Kofta
Kofta kebab is a delicious Middle Eastern dish that features well-seasoned ground beef that’s made in skewer kebabs and then baked or grilled. It’s a classic dish that’s packed with flavor and is perfect for just about any occasion! It’s one of the most popular Egyptian dishes.
This kofta recipe is a flavorful blend of minced beef or lamb, combined with aromatic spices of cumin, coriander, and black pepper. The addition of chilled, unsalted butter and a unique onion water mix, adds a unique depth of flavor and keeps the kofta moist and juicy.
What’s more is that it can be served in a variety of ways, making it a perfect choice for any meal. Enjoy it with a side of mashed potatoes, wrapped in warm pita bread, or paired with your favorite dip. For an extra delicious twist, serve it with toum; it is a creamy garlic sauce that compliments the kofta beautifully.
And if you’re looking for more delicious kebab dishes, I’m sure you’re going to fall in love with Kabab Koobideh and Shish Tawook.
Read on to learn how to make this kofta recipe at home!
❤️ WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE
- Easy to make: This kofta recipe is simple and straightforward. With just a few steps and basic ingredients like minced beef or lamb, onion, and spices, you can whip up a flavorful dish that’s guaranteed to impress.
- Family-favorite: The combination of tender minced meat, flavorful spices, and a unique onion water mix makes this a dish that the whole family will love. The butter, kept chilled, cooks the meat slowly from the inside, enhancing its flavor and making it a hit with both kids and adults.
- Versatile: This kofta recipe is adaptable. You can serve the koftas with toum (garlic sauce), mashed potatoes, pita bread, or your favorite dip. You can also adjust the spices according to your taste preference.
- Delicious: With the perfect balance of spices, the juiciness from the chilled butter, and the unique onion water mix, these koftas are incredibly tasty. The onion water not only gives the kofta a beautiful color but also adds an amazing flavor that makes it irresistible.
🥘 INGREDIENTS
More details about the ingredients and measurements are in the recipe card below!
- Minced Beef or Lamb: This is the star of your kofta. It is crucial that it is finely minced to guarantee that kofta comes out tender, almost melting in your mouth. Keep it chilled to enhance the texture and flavor.
- Onion: Minced and squeezed, onions add a savory depth to your kofta. The onion water that you set aside will be used later to give the kofta a beautiful color and amazing flavor.
- Unsalted Butter: Shredded and chilled, the butter will cook the meat slowly from the inside, adding a rich, buttery flavor to your kofta. I have used it instead of beef or lamb fat.
- Onion Water Mix: Made from the water squeezed from your onions, a bit of salt, and a touch of sugar, this mix is essential for giving your kofta a beautiful color and amazing flavor. It is a step you won’t want to skip!
🔪 HOW TO MAKE
How to Make Onion Water Mix
Extract the Onion Juice: Start by mincing the onion finely. Then, squeeze it with your hand or through a sieve to extract as much juice as you can. This liquid plays a significant role in shaping the kofta. The leftover onion solids will be added to the meat mixture later.
Prepare the Onion Water Mixture: In a separate bowl, mix the salt and sugar with the onion juice you extracted earlier and set it aside.
How to Make Kofta Mixture
Mix the Ingredients: Now, in a large bowl, combine all the spices, egg white, cornstarch, onion solids, and the meat. Stir the ingredients until they are well combined.
Add the Butter: Next, add the shredded butter to the mixture. Remember, the butter should be chilled and firm. Mix well until the butter is fully incorporated into the mixture.
Refrigerate: Cover the meat mixture and refrigerate for at least one hour, or you can leave it overnight for better results.
Shape the Kofta: To shape the kofta, you can use the handle of a wooden spoon, a tablespoon handle, or a skewer. Whatever is available in your kitchen will work fine. I have used a large wooden handle since the koftas I made were large. Wet your hand with onion water and then shape the kofta.
Apply Onion Water: After shaping the kofta, wet your hand with the onion water mixture and spread it all over the kofta. This will give the kofta a nice flavor and help it stay moist.
