Homemade Kofte (Turkish Meatballs) Recipe

This spicy Homemade Kofte (Turkish Meatballs) recipe is extremely easy to make and full of flavor.

You can serve them as an appetizer on their own or as a main meal along with some Crispy Sauté Potatoes with Garlic, Greek Pita Bread, or Turkish Rice (Sehriyeli Pilav).

They are soft, juicy, and extremely delicious, the perfect comfort food to feed your family.

Jump to:

• What is Kofte?
• What are Turkish Meatballs (Koftas) Made of?
• Why This Recipe Works?
• Ingredients You'll Need
• Step-by-Step Instructions
• Top Tips From the Chef
• Serving Suggestions
• Recipe FAQs
• Related Recipes
• Homemade Kofte (Turkish Meatballs)

Kofte (or kofta) is one of my childhood favorite dishes and also the first proper dish I learned how to make.

I haven't changed the recipe much over the years and always kept it simple.

What is Kofte?

Kofte, köfte, or kofta is one of the most popular dishes in Turkey made of ground beef, lamb, or a mixture of both, flavored with exotic spices and fresh herbs.

There are many different varieties, and some of the most popular ones include Izmir Kofte (Smyrna Meatballs), Grilled Lamb Kofta (Izgara Kofte), Inegol Kofte, and Adana Kofte (Adana Kebab).

Kofte can be in different shapes and can be grilled, baked, pan-fried, or cooked on the BBQ.

Although lamb is the most commonly used meat for kofte recipes, you can use veal, beef, chicken, or a mixture.

There are also some vegetarian kofte dishes such as Fellah Koftesi and Mercimek Kofte (Vegan Lentil Balls).

What are Turkish Meatballs (Koftas) Made of?

Turkish meatballs, known as "köfte" in Turkish cuisine, are made with a combination of ground meat, typically beef or lamb, along with various seasonings and herbs.

The specific ingredients may vary depending on the region and personal preferences.

The basic recipe usually includes lamb mince or beef mince, onions, garlic, breadcrumbs or soaked bread, eggs, salt, pepper, and a variety of spices such as cumin, paprika, and parsley.

These ingredients are mixed together to form a mixture that is then shaped into small meatballs or patties.

Why This Recipe Works?

• Turkish Meatballs is a very simple yet extremely delicious dish and is made with only a few ingredients.

• You can make the kofte mixture in big batches, shape it into balls and keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months.

• The leftover meatballs taste even better, you can keep them refrigerated for up to five days.

• Turkish Kofte/meatballs are also perfect for entertaining! You can shape them in patties and cook them on the BBQ for your summer parties.

• This kofte recipe never fails to satisfy me, I've been making this dish for almost 30 years.

• Baked Turkish Kofte is a crowd-pleaser, this recipe will give you 24 to 26 meatballs.

Ingredients You'll Need

Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.

Kofte Mixture

Best Meat for Kofte

The main ingredient for kofte is mince and its fat content is as important as the quality of the meat.

The ideal mince should have %30 fat for deliciously tender meatballs. 

Using lean mince will make them dry and tough.

If you want to use lean mince, you should add some fat or oil to the mixture.

I generally use half ground lamb and half ground beef to get the right balance of fat.

Turkish Kofte Spice Mix

Most kofte recipes call for a blend of black pepper, paprika, and/or red pepper flakes but you can also add coriander powder, cayenne pepper, cumin, or a touch of cinnamon.

This spice mix adds a delightful balance of flavors, depth, and warmth to the meat mixture, resulting in deliciously seasoned kofte.

The use of a kofte spice mix helps create an authentic Turkish taste and is a key element in preparing flavorful and traditional Turkish meatballs.

• Garlic - It is another great flavoring for kofte dishes and is absolutely essential. You can turn it into a paste with a mortar and pestle or grate it with a Microplane. You can substitute the fresh garlic with the garlic powder.

• Egg - It helps to bind the meat, breadcrumbs, spices, and herbs. For up to one kilo of meat, you usually won't need more than one egg.

• Breadcrumbs - They absorb the juices from the meat as it cooks, trapping them within the meatball. Also, they give meatballs a nice soft texture. You can use homemade breadcrumbs or panko breadcrumbs.

• Parsley - Great tasting herb to add to the Kofte mixture. Use flat-leaf or curly parsley leaves for the best results. You can substitute it with thyme or oregano.

Tomato Sauce

• Tomatoes - Red & juicy summer tomatoes are always the best option but you can add some tomato paste if your tomatoes are not perfectly red. Grate or blitz them in a food processor before adding them to the sauce.

• Peppers - Turkish green peppers are very popular in Turkish cooking. They are usually mild but some of them can be quite hot. Always check before using them as they can affect the spiciness of your dish. You can replace them with bell pepper or Spanish Padron peppers. Wash, dry, and then cut them into chunks before sautéing.

• Oil - Vegetable oil is the best oil for cooking meatballs. You can also use canola oil, rapeseed oil, or peanut oil.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Making this authentic Turkish Kofte dish is very simple and straightforward.

However, to achieve the best results you need to follow a few tips and simple steps:

Prepare the Meatball Mixture

Place the ground meat, grated onions, garlic, bread crumbs, egg, parsley, salt, paprika, chili flakes, and freshly ground black pepper in a large bowl. 

Mix everything together until it’s thoroughly combined, then continue kneading it for another 5 minutes.

Shape them into 24-26 equal-sized balls, about the size of a walnut.

Preheat a large cast iron skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat. 

Heat the oil and then add the meatballs.

Nicely brown the meatballs for about 2-3 minutes.

Don't overcrowd the pan, do this in batches if necessary. 

Place the meatballs in an oven dish and then preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

Prepare the Tomato Sauce

Place the peppers in the same pan and then sauté them on medium heat for a few minutes.

Add the grated tomatoes, paprika, salt, and freshly ground black pepper along with the vegetable stock, chicken stock, or water.

Bring the sauce to a boil and then pour it on the cooked meatballs.

Place the oven dish in the preheated oven and bake the meatballs for 15 minutes or until they are thoroughly cooked.

Top Tips From the Chef

• For delicious and juicy meatballs, use freshly minced meat with a minimum of 20% fat content.

• Also, let your kofte mixture rest for a minimum of 2 hours, ideally overnight for the flavors to meld.

• Use your hands to mix up the meat, herbs, and spices to make sure everything is mixed well.

• Don't overcrowd the pan when browning the meatballs, do this in batches if necessary.

Serving Suggestions

This deliciously spiced Turkish kofta dish is perfect to serve with rice or bulgur dishes such as Bulgur Pilavi (Turkish Bulgur Rice Pilaf), Turkish Rice (Sehriyeli Pilav), or Turkish Bulgur Pilaf with Lentils.

You can also serve it on some bread such as Bazlama (Turkish Flatbread), Greek Pita Bread, Pakistani Roghni Naan, or Garlic Naan - Indian Flatbread.

To make it a complete feast, why not add some salad such as Fasulye Piyaz (Turkish Bean Salad), Rocket Salad with Parmesan, Beetroot and Feta Salad, or Austrian Potato Salad?

Recipe FAQs

Related Recipes

For more delicious meatball/kofte/kofta dishes, why not try:

Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

I hope you enjoy the process of making this perfectly spiced Homemade Turkish Kofte dish as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂

Bon appétit! / Afiyet Olsun! 

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