Discover how to turn a packet of lamb mince into a tasty dish of spicy Middle Eastern lamb kofta. This makes a delicious change from the ubiquitous hamburger or meatball. And what’s more, you can bake them, fry them or even toss them on the barbecue.
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What is lamb kofta?
Lamb kofta (sometimes spelled kofte) is a popular Middle Eastern dish of spicy minced lamb, normally moulded around a wooden skewer and either baked or grilled. Lamb kofta is normally served with pita bread, salads, and dips such as yoghurt, tahini or tomato-based sauces. I’ve included a recipe further down the post for a yoghurt dip that you may like to try.
The word kofta derives from the Persian word ‘kufta’ which means finely chopped meat. There are many variations of kofta across the different Middle Eastern countries, and you will find kofta made with beef or chicken, or formed into meatballs rather than skewered.
This easy version of lamb kofta only takes 20 minutes to prepare and it cooks in only 30 minutes making it an ideal meal for busy weeknights. You can even prepare it ahead and leave the kofta in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake them.
I’ve also added some vegetables in the form of finely ground onions and red peppers, which not only add additional flavour but also help keep the lamb moist and juicy.
You will probably have most of the spices for lamb kofta in your kitchen already. I’ve used paprika, cumin, coriander and cinnamon, which are pretty standard and I wouldn’t recommend leaving any of these out. I’ve also added small amounts of nutmeg, cloves and cardamon for their warming flavours. If you don’t have any of these and don’t want to buy them, you can leave them out, although I would recommend you use them if possible. If you want a little kick of heat you could add some chilli flakes or cayenne pepper.
Because the lamb is formed into a kebab on a skewer it is ideal for either baking in the oven or for barbecuing over the coals. If you prefer you can leave out the skewer and shape the lamb into patties or meatballs instead.
Let me show you how easy they are to make.
What you will need
Equipment
For cutting up the onions and red peppers you will need a food processor. If you don’t have a food processor, then a sharp knife, a chopping board and plenty of elbow grease will suffice. You need to chop the peppers and onions into very small pieces, about the size of a grain of rice.
For frying the vegetables you will need a frying pan, and for mixing the kofta you will need a large mixing bowl.
The kofta are formed around bamboo skewers which make them easy to handle if you are going to be cooking them on the barbecue. If you don’t have skewers you could just form the kofta into sausage shapes.
If you are going to be baking the kofta in the oven you will also need a baking tray lined with baking parchment. I like to line my baking tray with baking parchment because it makes cleaning up afterwards so much easier.
Ingredients
This recipe will make 8 sausage-shaped skewers.
**You can get the complete list of ingredients and full instructions for making these easy lamb kofta on the printable recipe card at the end of this post**
Lamb mince – lamb is inclined to be a fatty meat, so buy lamb mince with the lowest percentage fat content you can find. Alternatively, you can buy a piece of lean lamb and mince it yourself in a food processor.
Red pepper (capsicum / bell pepper) – I like to use red pepper because it gives a nice colour contrast to the lamb. You could use orange, yellow or even green peppers. If your pepper is on the large side you will only need half of it.
Onion – you can use either red or white onions.
Breadcrumbs – panko breadcrumbs are ideal because they soak up moisture much better than normal breadcrumbs, and are also less stodgy. The panko also help to bind to the meat together.
Spices – these are the spices you will need. The nutmeg, cloves and cardamom can be omitted if you don’t have them and don’t want to buy them just for this recipe.
- paprika
- ground coriander
- ground cumin
- cinnamon
- ground nutmeg
- ground cloves
- ground cardamom
Fresh coriander – this is chopped and fried with the vegetables, and also used for garnish.
Salt – for seasoning – optional and to your own taste.
Oil – you can use either olive oil or vegetable oil – it is used for softening the vegetables. I soften the vegetables before adding them to the lamb because this gets rid of a lot of moisture, making the kofta less likely to fall apart when they are cooked.
Optionally (and not pictured) you may like to add a small amount of dried chilli flakes or cayenne pepper for a kick of heat.
What to do
Peel and chop the onions and red pepper (removing any seeds and membranes from the pepper) and blitz them in a food processor with the fresh coriander until they are approximately the size of a grain of rice.
Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the vegetables lightly for 3 to 4 minutes until they have released their moisture and are starting to soften. Set them aside to cool for a few minutes.
Place the lamb, breadcrumbs, salt and spices in a mixing bowl and add the cooled vegetables.
Mix everything together until well combined.
Using wet hands (to stop the meat from sticking to your fingers) mould the lamb into a sausage shape around the skewers.
You could also make longish oval shapes instead.
Bake in a preheated oven (200C/400F) for 25 to 30 minutes until well-browned and cooked through. The actual time will depend on how thickly you formed the meat onto the skewers,
Serve the kofta with salads and dipping sauces, and optionally add slices of lemon to squeeze over.
