These juicy and incredibly flavourful pan fried beef koftas are super easy to prepare and make an awesome dinner! Essential to Middle Eastern cuisine, kofta is a type of meatball made from ground lamb or beef, warm spices, fresh herbs and aromatics. Although lamb koftas are considered more traditional, the type of meat to use is ultimately down to your own preferences. My personal favourite is beef as I find the taste of ground lamb loin to be a little overpowering. The ingredients are however largely the same – so if you are more of a lamb guy or gal, worry not! In this post I’ve included suggestions on how to tweak the recipe.
Overview of ingredients:
Ground meat: lean (less than 11% fat) fresh beef or lamb is best for this recipe.
Fresh herbs: a combination of mint and parsley adds fresh, peppery notes.
Bread crumbs: make the meat mixture more tender while creating a crispy outer layer when frying.
Red onions: contributes with sweetness and a little pungency.
Garlic: adds a nice punchy kick.
Strained tomatoes*: bring in a little tartness that enhances the flavour of beef.
Ground spice*: a mixture of warm (cinnamon, cloves), fresh (black pepper, coriander) and earthy (cumin) creates a vibrant taste with a distinctive Middle Eastern character.
*If using lamb, substitute strained tomatoes with two table spoons of lemon juice. Add 1/2 tea spoons each of ground nutmeg and allspice, or alternatively you can use 1.5 table spoons of baharat seasoning.
Preparation tips for Pan Fried Beef Koftas:
- Mix the ingredients together and allow to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. The breadcrumbs will soften, making the beef mixture more tender.
- Although koftas benefit from being cooked on a smoky grill, they are equally delicious pan fried. If you own a griddle pan, even better: grill marks do create a more authentic feel. You can also fix your koftas onto skewers even if you pan fry them – just because it’s fun!
- Warm your pan to medium-high, add some olive oil and seal the sides of your koftas by turning them around often. Lower the heat for the last couple of minutes of cooking to avoid burning. Koftas only need about 7 minutes to reach a juicy perfection.
Serving suggestions:
Seeing how koftas are a type of meatball, pretty much any side dish would do just fine with them – fried potatoes or mash, grilled vegetables, salads, cooked greens… you name it. However, in order to get a more authentic experience and to make the fresh nature of koftas stand out, try serving them alongside a bowl of yoghurt mixed with a sprinkle of lemon juice and fresh herbs. Complement with a bright, bold and vibrant salad with sweet, zesty and pungent notes and finish off with warm pita bread.
Pan Fried Beef Koftas
Equipment
- 1 Hand Mixer
- 1 Frying or Grill Pan
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
Yields 10 Koftas
- 500 g Ground Beef
- 2 tbsp Bread Crumbs
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ cup Fresh Mint and Parsley Leaves (½ cup of each)
- 1 Red Onion
- 5-6 cloves Garlic
- 2 tbsp Strained Tomatoes
Ground Spice
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp Cloves
- 1 tsp Coriander
- ½ tsp Black Pepper
- ½ tsp Cumin
Instructions
- Start by blitzing together 1 Red Onion, 5-6 cloves Garlic, ½ cup Fresh Mint and Parsley Leaves, 1 tsp Salt and 2 tbsp Strained Tomatoes until you get a smooth paste.
- Transfer to the bowl with 500 g Ground Beef and add spices and 2 tbsp Bread Crumbs. Mix thoroughly (I use a hand mixer) until everything’s incorporated. Leave at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
- Form koftas of about 10cm long and 3cm in diameter. If you are cooking them on a grill, fix koftas onto skewers.
- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil to medium and fry koftas for 6-8 minutes, turning constantly so that they brown nicely from all sides.
- Serve warm or at room temperature with your choice of side. See my serving suggestions in Notes!
Notes
- Serving suggestions:
• Fresh yoghurt + lemon juice + chopped parsley/mint
• Fresh tomatoes + red onions + pomegranate jewels + fresh herbs in red vinegar, olive oil, minced garlic and rock salt dressing
• Fresh pita breads - If using lamb instead of beef, substitute strained tomatoes with 2 tbsp of lemon juice and add 1/2 each ground nutmeg and ground allspice.