How to Bake Kofta
Bake the Kofta: Cook the kofta in a preheated oven at 200C/392F. Place it in the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Be careful not to overcook as it will dry out the koftas.
Prepare the Charcoal: Place a small piece of charcoal over the flame on the stovetop for about 5 minutes.
Smoke the Koftas: In a big pan, add the cooked koftas and place the lit charcoal in a small bowl made from aluminum foil. Pour a tablespoon of cooking oil or ghee over the charcoal. When it starts to smoke, cover the pan with aluminum foil or its lid. Let it sit for two to three minutes to infuse the smoky flavor, then remove the charcoal carefully and place it under running water to extinguish it.
Serve: Your delicious koftas are now ready to be served! Enjoy them with toum (garlic sauce), mashed potatoes, pita bread, or your favorite dip. Enjoy your meal!
👩🏽🍳 PRO TIPS
- Keep the meat and butter chilled: It is important to keep your minced beef or lamb and butter chilled throughout the preparation process. The chilled butter will slowly cook the meat from the inside, enhancing its flavor and tenderness.
- Make sure meat is properly minced: The meat should be minced finely until you can see light colored threads within it. This indicates that it is finely minced, which is crucial for kofta to turn out tender.
- Marinate for maximum flavor: Mix all the spices, egg white, cornstarch, onion, and the meat well and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight. This will allow the flavors to meld together and result in a tastier kofta.
- Use onion water mix: Applying the onion water mix on the kofta is essential. It not only gives kofta a beautiful color but also adds an amazing flavor. Make sure not to skip this step.
- Monitor the cooking time: The koftas should come out juicy and almost melting in your mouth. Therefore, it is important to check for doneness after 16 minutes, as the cooking time may vary depending on the size of your koftas.
- Give a grill effect (optional): For an additional smoky flavor, you can grill the cooked koftas using a lit charcoal. However, be extra careful while handling the charcoal.
- Using wooden skewers: If you’re using them, soak them for 30 to 50 minutes before using them to prevent them from burning.
📋 VARIATIONS
- Spice it up: For those who love a bit of heat, add a teaspoon of chili powder or crushed red pepper flakes to the kofta mixture. This will give your kofta a spicy twist and make it even more delicious.
- Indian Style: For a taste of India, add 1 teaspoon of garam masala to the kofta mixture. Serve with a side of mint chutney and warm naan bread for an Indian-inspired feast.
- Try it with Turkey: For a leaner option, replace the minced beef or lamb with ground turkey. This will give your kofta a lighter taste while still being packed with flavor.
🍽️ HOW TO SERVE
- For a hearty dinner, serve these juicy koftas with a side of warm, fluffy couscous and a fresh cucumber and tomato salad. The lightness of the salad offsets the richness of the koftas perfectly.
- Looking for a classic Middle Eastern feast? Try serving your koftas in a pita bread sandwich with a generous dollop of toum sauce and some crunchy lettuce. It is a filling, flavorful meal that’s guaranteed to impress!
- If you’re in the mood for a Mediterranean-inspired picnic, pack these koftas with some pita bread, hummus, and olives. The combination of flavors is absolutely irresistible.
- These koftas can also make a great appetizer. Serve them on skewers with a side of tangy, homemade toum (garlic sauce).
💬 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Absolutely! While this recipe uses minced beef or lamb, you can certainly substitute other types of minced meat according to your preference. Just make sure that the meat is finely minced for kofta to come out tender.
The key to a juicy, tender kofta lies in the mincing of the meat. It should be finely minced so that you can see light color thread-like in the minced meat. Also, remember to check the doneness after 16 minutes as cooking time depends on the size of your kofta.
Yes, you can grill the kofta if you prefer, but keep in mind that the cooking time may vary. Always check for doneness to guarantee that kofta is cooked perfectly.
Yes, you can prepare the kofta mixture and refrigerate it for one hour or even overnight. This allows the flavors to meld together for a more flavorful kofta.
🌡️ STORING
Refrigerate: If you’ve got leftover kofta, simply place them in an airtight sealed container and they’ll keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days. The chilled environment helps to maintain the tenderness of the meat.