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Bonus recipe – yoghurt dipping sauce
If you would like to make a yoghurt dipping sauce to serve alongside the lamb kofta, this is what you will need:
- 1 cup / 240ml Greek or natural thick yoghurt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 – 2 cloves finely minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Mix all the ingredients together and refrigerate for half an hour before serving.
Lamb kofta FAQ
Yes, you can use either minced beef or chicken for this recipe.
Yes, you can freeze these skewers either raw or cooked. If you are freezing the cooked kofta, allow it to cool before freezing. The method for both raw and cooked is the same.
Arrange the kofta untouching on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment (to prevent sticking)and open freeze until solid. Transfer them to a plastic bag once frozen and freeze for up to 3 months.
To use – raw – bake in the oven from frozen but add an extra 5 minutes to the cooking time. Alternatively, allow them to defrost in the refrigerator and bake for the times and temperature given in the recipe.
To use – cooked – allow the kofta to defrost and then reheat them in a hot oven for a few minutes until piping hot.
The easiest way to cook these lamb kofta on the barbecue would be to enclose them in a foldable barbecue basket. Cook them towards the side of the barbecue, away from direct heat and turn the basket often to allow the kofta to brown on all sides.
Depending on the heat of the barbecue it should take around 20 minutes for them to be fully cooked.
Here are a few ideas for serving:
– form the kofta into patties before cooking, and serve in a toasted hamburger bun with slices of fresh tomatoes and onions and shredded lettuce.
– remove the skewers and serve in a wrap with shredded cabbage salad and yoghurt dressing.
– serve with spicy Moroccan rice (extra yummy 🙂 )
If you would like to fry the lamb kofta I would recommend you form them into shapes (either patties or balls) without skewering them. This will make it easier to turn the meat in the frying pan.
To fry, simply heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan and fry on a moderate heat for 4 to 5 minutes per side, turning occasionally to ensure the meat browns all over.
Save for later
If you would like to make your own lamb kofte why not save the recipe to one of your Pinterest boards so you can find it easily? Just click on the image below.
Alternatively, you can save the recipe by clicking on the floating heart icon on the right-hand side of the screen.
Other recipes
If you enjoyed these lamb kofta, you may also enjoy these other recipes:
- South African boerewors patties – all the flavour of this delicious South African sausage but with none of the fuss of having to actually stuff sausages yourself.
- Moroccan lamb tagine – succulent lamb cooked to perfection in delicious Middle Eastern spices.
- Lamb keema – a delicious minced lamb curry serve topped with a baked egg.
- Lamb pide – a Turkish flatbread filled with tasty minced lamb (Turkish pizza).
The recipe
Lamb kofta
(Click the stars to rate this recipe)
Equipment
- Sharp Knife AND
- Bamboo skewers optional
Ingredients
- 1 pound / 450 grams lean lamb mince
- 1 medium white onion
- 1 small red pepper (capsicum or bell pepper)
- ⅓ cup / 40 grams Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon ground paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 small bunch fresh coriander
- 1 teaspoon salt or to your own taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil for frying the vegetables
- ½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes optional
- 1 small lemon sliced (optional)
Instructions
- Peel and chop the onions and red pepper (removing any seeds and membranes from the pepper) and blitz them in a food processor with the fresh coriander until they are approximately the size of a grain of rice.1 medium white onion, 1 small red pepper (capsicum or bell pepper), 1 small bunch fresh coriander
- Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the vegetables lightly for 3 to 4 minutes until they have released their moisture and are starting to soften. Set them aside to cool for a few minutes.1 tablespoon olive oil
- Place the lamb, breadcrumbs, salt and spices in a mixing bowl and add the cooled vegetables.1 pound / 450 grams lean lamb mince, ⅓ cup / 40 grams Panko breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoon ground paprika, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon ground coriander, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes
- Mix everything together until well combined.
- Using wet hands (to stop the meat from sticking to your fingers) mould the lamb into a sausage shape around the skewers.
- Bake in a preheated oven (200C/400F) for 25 to 30 minutes until well-browned and cooked through. The actual time will depend on how thickly you formed the meat onto the skewers,
- Serve the kofta with salads and dipping sauces, and optionally add slices of lemon to squeeze over.1 small lemon
Notes
- 1 cup / 240ml Greek or natural thick yoghurt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 – 2 cloves finely minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Arrange the kofta untouching on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment (to prevent sticking)and open freeze until solid. Transfer them to a plastic bag once frozen and freeze for up to 3 months. To use – raw – bake in the oven from frozen but add an extra 5 minutes to the cooking time. Alternatively, allow them to defrost in the refrigerator and bake for the times and temperature given in the recipe.
To use – cooked – allow the kofta to defrost and then reheat them in a hot oven for a few minutes until piping hot. Nutrition is per kofta, assuming you make 8 skewers.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.
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