right away, but it can be stored in a sealed container and reheated to be eating within 3-4 days.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 15 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving:Calories: 137Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 200mgCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 12g
