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    Cooking Gorgeous » All Recipes » Main Dishes

    Inegol Kofte

    Published: May 11, 2021 · Modified: Jan 22, 2022 by Ayla Clulee · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print 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". Inegol Kofte is originated from the Balkans and 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.

    turkish inegol kofte recipe

    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 meatballs are best when grilled on the BBQ but you can also cook them in the oven or on a skillet. They are typically served with Piyaz (Turkish Bean Salad) in the restaurants but also go great with my Tabbouleh Salad.

    Inegol Kofte is very easy to make but it requires overnight marinating after the first stage of preparation. You need to rest it for a further few hours after shaping them. It might take some time to prepare these soft and juicy meatballs but the result is definitely worth it. They will be your favorite in no time. This recipe makes around 30-32 meatballs. You can half the recipe or store them in your freezer for up to 3 months if that's too many for you.

    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:

    • Use the right type of mince - 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 flavour to the kofte. I generally use beef mince made from brisket but a mixture of %80 beef and %20 lamb mince would work as well.
    • Marinate the kofte mixture - 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 let it marinate in the fridge for 24 hours. After 24 hours of marination in the fridge, mix the lemon juice and bicarbonate of soda in a small bowl then add it to the mince- breadcrumb mixture. Then add the grated onions and mix all together until nicely combined.
    • Shape the koftes, let them rest and then cook - The traditional way of shaping Inegol Kofte is to take walnut size pieces from the mixture and turn them into a finger shape. You can also shape them like small burger patties if you prefer. Place them on a plate, cover and put back in the fridge for another 2 to 3 hours. Grill them on the BBQ or oven-grill or shallow fry 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.

    I hope you enjoy the process of making these delicious and juicy Inegol Koftes as much as you enjoy eating them!🙂

    Bon appétit! / Afiyet Olsun!

    turkish inegol kofte recipe

    Inegol Kofte

    Ayla Clulee
    These juicy and delicious koftes are perfect for the BBQ to entertain guests but you can also cook them on the grill or on a skillet.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Marinating overnight 1 d
    Total Time 1 d 30 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Mediterranean, Turkish
    Servings 30 koftes
    Calories 20 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 kitchen scale
    • 1 grater
    • 1 measuring spoons
    • 1 grater

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 kilo minced beef from brisket (or any beef mince with %30 fat)
    • 125 g breadcrumbs
    • 125 ml water
    • 1 tablespoon salt
    • 1 tablespoon bicarbonate of soda
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
    • 2 medium onions (grated)

    Instructions
     

    • 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 then add it to the mince.
    • Add the grated onions as well and mix them all until nicely combined.
    • Take walnut size 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 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.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 20kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 373mgPotassium: 20mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 10mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @cookingorgeous or tag #cookingorgeous!

    FOOD SAFETY

    • Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
    • Don’t leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
    • Never leave cooking food unattended
    • Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
    • Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

    See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

    This post use affiliate links. This means that if you click on them and then buy something, we get a small amount of commission to keep the site running, but it doesn’t cost you anything more.

    Did you make this recipe?

    Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ayla

      August 03, 2021 at 3:14 pm

      5 stars
      Made this for a cookout and it was a huge hit. Thank you for great recipe!!!

      Reply
    2. Emine

      August 04, 2021 at 2:45 am

      5 stars
      This is my favourite kofte and I always wanted to learn how to make it. It is definitely on my list to try this weekend!

      Reply
      • Ayla Clulee

        August 04, 2021 at 7:43 am

        Hi Emine
        I hope you like it when you try 🙂

        Reply

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    Hi! Thank you for visiting Cooking Gorgeous. My name is Ayla, and I’m a professional chef based in the UK. The kitchen is my happy place and cooking is my therapy. To me, food is more than ingredients and nutrition; it is a language of love, a way of expressing compassion.

    More about me →

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