Freezing: You can freeze cooked koftas for up to 3 months in an airtight sealed container.
Reheating: To reheat your refrigerated kofta, use low-medium heat on the stovetop. This method will heat the meat slowly from the inside and retain its juiciness.
Thawing: You can place unthawed koftas in a preheated oven until they heat completely.
📣 MORE MIDDLE EASTERN RECIPES
⭐ PLEASE RATE AND REVIEW
If you have tried this recipe and liked it, please give it a 5-star rating and leave a comment below with your experience!
Kofta Recipe
Ingredients
- 500 grams minced beef or lamb has to be chilled
- 2 medium onion minced Squeezed and its water kept aside
- ¼ cup shredded chilled unsalted butter
THE SPICES
- ¼ teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper powder
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
OTHER INGREDIENTS
- 1 egg white from large egg
- 1 ½ tablespoon cornstarch
THE ONION WATER MIX
- Onion water from the two onions minced
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
Instructions
TO MAKE THE ONION WATER MIX
- After mincing the onion, squeeze it with your hand or through a sieve, take out as much liquid as you can. The liquid is important when shaping the kofta. The onion solids should go in the meat mixture.
- Mix the salt and sugar with onion water and keep aside.
MAKING THE KOFTA MIXTURE
- In a bowl, add all the spices, the egg white, cornstarch, onion, and the meat.
- Mix the ingredients well for a minute or until combined.
- Add the shredded butter (it has to be chilled and firm), Mix well for a minute until combined.
- Cover the meat mixture and refrigerate for one hour, or overnight.
SHAPING AND COOKING THE KOFTA
- To shape the kofta, I have used the handle of a wooden spoon. You can use what’s available in your kitchen. A handle of a tablespoon can do as well as a skewer. (Please read the notes).
- Wet your hand with onion water and then form a medium size ball from the meat. Insert the skwere in the formed ball and then shape the meat into a log. I made large koftas, but you can make them smaller.
- If you are using skewers, you can keep the kofta on it, but if you want to remove the kofta from the skewer like I did in the video, you have to reshape the kofta a little. (Please watch the video for clarity).
- Place a rack that can be used in the oven over a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Pour ¼ cup water in the baking sheet. Place the kofta over the rack.
- Wet your hand with the onion water and spread it all over the kofta.
- Cook the kofta in a preheated oven, 200C/392F in the middle shelf.
- It will take 18 to 20 minutes for large koftas, cooking the kofta more will dry it.
GIVING THE GRILL EFFECT (Optional, and please be extra careful)
- Place a small piece of charcoal over the flame on the stovetop for 5 minutes.
- In a big pan add the cooked koftas and then place the lit charcoal in a aluminum foil formed into a small bowl. Pour a tablespoon of cooking oil or ghee over the lit charcoal.
- When it releases the smoke cover the pan with aluminum foil, or with its lid if it has one.
- Keep it covered for two to three minutes.
- Carefully uncover and remove the charcoal. place the charcoal under running water to put it off.
- Serve the kofta with toum (garlic sauce), mashed potatoes, pita bread, or with your favorite dip.
Video
Notes
- I have made 6 large koftas, but you can make 9 to 10 regular-size koftas with this recipe. The cooking time will be 10 to 11 minutes.
- You can keep the kofta on the skewer after shaping it or remove it as I did in the video. The goal here is to create a hole in the middle of the kofta which results in a fluffy and light texture kofta.
- When using wooden skewer, soak them in warm water for 30 to 50 minutes before using them, to prevent them from burning.
- Keep the meat and butter chilled the whole time. The butter will cook the meat slowly from the inside and add a lot of flavor to it.
- The meat has to be minced properly. You should be able to see a light-color thread like in the minced meat, which means it is finely minced for the kofta to come out tender.
- This kofta should come out juicy and almost melt in your mouth. Check the doneness after 16 minutes, since the cooking time depends on the size you made.
- Applying the onion water mix on the kofta is essential, it gives the kofta beautiful color and amazing flavor. Please do not skip it.