These Lamb Koftas are a long standing personal favourite Middle Eastern recipe! Made with lamb mince (ground lamb) and a hefty dose of spices, the smell when this is cooking is intoxicating!
You’ll be surprised how many of the spices you already have for this Lamb Koftas recipe – they’re pantry standards. Stuff these in warm pita breads with a fresh Cabbage, Carrot & Mint Salad and a side of Pilaf with Dried Nuts and Fruit or Mejadra (Spice Lentil Rice) to create your own Middle Eastern banquet.
Lamb Kofta recipe
Middle Eastern food is one of my favourite cuisines because I’m all about big flavours, and the heavy spice flavouring of Middle Eastern dishes like these Koftas, Chicken Shawarma, Lamb Shawarma and Doner Kerbabs really hits my sweet spot!
The other reason is because most of the spices are pantry staples. It always surprises me when I read a Middle Eastern recipe and realise that I have everything I need to make it (other than fresh produce).
Spices like cumin, coriander, cinnamon and paprika which are used in other popular cuisines such as Mexican food (which also makes a regular appearance around these parts).
And of course cinnamon, a baking staple – Apple Cake, Churros, Muffins, Oatmeal Raisin cookies. I am never without cinnamon!
It’s the combination of spices used in Middle Eastern cooking that makes it taste and smell so exotic – and these Lamb Koftas are no exception!
Cinnamon is the secret ingredient in Lamb Koftas that’s so distinctly Middle Eastern and makes these intoxicating!
What are lamb koftas?
Koftas refers to a dish made with spiced ground meat (mince). Sometimes it’s made on skewers (this recipe) though they do also come in non skewered form, often shaped like a torpedo / football.
Typically, they are stuffed inside flatbreads with fresh salad or pickled vegetables and sauces, though they can be served over rice with fresh sides.
Where do lamb koftas come from?
No one country can declare themselves to be the creator of lamb koftas! But they’re typically associated with the Middle East and Mediterranean countries like Turkey, especially because they’re made with lamb which is a common protein associated with the food of that region.
What goes in lamb koftas
Here’s what you need. How many of these spices do you already have?? 🙂
(PS I realise panko breadcrumbs are totally non-Middle Eastern, but they are so much better than normal breadcrumbs, being that they’re larger fluffier pieces = softer koftas!)
(PPS While these are lamb koftas, this recipe works equally well with beef!)
How to make lamb koftas
Just toss everything into the bowl, mix it up then thread onto skewers. I even grate the onion straight into the bowl. And there’s just no avoiding getting your hands dirty to make sure the spices are well mixed throughout the meat. It’s half the fun!
These can be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen, making them ideal for getting ahead for busy midweek meals or big gatherings!
Remember: skewers are optional! Also, there are plenty of shape options:
Skewers – smoothish (pictured) or flat and dimpled
Non skewered – balls, football shaped, short cylinders, long cylinders
So unleash the creative demon within! 😈
Best way to cook lamb koftas
Grill over charcoal – the ultimate and traditional way! The extra smokey flavour is sooooo good;
BBQ – next best, and the way I usually cook them for gatherings;
Stove – the way I cook them most of the time; and
Broiler/grill – a fall back option, though you don’t get quite as good browning on the surface.
Yogurt Sauce for lamb koftas
The heavy spicing and rich flavour of lamb makes the koftas a perfect candidate for a tangy-yet-creamy Lemon Garlic Yogurt Sauce. Sometimes I like to add a dollop of Tahini which adds another layer of richness.
And if I’m serving these at a gathering, I’ll usually add Hummus as another sauce option.
What to serve with Lamb Koftas
The most common way koftas are served are as wraps. This is how I serve it:
Flatbreads – to make wraps (try these easy no-yeast homemade flatbreads)
Simple Lemon Yogurt Sauce (included in recipe)
Hummus – extra / alternative sauce option
A colourful minted red cabbage salad which is a refreshing contrast and adds great crunch
A couple of alternative salad options for wraps:
Shredded lettuce or other leafy greens, tomato slices and onion (the easy option)
Tabbouleh – see recipe in the notes of this Doner Kebab recipe
This Middle Eastern Chickpea, Tomato and Cucumber Salad would also pair beautifully, though I’d skip the spiced chickpeas (make sure you dice the veg small enough to stuff inside)
A big fat Greek Salad – different cuisine I know, but this is right at home alongside the strong flavours in these Koftas and I love stuffing them in the pita bread! (Again, make sure the veg is chopped smaller)
The other option is to serve it with a rice pilaf side instead of (or in addition to) pita bread. Here are some pilaf recipes that will pair beautifully with these Lamb Koftas:
Middle Eastern Lentil Rice Pilaf (Mejadra – one of my personal favourites!)
