Inegol Kofte - Turkish Beef Kofta Recipe

"Kofte" is a common name that is used for meatballs in Turkey.

Almost every city in Turkey has its own kofte dish named after them such as "Izmir Kofte" or "Tekirdag Kofte".

Try out these soft, juicy, and delicious Turkish beef meatballs namely Inegol Kofte (Inegol meatballs), which is a classic and one of the nation's favorites.

Inegol Kofte is very easy to make but it requires overnight marinating after the first stage of preparation.

It would help if you rested it for a further few hours after shaping them.

Preparing these soft and juicy beef koftas might take some time, but the result is definitely worth it.

They will be your favorite in no time.

What is İnegöl Köfte ?

İnegöl Köfte (Turkish Beef Kofta) originated from the Balkans and was brought to Inegol by an immigrant in the late 19th century.

It then became quite popular in the 1930s and quickly spread all over the country.

The main characteristic of Inegol Kofte is that it doesn't contain any spices or seasoning apart from salt, which makes it child-friendly.

These soft and juicy beef meatballs are best when grilled on the BBQ but you can also cook them in the oven or a skillet.

They are typically served with Fasulye Piyaz (Turkish Bean Salad) in the restaurants but also go great with my Taboule (Lebanese Tabouli Salad).

This beef kofta recipe makes around 30 meatballs.

You can half the recipe or store them in your freezer for up to 3 months if that's too many meatballs for you.

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.

• Ground beef - I generally use ground beef made from brisket with a minimum of % 25- 30 fat content. However, a mixture of %80 beef and %20 lamb mince would work as well.

• Breadcrumbs - They absorb the juices from the meat as it cooks, trapping them within the meatball. Also, they give meatballs a nice soft texture.

• Onion - It adds extra flavor and moisture to the meatballs.

• Bicarbonate of soda - It tenderizes the meat, keeps them juicy, and helps with the browning of the meatballs.

How to Make Inegol Kofte?

This is a straightforward recipe to follow.

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

Mix the mince with salt, water, and breadcrumbs in a large bowl and knead for about 6-7 minutes until firm.

Cover the bowl and keep it in the fridge and let it marinate for 24 hours.

After 24 hours, mix the lemon juice and bicarbonate of soda in a small bowl.

Add the bicarbonate of soda and lemon mixture and grated onions to the ground beef that has rested for 24 hours.

Mix them all until nicely combined.

Take walnut-sized pieces from the mixture and turn them into a finger shape.

Alternatively, shape them like small burger patties if you want to cook them on the BBQ.

Repeat until all the mixture is finished.

You should end up with around 30-32 koftes. Place them on a plate, cover and put them back in the fridge for another 2-3 hours.

Grill the koftes on the BBQ or oven-grill or shallow fry on a skillet for about 5 to 6 minutes until they become golden brown.

Top Tips From the Chef

• The most important tip for soft and juicy meatballs is to use mince with a minimum of % 25- 30 fat content. It might sound a bit too much but it's the fat that gives the softness and flavor to the kofte.

• Marinate the beef kofte mixture and leave it in the fridge for 24 hours.

• Shape the koftes into a finger shape, and let them rest for another 2-3 hours before cooking them.

• When shaping the beef meatballs, wet your palm with a bit of water to avoid the meatballs sticking to your hand. 

• Grill them on the BBQ or oven-grill or shallow fry them on a skillet. It is enough to cook for about 5 to 6 minutes until nicely browned. Avoid overcooking them for soft and juicy meatballs.

Recipe FAQs

Related Recipes

For more delicious kofte recipes 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 authentic Inegol Kofte - Turkish Beef Kofta recipe as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂 

Bon appétit! / Afiyet olsun!

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