These Kofta are a real family favourite. They are packed full of flavour from spices and herbs and are very easy to make. Everything is blitzed together in a food processor, combined with the mince and then shaped into skewers, patties or meatballs. They are a taste sensation inspired by the Middle East.
You can use lamb, beef or pork and veal mince for these kofta. Traditionally they are made with lamb mince or a combination of lamb and beef mince, but I actually prefer the flavour and texture of pork and veal mince.
You will be surprised at how many ways you can serve these kofta. In the photo above I have served them as part of a Middle Eastern inspired platter for a lunch. They can also be stuffed into warm pita breads or flatbreads along with hummus, tabbouleh or salad. As a family meal, I often serve them with rice and grilled vegetables or with this Cypriot Grain Salad.
I have also made these into smaller sized balls and served them as a finger food with the mint yoghurt sauce. Always popular!
Why I love this recipe:
Apart from the fact that they are easy to make, they are also very versatile. You can shape them onto skewers, or you can simply roll them into patties, balls or sausage shaped cylinders.
They can be cooked on a barbeque plate, over charcoal or on the stove-top in a frying pan. Nothing compares to the flavour and char you get from cooking them outdoors but don’t be put off by cooking on the stove top as they are still absolutely delicious. The aromatic smell will make you salivate!
The kofta and yoghurt sauce can both be prepared ahead of time making them ideal for entertaining. All you have to do is cook them on the barbeque when you are ready to eat!
Ingredients to make the Kofta:
Most of these spices used in this recipe are ones you probably already have in your pantry.
- Mince – traditionally lamb or a combination of lamb and beef mince is used, however I prefer to use pork and veal mince as I like the softer texture. Use whichever mince you prefer.
- Herbs – I use fresh flat-leaf parsley and coriander. You could also use mint instead of the coriander. Please don’t be tempted to use dry herbs as the freshness makes all the difference in this recipe.
- Spices – ground coriander, ground cumin, paprika, ground allspice, ground cinnamon and cayenne. These add so much flavour to the kofta.
- Onions – brown or red onions.
- Garlic – fresh garlic cloves.
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Yoghurt – plain unsweetened yoghurt – I use greek yoghurt.
- Honey
- Mint Sauce or Mint Jelly – store bought (optional) or fresh mint leaves.
Step by Step Instructions:
If you are using skewers, soak them first for 30 minutes which will help prevent them from burning. 
Add the roughly chopped onions, garlic, herbs into the bowl of a food processor, along with the spices, salt and pepper. 
Process to form a paste. 
Add the paste to the mince in a large bowl and using clean hands (or gloves), mix the two together thoroughly so every bit of mince is flavoured. Don’t rush this step. 
Shape and press onto skewers, or roll into patties, balls or cylinder shaped sausages. 
Patties are the easiest shape to cook. Once they are shaped and if time permits, refrigerate them for 15 minutes (or up to 4 hours) to allow the flavours to develop and the mince to firm up slightly. 
Cook patties in a frying pan for approximately 3 minutes each side on medium high heat until browned and cooked through. Cook Skewers, balls, or sausage shaped kofta for approximately 6 minutes, turning to brown all sides. I often test one by opening it up to make sure it’s cooked through. 
Here they are barbequed on a flat plate until browned and cooked through. Here they are almost ready. Get to know the hotspots on your barbeque and move meats around to all cook evenly.
Tips and Tricks for Success:
- If using skewers, be sure to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before using as this helps prevent them burning during cooking. From experience I have also found that the flatter skewers seem to work better and hold the meat in place more than the round ones. The meat can sometimes fall away from skewers when cooking and I have found that resting them first in the fridge helps prevent this from happening.
- The kofta can be made in advance which I often do. Shape them and refrigerate, then when the times comes, all you need to do is cook or BBQ them. However, when cooking these as a mid-week meal, I often don’t have time to rest them and they still taste great!