Red Rice – albeit Mexican, the flavour is on theme with Middle Eastern food
These lamb koftas first made an appearance on my website way back in 2014 when I first started this blog. Patience has never been my greatest virtue, so I did all my favourite recipes right out of the gate. And finally, I’m starting to trawl through them and create videos along with new photos – because I’ve come a long way in both fields since then! 😂
It’s a great recipe for entertaining because you can prepare everything in advance then just throw the koftas on the BBQ when your guests arrive. Pile it all onto a platter and let your guests help themselves! I’ve made this for my friends on many occasions – here’s a typical Arabian Feast menu they’re very familiar with, and I don’t think anyone’s getting bored of it….. – Nagi xx
Watch how to make it
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Lamb Koftas with Yoghurt Dressing
Ingredients
Koftas
- 1 lb / 500 g lamb mince (ground lamb)
- 1/2 onion , grated
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs , preferably panko
- 2 cloves garlic , crushed
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
Kofta Spices
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp coriander
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp cayenne pepper (this is a bit spicy, reduce to taste or leave out)
- 1 tsp cooking / kosher salt
- 1/2 black pepper
Yoghurt Sauce
- 1 cup yogurt , Greek or other thick plain
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic , crushed
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp salt and pepper , each
To Serve
- 8 skewers (Note 1)
- 8 flatbreads (small) or 4 large, warmed (homemade or bought, Note 2)
- Shredded Red Cabbage, Carrot and Mint Salad (Note 3)
- OR shredded lettuce, tomato and onion slices (Note 3)
Instructions
- Yogurt Sauce: Combine the yogurt sauce ingredients and leave in fridge for at least 20 mninutes for the flavor to develop (overnight even better!).
- Koftas: Grate the onion into the bowl using a standard box grater. Add remaining Kofta ingredients and mix well with your hands.
- With damp hands, divide the meat into 8 equal pieces and push and shape the meat onto 8 skewers. Make them smooth (looks nicer, pictured!) or a bit nubbly (more surface area to brown!).
Cooking:
- Stove: Preheat 1/2 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook in batches for 5 minutes in total, turning to brown evenly all over.
- BBQ: BBQ on medium high for about 6 minutes, rotating to brown all over.
- Broiler/oven grill: preheat and cook koftas 30cm/10" from heat source for 12 minutes, rotating as needed until lightly browned (you won't get as good a browning as stove/BBQ).
Serving:
- Do a DIY spread – pile everything onto a platter a make everyone serve themselves.
- Get a flatbread, smear with Yogurt Sauce, top with Red Cabbage Mint Salad (more options Note 3) then Kofta, drizzle over more Yoghurt Sauce. Devour and be happy!
Recipe Notes:
- Shredded iceberg lettuce (or just handfuls of leafy greens) with slices of tomato and onion (like the way Doner Kebabs are made), some fresh coriander/cilantro, parsley or mint would also be lovely
- Tabbouleh – see recipe in Doner Kebab recipe
- This seasoned Middle Eastern Lentil Rice Pilaf (Mejadra) is super tasty and would go perfectly to serve on the side / stuffing inside the pitas
- Middle Eastern Chickpea Salad with Cucumber and Tomato (skip the chickpeas if you want) – great juicy crunch factor
- Hummus instead of / in addition to yogurt sauce
- Add a side of juicy marinated BBQ Vegetables (or road them!) – extra amazing to stuff into pitas with the koftas
Nutrition Information:
Lamb koftas recipe first published November 2014. Updated September 2019 with brand new photos, complete rewrite, slight recipe improvements, brand new video and most importantly, Life of Dozer section added!
Life of Dozer
He knows full well he is not allowed on the white leather couch…. always pushing the boundaries!!!
(PS This is at my mother’s house, and she is going to be peeeeeeeved when she sees this photo! 😂)
Oh well Mr Dozer at least your paws are clean😃😃😃
Tell your mom the lamb koftas are awesome 👍🐕
No, paws are not clean! He goes to the garden, pees etc and comes back. Nagi must have forced Dozer to do that just to annoy me which she often does. So this time, I won’t scold Dozer.
But Koftas are really great.
When I saw the photo of you holding two koftas, (Which look very tempting) I thought I bet I now who’s hovering below in the hope that you drop some. Ha, ha, ha. xx
Dear Nagi, i hosted a party of 24 and this is what I made. Beef kofta, Lemon butter Fish with Kale Rise, side of potato wedges, grilled vegetables and macaroni salad. My guests gave rave reviews for all items. Thank you for the bottom of my heart.
I have made this before many times and they are delicious! I skip the cayenne pepper if there’s little ones, otherwise I make the recipe exactly as written (including the cabbage salad!)
he nagi, thx for the recipe..2 things..whats the best fat percentage in the meat and second can i use chili instead of cayenne?
thx a million,
gary
In recipes where you use paprika, you seldom specify whether it should be sweet, hot, or smoked. When it’s not specified could you please tell me which one I should be using?
Love your recipes and use them often.
Hi Nagi, just querying the amount of paprika in this recipe? It says 12 tsp. I’m assuming it’s either 1 or 2 taps? Thanks
The whole family loved this, from our 10 month old, 3 year old and husband! (Cayenne pepper left out of course). Was delicious with hummus also.
This was delicious & part of a Middle Eastern cook up with Chicken Shawarma, flatbread & suggested sides. I am truly grateful for having found you – Nagi you are amazing & all your recipes are absolutely delish & so easy to follow. Love your work!!!!
