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! 😂)
Susi V says
These are amazing – just the right amount of salt and spice to be unctuously satisfying, and the yoghurt and lemon sauce is pure genius. And easy too! Made this with your flatbreads (also brilliant, super easy and pliable as promised), sliced ripe tomatoes and a heap of fresh rocket from the garden. I still drool when I think back to that meal and know my next party will feature these!
Nagi says
Yum! I’m so glad you enjoyed them Susi – N x
Ann Pean says
Hi Nagi — all of the kofta spice blend for one pound of lamb?
Susi V says
Hi Ann, I recently made these (see my comment above) and the amount of spice in the recipe is perfect for a pound of ground lamb. It might sound a bit much but it works – you get that moreish juicy spiciness that you want in a kebab, and it’s a perfect partner to the yoghurt sauce, a pita wrap and some salad.
Ann says
I made them last night and they were amazing! Spices were perfect!
Nagi says
I’m so glad you gave it a go Ann!
Cristina says
Made the koftas with the yoghurt sauce and a greek salad, was wonderdul. It was my first time cooking Nagi’s recipes, but definitely not the last!
Fran Grimwood says
OMG! Made these, on this hot Australian summer night, to such acclaim! The whole family agree it was the best meal ever. Grilled Auvergne, garlic, onion, and tomatoe, and placed all on a bed of baby spinach, because I had a fridge full of veg needing to be used. Thank you for this memorable recipe!
Kiera says
Yet another delicious recipe, now added to the regulars list! Served with mint yoghurt as I had mint to use. Thanks Nagi x
Michael says
You give a recipe for “KOFTA SPICES” but no mention of how, when, or why to use.
Nagi says
Hi Michael, the kofta spices go in with the kofta ingredients – N x
Rachel says
Nagi!!! These were a winner again! When my partner gobbled up the first wrap he said “is this that RecipeTin girl again?? Her recipes are amazing!” Haha! Like those award winning Asian sticky wings, these will also be a weekly/fortnightly request. Thank you!
Nagi says
I’m so glad they are a hit Rachel!!
Michael kotiw says
I made these for a 50th birthday it went down a treat with all guests. I’ve now been told any gatherings I’m in cited to I must make this Meal
Nagi says
I’m so glad they were a hit Michael, perfect to make a big batch and freeze too!
Liz says
Oops, forgot to rate my other comment. Newbie, haha
Liz says
This was so delicious! The flavour of the koftas was so good, and the yoghurt sauce suited it perfectly. I wrapped it in flatbread with a carrot, lemon and currant salad. Perfect!
Nagi says
Sounds perfect Liz!
Heather says
Love this recipe Nagi. I made a huge batch recently but used pork. Wonderful!
Also made your hummus, yoghurt sauce, and flatbread. Your flatbread is amazing with these. So much sturdier, but softer, than store bought ones. Thanks! H x
Nagi says
Sounds like you nailed it Heather!!
Pamela Williams says
OMG me and my family Love this recipe. I made it a week ago and I made it for dinner tonight. So happy😁
Nagi says
Wahoo, that’s great Pamela!
Lily says
How long do you cook the meat for on stove?
Nagi says
Hi Lily, It’s all in the directions – N x
LabRat says
Just made this for lunch, it was delicious. I made two batches, mine with beef and my husband’s with chicken, they were both great.
The only thing I did differently was add some oil to the chicken version so it wouldn’t stick too much to anything.
Will definitely make this again soon!
Nagi says
I’m so glad you loved them LabRat!
Mary says
Omg! This was so delicious! Hubby loved it too. Will definitely be making this recipe again!
Nagi says
YESSSS!!!!
Steph de Hoog says
I love these Koftas. I meant to make some with less spices for the kids but I forgot and even they loved them (they are so picky!). Really quick to make and super tasty. Perfect with your hummus recipe too
Nagi says
Wahoo, that’s great Steph!!
Ruth B Barker says
I made it all – kofta, yogurt sauce, cabbage salad = absolutely delicious! Leftovers equally enjoyed. Thank you!
Nagi says
Wahoo! So glad you loved it Ruth!
Carole says
Love these recipes. Making the koftas for the second time. Using tabouleh instead of the cabbage carrot salad (which was great too). Found some gluten free pitas and I think these are better than gyros (which no-one in Wisconsin makes very well). Thanks so much Nagi!
Carole says
Just an update. I made these in a big batch to use a whole Costco lamb leg. I froze it in 2 inch balls. I roasted the balls and served like a gyro. They freeze wonderfully!!
Nagi says
Yes it’s great with tabbouleh!! I’m so glad you enjoyed them Carole!
Rozina Mohammed says
Hi they look delicious-
Can I cook them beforehand and then reheat ?
I’m having a party with lots of guests and would be easier for me to make ahead ? Thanks in advance
Nagi says
Yes definitely Rozina! Just reheat in the microwave or low oven – N x
hermsoven says
Very good, Nagi. I will make this recipe many times in the future. We have a Costco market here that sells Australian lamb. I grind it myself. Easy to prepare and delicious.
Nagi says
Now that’s dedication!