- Cooking times can vary depending on how thick you shape the Kofta, how hot your cooking plate is and the evenness of the surface temperature, so cooking times are approximate especially on a barbeque. I suggest checking one by opening it up to see that it is cooked through. Try not to overcook them though as you don’t want your Kofta to be dry.
- The Yoghurt Sauce can be made a day ahead of time.
Servings: 8
Calories: 468kcal
Equipment
- food processor
- large bowl
- wooden flat skewers (optional)
- jug or small bowl
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil for frying
Kofta:
- 1 kg mince lamb, beef or pork and veal (see notes)
- 1 c fresh flat leaf parsley roughly chopped and loosely packed
- 1 c fresh coriander or mint roughly chopped and loosely packed
- 2 onions peeled and quartered
- 4 garlic cloves peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper or 1/2 tsp for mild
- 3 tsp table salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Yoghurt Sauce:
- 1 c yoghurt greek or thick plain unsweetened
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tbsp mint jelly (2-3 tbsp to taste) or honey (see notes)
- 1 tbsp fresh mint finely chopped, optional
- small pinch of salt
Instructions
- If using skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes before using.
Kofta:
- Place all the kofta ingredients except the mince into the bowl of a food processor. Process until it is all chopped up and forming a paste. Scrape down the sides of the bowl half-way through so everything is incorporated.
- Add the paste to a large bowl along with the mince and using clean hands (or kitchen gloves), massage them together so they are well combined. Take your time with this step as you want every bit of mince to be seasoned.
- Divide the meat into 16 equal portions using damp hands (or gloves) and mould onto skewers by pressing and shaping firmly, or shape into balls, patties or cylinder shaped sausages. Place into the refrigerator for 15 minutes to firm up slightly before cooking (optional but I find it helps, especially if using skewers).
To Cook the Kofta:
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat. Cook in batches for approximately 6 minutes, turning to brown all sides. For patties (which are flatter), cook approximately 3 minutes each side until just cooked through. These are also great cooked over charcoal or on a BBQ!
Yoghurt Sauce:
- Put the mint jelly and cumin into a jug or small bowl and add a small amount of the yoghurt. Using a whisk, mix this together until smooth and then add the remainder of the yoghurt and stir through. Season with salt and add fresh chopped mint if using. Refrigerate until required.Note: adding a small amount of yoghurt at the start helps create a smooth sauce. If you add all the yoghurt at once the mint jelly will not be incorporated well and you will have a clumpy sauce.
- ps. My family loves this yoghurt sauce and often make 1.5 times the amount!
Notes
Mince: You can use lean mince but a slightly fatty mince is more traditionally used. For these kofta you can use lamb, beef (or 50/50 lamb and beef), or pork and veal mince which is what I often use.
Mint Jelly: I use store bought mint jelly (I use Three Threes brand but any will do). You can use honey instead – 1-2 tbsp instead of 2-3 tbsp as it is sweeter. You can also add some chopped mint into the sauce as well.
Tips and Tricks for Success:
- If using skewers, be sure to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before using as this helps prevent them burning during cooking. From experience I have also found that the flatter skewers seem to work better and hold the meat in place more than the round ones. The meat can sometimes fall away from skewers when cooking and I have found that resting them first in the fridge helps prevent this from happening.
- The kofta can be made in advance which I often do. Shape them and refrigerate, then when the times comes, all you need to do is cook or BBQ them. However, when cooking these as a mid-week meal, I often don’t have time to rest them and they still taste great!
- Cooking times can vary depending on how thick you shape the Kofta, how hot your cooking plate is and the evenness of the surface temperature, so cooking times are approximate especially on a barbeque. I suggest checking one by opening it up to see that it is cooked through. Try not to overcook them though as you don’t want your Kofta to be dry.
- The Yoghurt Sauce can be made a day ahead of time.
Nutrition
Calories: 468kcal | Carbohydrates: 103g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 1595mg | Potassium: 191mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 89g | Vitamin A: 1187IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 1mg
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