Turkish Köfte (Spiced Beef Meatballs)
Aromatic Turkish meatballs seasoned with cumin, allspice, and fresh herbs, pan-fried until golden and crispy outside, juicy inside. Serve with lemon and yogurt for a classic meal.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 286
- Protein
- 24g
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- ½ medium onion, finely minced
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1.5 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- 1
Mince the onion until the pieces are smaller than a grain of rice—about pencil-tip dots—so they blend invisibly into the meatballs.
- 2
Finely chop the parsley by slicing it into thin ribbons, then cutting across those ribbons to make small flakes about the size of pinheads.
- 3
Place the ground beef, minced onion, parsley, cumin, allspice, salt, and pepper into a large bowl and use your hands to mix gently until just combined—about 1 minute of mixing—so the meatballs stay tender.
- 4
Wet your hands with cold water, then roll the meat mixture into balls about the size of golf balls (roughly 1.5 inches across), placing each on a clean plate as you finish.
- 5
Pour 2 tablespoons olive oil into a 12-inch skillet and set the heat to medium-high; wait until the oil shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 90 seconds.
- 6
Carefully place the meatballs into the hot oil, leaving a little space between each one, and listen for a steady sizzle as they touch the pan.
- 7
Let the meatballs cook without moving them for 3 minutes until the bottoms turn deep golden brown, like the color of caramel, then gently roll each one a quarter turn.
- 8
Cook for another 3 minutes, rolling them gently every minute, until all sides are dark golden brown and the centers are cooked through when you cut one open—total cooking time about 9 minutes.
- 9
Transfer the meatballs to a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess oil, then slide them onto a serving plate while still warm.
Tools you’ll need
- large mixing bowl
- 12-inch skillet
- wooden spoon or spatula
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- paper towels
- serving plate
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