Patatesli Tepsi Kebabı, or Turkish Tray Kebab with Potatoes, is a popular dish from southern Turkey, especially around Antakya. It’s a fuss-free and hearty meal made by shaping a mix of ground lamb and beef into a large patty, placing thin potato slices around it, and topping everything with tomatoes and peppers before baking.
As it cooks, the meat releases its juices and fat, which slowly flavors the potatoes. Everything bakes together in one tray, making this dish both fuss-free and full of flavor with minimum effort.
In regions like Antakya, it's common for families to prepare this dish at home and then take it to a local bakery to be baked in a wood-fired oven.
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What Makes Patatesli Tepsi Kebabı Unique
What makes this dish unique and special is the way the meat is shaped and the way the potatoes are arranged around it. You end up with delicious and tender potatoes with crisp edges and well-seasoned meat that stays juicy.
It’s an easy way to put together a meal that is filling on its own or goes perfectly with a simple Greek Lettuce Salad (Maroulosalata), some Lebanese Rice Pilaf with Vermicelli, a piece of Middle Eastern Lavash Bread, or a bowl of Cacik (Turkish Yogurt Dip) on the side.
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.
Ingredients for the Meat Mixture
- Meat - Ideally, you should use ⅓ ground beef, ⅓ ground lamb, and ⅓ finely chopped lamb meat with a high percentage of fat. However, you can use half ground lamb and half ground beef if it is more convenient for you.
- Vegetables - Finely chopped green Turkish chillies, garlic, a medium onion, and a medium tomato help keep the meat juicy and delicious. If you can't find Turkish chilli, you can use padron peppers or bell peppers in a pinch.
- Seasoning - My favorite seasoning blend includes salt, freshly ground black pepper, cumin, paprika, and chili. You can adjust the amount or add your favorite spice(s).
Ingredients for Topping the Meat
- Potatoes - You can choose any type of potatoes you have on hand, but floury potatoes work better as they soak up the juices from the meat mixture.
- Peppers - Turkish green peppers are my to-go, but you can replace them with bell pepper or Spanish Padron peppers.
- Tomato paste - It is the staple of Turkish cooking. You can buy tomato paste in Turkish or Middle Eastern shops, or buy it online from Amazon .
- Olive Oil - I always go for a good quality olive oil, but you can use any oil you like to cook with.
- Red pepper paste - It is a rich, delicious paste made with spicy or mild red peppers, and I use it quite often in my Turkish recipes. You can purchase it from Turkish / Middle Eastern shops or online from Amazon.
How to Make Patatesli Tepsi Kebabi - Turkish Tray Kebab
In a large bowl, combine the ground lamb, ground beef, chopped lamb meat, finely chopped onions, green peppers, tomatoes, minced garlic, chopped parsley, cumin, paprika, chili flakes, salt, and pepper.
Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well incorporated.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F). Spread the meat mixture onto a round baking tray, pressing it down to form a uniform layer with a thickness of 1 cm (0.4").
If your tray is too big, you can leave the sides empty and fill the gap with thinly sliced potatoes, slightly overlapping them. Top the meat mixture with tomato wedges and sliced peppers.
In a small bowl, mix the tomato paste, red pepper paste, and olive oil with water to create a sauce. Skip the olive oil if your meat mixture has a high fat percentage.
Pour this sauce evenly over the meat and potatoes.
Bake the kebab in a hot oven for about 40 -45 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and slightly golden and the meat is cooked through.
Recipe Tips From the Chef
- The meat mixture should ideally consist of ⅓ ground beef, ⅓ ground lamb, and ⅓ finely chopped lamb meat with a high percentage of fat. If you want to use lean mince, you should add some fat or oil to the mixture as well as to the tomato sauce.
- Make sure to layer the meat on the tray for about 1 cm (0.4") to achieve optimum juiciness.
- Although you can use any potatoes you have on hand, the best potatoes for tray kebab are the ones with higher starch, such as Maris Piper, Red Russets, Desire, or King Edward.
- If you have time, let the meat mixture rest for a minimum of 2 hours, ideally overnight, for the flavors to meld.
- For a lighter option, you can replace the potatoes with other vegetables such as eggplants or zucchini.
- As an alternative to sliced potatoes, you can top Antakya Tepsi Kebab with Pomme Puree - Creamy Mashed Potatoes.
Serving Suggestions
Patatesli Tepsi Kebabı is best served hot, straight from the oven. It pairs wonderfully with a side of Turkish Rice Pilaf (Sehriyeli Pilav) or Bulgur Pilavi (Turkish Bulgur Rice Pilaf) and a bowl of fresh Coban Salad. A dollop of yogurt on the side can also complement the flavors nicely.
Storage and Reheating
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To reheat, place the desired portion in an oven-safe dish and warm in the oven at 180°C (356°F) until heated through. You can also use your microwave on medium heat for 2-3 minutes for a quicker option.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can assemble the tray in advance and refrigerate it until ready to bake.
Yes, ground chicken can be used as a leaner alternative, though it may result in a slightly different flavor profile.
Related Recipes
For more delicious recipes from South Eastern part of Turkey, 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 delicious Patatesli Tepsi Kebabi - Turkish Tray Kebab as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂
Bon appétit! / Afiyet olsun!
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Patatesli Tepsi Kebabi - Turkish Tray Kebab
Equipment
Ingredients
- 250 g ground beef (minimum of % 15 fat)
- 250 g ground lamb
- 300 g lamb (finely chopped)
- 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
- 2 Turkish green peppers (or 1 green bell pepper) (finely chopped)
- 1 medium tomato (finely chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- ¼ cup parsley leaves (finely chopped)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon flaked chilli (pul biber)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cumin
For Topping the Meat Mixture
- 500 g potatoes (thinly sliced)
- 1 medium tomato (cut into wedges)
- 3 Turkish chilli or few green Spanish padron peppers (cut into chunks)
- ½ tablespoon red pepper paste
- ½ tablespoon tomato paste
- 200 ml water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the ground lamb, ground beef, and chopped lamb meat, finely chopped onions, green peppers, tomatoes, minced garlic, chopped parsley, cumin, paprika, chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F).
- Spread the meat mixture onto a round baking tray, pressing it down to form a uniform layer with a thickness of 1 cm (0.4"). f your tray is too big, you can leave the sides empty and fill the gap with thinly sliced potatoes, slightly overlapping them.
- Top the meat mixture with tomato wedges and sliced peppers.
- In a small bowl, mix the tomato paste, red pepper paste, and olive oil with water to create a sauce. Skip the olive oil if your meat mixture has a high fat percentage.
- Pour this sauce evenly over the meat and potatoes.
- Bake the kebab in a hot oven for about 40 -45 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and slightly golden and the meat is cooked through.
Notes
- The meat mixture should ideally consist of ⅓ ground beef, ⅓ ground lamb, and ⅓ finely chopped lamb meat with high percentage of fat. If you want to use lean mince, you should add some fat or oil to the mixture as well as to the tomato sauce.
- Although you can use any potatoes you have in hand, the best potatoes for tray kebab are the ones with higher starch such as Maris Piper, Red Russets, Desire, or King Edward.
- If you have time, let the meat mixture rest for a minimum of 2 hours, ideally overnight for the flavors to meld.
- For a lighter option, you can replace the potatoes with other vegetables such as eggplants or zucchini.
- As an alternative to sliced potatoes, you can top Antakya Tepsi Kebab with Pomme Puree - Creamy Mashed Potatoes.
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