This looks awesome! I can’t wait to have friends over and serve the Arabian Feast. One concern though….I don’t have an outdoor grill. Will a stovetop grill-pan suffice and if so, what is your recommended cook time?
Stove will be fine! I often cook this inside!! 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi,
We had the koftas and yogurt sauce at a BBQ lunch today and they were very nice. Next time though I’ll make my own lamb mince. I know they need to have some fat in them but the butchers put way too much in them here. The sauce was so good daughter in law wants the recipe. It is so quick and easy, love it.
So great to hear Sue!! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed this – N x
Hi Nagi, we had these the other night and they are soooo good! My family said they were better than the shop. Will definitely be doing them again and again. Thanks heaps.
I would like to thankyou for your lamb koftas they were deliciously enjoyed by my husband and I so again a big thankyou👍🐋
Love hearing that! So glad you enjoyed this Sharon! N xx
Hey there, just made these for my other half (he’s middle eastern) and they were nice! But I dunno if it was just me being silly, didn’t have enough spices, will definitely try again but with a lot more of each spice! Also tried the shawarma and feta, herb and chilli! They came out beautifully!
These are amazing. My go to recipe now. I have made them several times using ground beef. I form them into ovals patties and grill them or just cook them up in my cast iron skillet on the stove.
I make them with Ina Garten’s tatziki.
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/tzatziki-recipe-1913266
I’m so pleased to hear you enjoyed this Missy!! Thanks for letting me know – N x
Made the koftas last night for dinner. Very yummy! Loved the spice flavouring in these a lot. Didn’t have skewers, so made them into flatter koftas. Used store bought tzatziki as I already had it in the fridge and made a tomato, cucumber and feta salad to go with it all. And of course pita.
Will be making these again for sure.☺
WHOOT! So pleased you enjoyed these Sandra, thanks for letting me know! N xx
Do you have suggestions or anything to do differently if I want to make these Koftas but instead of lamb just use only beef? They look delicious but I have some non-lamb lovers at home 😉
Thanks in advance!
-Nic
You certainly can substitute beef! I grew up on beef kafteh. If you want to really be authentic, you use bulgur (cracked wheat) instead of bread crumbs.
Hi Nic! Nope, just sub the lamb for beef. It is FANTASTIC with beef as well – just as good in my opinion. N xx
Hi Nagi, I’ve used your lamb kofta recipe but replaced the lamb with chicken mince as hubby doesn’t eat red meat & they were an absolute hit , yuuuummmmy , Thankyou
I love hearing Jackee! So glad it works great with chicken mince too! N x
Glad you enjoyed this Jackee!!! Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback! N x
Lady, you’ve done it again! I made these Sunday night and the noises around the table may have been disturbing to the neighbours.
I followed the recipe to the letter, making the amazing yoghurt sauce and the rainbow salad as well. They are seriously delish, my husband couldn’t stop raving about them.
Next time I will add an egg so they don’t break (1 out of 12 did). My husband cooked them very slowly on the BBQ so they wouldn’t break.
I made the same yoghurt sauce last night to accompany rogan josh pork chops.
I adore you recipes as the majority of ingredients are already in my panty……..too easy!
Thank you once again.
That’s fantastic to hear Barbara! Thanks for letting me know! N xx PS Yes add an egg if you had problems with it holding together, I must confess I haven’t had that problem before and egg is not used for the other middle eastern kofta recipe on my site – Turkish kebabs – it’s a restaurant recipe. 🙂 If the kaftan get too wet, you may need to add a touch of breadcrumbs.
Too make truly authentic Kafteh, you would use bulgur, well soaked then excess liquid squeezed out. This helps them hold together better.
I made these again last night being more careful when shaping them and they were perfect (no egg). I followed your advice and whacked them in the fridge before cooking them on the BBQ.
The combination of middle eastern flavors is absolute restaurant quality but we have more fun making them at home.
The yogurt dressing is sensational. I made extra so we have leftovers for lunch today; can’t wait.
It’s chicken wings tonight but gosh, which recipe to choose? Thank you so much Nagi.
Whoot! 🙌🏻 So happy to hear that Barb, thanks for letting me know! N xx
OMG….I almost fell out of my chair with this one! This is one of my all-time favorite cuisines! Oh, but it’s been so long since I’ve had it! Why? I have no freakin’ clue – but that’s something I will need to fix! I love the spices (especially the smells of them cooking), I love that lamb is so prevalent in the dishes, and yogurt dressing/tzatziki is like crack to me! Seriously, I put that stuff on everything! The colors of your salad are gorgeous too! Wow – I can’t wait to make this!
Thanks Kathleen!! I adore Middle Eastern food, I can’t get enough of it! Knowing your tastes, I thought you might like this one! 🙂
I love these! The last time I made them I didn’t chill first and they were a little fally aparty but still delicious. I’m going to try yours next. They’re a real favourite of mine.
I know what you mean Maureen! I’ve made that mistake before when I was in a hurry 🙂 Nowadays if I don’t have chilling time I make them smaller, so I make 16 instead of 8. That way they tend to hold together better 🙂