Lamb Kofta
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Kofta, kafta, keftés, köfte… ?

According to a study done by a private food company, there are 291 different kinds of Kofta and I thought I could add another version… mine!
 
Now let’ talk about it…
 
Kofta is a meatball made with either chicken, beef, mutton, lamb or pork. The meat is mixed with fresh ingredients, herbs and spices. Depending on the region, the spelling as well as the ingredients may vary.
 
I was introduced as a teenager to Egyptian food. My father knew a gentleman who was from Cairo and many times when I was visiting my dad (yes my parents are divorced…), this man was making a dish from his country. There was so much taste in his food… flavors I never thought could go so well together – oh and some spiciness but not too much that I couldn’t handle it without drinking a liter of water and eating half a loaf of bread (I didn’t really eat spicy food back then).
 
A few years later I found a few Middle-Eastern restaurants in Montréal with my culinary friend Mario. After I moved to southern Ontario, I started travelling a lot and one of my favorite spots to go for a few days was New York City.
 
While visiting the Big Apple, I discovered a restaurant in the heart of Greenwich Village where they were making awesome food from the Middle East. It’s Mamoun’s Falafel and after many years, it’s still around. This is where my passion to cook this incredible cuisine all started.
 
Many of you know that Egypt and Jordan are on my bucket list. Since childhood, I always wanted to go to Egypt. I have tons of books on that incredible country and its fascinating ancient history. Because of it, I wanted to become an archaeologist when I got older… or a journalist. At least I did one of the two.
 
When I discovered this little gem in New York (Mamoun’s Falafel), I met a couple from Amman and the way they described their country gave me another reason to want to go to visit that part of the globe. This is when I added Jordan to my bucket list. Petra, Aqaba, the Dead Sea as well as Wadi Rum are some Jordanian places that are as intriguing as Egypt.
 
One of their dishes that was easy for me to make besides Hummus, Falafel and Baba Ganouj was Lamb Kofta also spelled Kafta or Köfte or Keftés… As I mentioned, it all depends on where it’s from. The way I prepare my Lamb Kofta is more a Jordanian style as compared to other countries.
 
When it’s not BBQ season or just too cold outside to venture out to the grill, I cook them in a skillet and the way I like to serve them is with flatbread and a yogurt sauce or with my Homemade Tzatziki Sauce. Other times when it’s nice and warm outdoors, I put these lamb Kofta meatballs in sliders and top them once again with my yogurt sauce or other times with my Middle East Muhammara.
 
Some of you might not be big lamb fans but this recipe may surprise you! The combination of ingredients along with mint, parsley and other spices gives these meatballs a totally new twist of flavors! David, my husband, is not a lamb type of guy and he loves this dish.
 
As grilling season is here, this is a delicious dish to add to your BBQ recipe folder and amaze everyone at your next backyard party with these scrumptious Middle Eastern meatballs!
Bon Appétit!
 
Here are more delicious lamb recipes…
Lamb Chops with Balsamic & Red Wine Reduction
Greek Dolmades with Avgolemono Sauce
North African Merguez
Lamb Keema
Mediterranean Leg of Lamb
African Lamb Tagine
Turkish Kebabs
and for even more BBQ and grilling recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category • BBQ & Grilling
 

 
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Lamb Kofta

Lamb Kofta with Yogurt Sauce

These tasty Middle Eastern Lamb Kofta meatballs are so delicious! With fresh ingredients like mint and parsley, it's a great recipe to enjoy!
5 from 4 votes
Servings 12 koftas

Hover to scale

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 6 minutes
Passive Time 30 minutes
Total Time 46 minutes

Ingredients
  

KOFTA

  • 1 lb. (500g) ground lamb
  • 1/2 cup white onions, finely chopped
  • 2 large cloves garlic, pressed
  • 1 tbsp. fresh mint, chopped tips & tricks
  • 1 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. mild paprika
  • 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper, or to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper, to taste (I always use mixed peppercorns)
  • ground Himalayan sea salt, to taste
  • olive oil, for brushing meat plus coating baking sheet and griddle tips & tricks

YOGURT SAUCE

  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt
  • 1 tbsp. tahini see Recipe
  • 1/2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice tips & tricks
  • 1 tsp. mint leaves, finely chopped
  • freshly ground black pepper, to taste (I always use mixed peppercorns)
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

Directions
 

KOFTA

  • In a bowl, combine all the ingredients.
  • Roll the lamb mixture to the size of a golf ball then flatten them down to about ½-inch thick. Place the patties on a baking sheet greased with oil.
  • Brush oil on them, loosely cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  • Heat a griddle pan on medium-high heat and when hot, cook the koftas for 3 minutes per side
  • Serve with flatbread and yogurt sauce or on sliders with yogurt sauce and muhammara.

YOGURT SAUCE

  • In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients, stir, taste & adjust. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, about 30 minutes.

Notes

Kitchen Tools: The Lodge Cast Iron Griddle, Pre-Seasoned, 10 1/2-inch can be purchased in the "SHOP" section of Club Foody

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