Turkish Meatballs, known as kofte in Türkiye, are one of those dishes we never get tired of. They are tender, juicy, packed with spices and incredibly easy to make. As a Turkish family, this is probably one of the dishes we make most often, and once you try it, you'll understand why.
Köfte: A Favorite in Turkish Homes
If you asked us what we cook most often at home, our answer would be kofte. And we don't think we're the only Turkish family who would say that.
Kofte is one of the most loved dishes in Türkiye. It might even be the meat dish that is cooked most often in Turkish homes. It is the kind of dinner that gets everyone excited when they hear it is on the menu.
It is also known as a lifesaver for Turkish moms. It is easy to make, doesn't require many ingredients, and almost everyone loves it. So it ends up on the dinner table very often.
And kofte isn't just something people make at home. There are even restaurants called kofteci that specialize in serving kofte.
The recipe we are sharing here comes from a local kofteci we loved years ago when we were living in Eskişehir, Türkiye. We got the recipe from the owner, and we've been making it this way ever since.
What Is Turkish Kofte?
There are many different types of kofte in Turkish cuisine. This recipe is for the classic homemade version that many of us grew up eating.
It is made with ground beef, onion, bread, and spices, then shaped into patties and cooked in a pan, on the grill or in the oven.
This is one of the simplest types of Turkish kofte. There is no sauce and no complicated ingredients. Just meat, onion, bread and spices coming together to create a tender and flavorful dish.
About The Ingredients
Ground Beef: We mostly make kofte with ground beef that’s 80% lean (20% fat). If you like the flavor of lamb, you can use a combination of beef and lamb.
Spices: We use cumin, chili powder (or paprika), pul biber (Aleppo pepper), thyme (or oregano), salt and black pepper. You can adjust the amounts to your taste.
Onion: We either chop it very finely or grate it. You can also use a food processor.
Garlic: We love the richness it adds to our kofte, but you can use less or leave it out if you prefer.
Bread or Breadcrumbs: We often use a large slice of stale bread without the crust. Just put it in a food processor and blitz until fine.
Baking Soda: This is one of the key ingredients for tender kofte. Mixed with a little lemon juice, it helps keep the meat soft and juicy.
Parsley: Like many Turkish people (including Zerrin’s mom), you can also add finely chopped parsley to the mixture. It adds a really nice flavor. We often do this too, but we didn’t have any parsley on hand when making this recipe.
You can find the full ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.
How To Make Turkish Kofte
Making Turkish kofte is surprisingly easy.
Put the ground beef, breadcrumbs, onion, garlic and spices in a large mixing bowl. Add the baking soda, pour the lemon juice over it and then add the water. Using your hand, mix everything together for about a minute until well combined.
If you have time, cover the mixture and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour. This helps the flavors come together and gives the kofte an even better texture. But don't worry if you're short on time. We often skip this step too and the kofte still turn out delicious.
Shape the mixture into balls or oval patties, whichever you prefer.
Heat a little olive oil in a cast iron skillet or a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Place the kofte in the pan, making sure not to overcrowd it. Cook until the bottoms are nicely browned, then flip them over and brown the other side as well.
Once both sides have a good color, reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking, turning them occasionally so they brown evenly on all sides. Depending on their size, they should be fully cooked in about 8 to 10 minutes.
Transfer the cooked kofte to a plate and continue with the remaining batches. Serve immediately while still hot.
You can find the full list of instructions on the recipe card below.
Serving Suggestions
Turkish kofte is often served with piyaz (Turkish bean salad) or çoban salatası (Turkish shepherd's salad). We also love serving it with sumac onions on the side.
For something cooling and refreshing, serve kofte with a bowl of cacık, the Turkish yogurt and cucumber dip.
Also, kofte goes well with Turkish rice pilaf or bulgur pilaf. Both are classic pairings.
If you want to add some bread to the table, we recommend pide ekmek, lavash or even bazlama.
And of course, just like many Turks, we would have a glass of ayran alongside kofte. This simple yogurt drink is one of the most popular accompaniments to grilled and pan-fried meat dishes in Türkiye.
Looking for more ideas? Check out our collection of Turkish side dishes.
Storage and Reheating
Store any leftover kofte in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To reheat, place them in a skillet over medium heat and cook for a few minutes, turning occasionally, until heated through.
That said, many Turks enjoy leftover kofte without reheating. We often take them out of the refrigerator and leave them on the counter for 15 to 20 minutes to lose their chill, then serve them with bread and salad or pickles. In fact, we often prefer having the leftovers this way.
Can I Freeze Kofte?
Yes, absolutely!
If there is one thing many Turkish moms always have in the freezer, it is homemade kofte. It is often the first thing they reach for when they can't decide what to make for dinner because they know everyone will happily eat it.
To freeze kofte, shape the meat mixture into patties and place them on a large plate or tray in a single layer. Freeze for 15 to 20 minutes, then transfer them to freezer bags. This quick freeze prevents them from sticking together.
When you are ready to cook, you can take the kofte straight from the freezer and cook them. There is no need to thaw them first.
We highly recommend making a big batch and keeping some in the freezer for busy weeknights. Having homemade kofte ready to cook can feel like a lifesaver when everyone is hungry and dinner needs to be on the table quickly.
More Turkish Kofte Recipes
- Turkish kofte kebab
- İzmir Köfte (Meatballs and Potatoes in Tomato Sauce)
- Kadinbudu Kofte
- Meatball Stew
- Eggplant Kebab
Sign up for the FREE Give Recipe Newsletter to get the new recipes into your inbox!
And stay in touch with us on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube and Instagram for all the latest updates.
📖 Recipe
Kofte Recipe (Turkish Meatballs)
Video
INGREDIENTS
- 2 pounds ground beef (900 grams) 80% lean
- ½ cup breadcrumbs (50 grams)
- 2 medium onions pureed
- 4 cloves garlic mashed (optional)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon chili powder optional
- ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ lemon juice only
- 1 tablespoon olive oil to fry the meatballs
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, onion, garlic, cumin, chili powder (or paprika), pul biber, thyme, salt and black pepper.
- Add the baking soda on top of the mixture. Pour the lemon juice over it, then add the water.
- Using your hand, mix everything together for about 1 minute, until well combined.
- If you have time, cover and refrigerate the mixture for at least 1 hour. This helps the flavors develop, but you can skip this step if needed.
- Shape the mixture into balls or oval kofte patties.
- Heat the olive oil in a cast iron skillet or non-stick pan over medium-high heat.
- Place 8-10 kofte in the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until nicely browned on the bottom. Flip and cook the other side until browned as well.
- Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking, turning occasionally, until the kofte are cooked through and evenly browned on all sides, about 8-10 minutes total.
- Transfer the cooked kofte to a plate and continue cooking the remaining kofte in batches. There is no need to add more oil to the pan, as the kofte will release some of their fat while cooking.
- Serve immediately with piyaz (Turkish bean salad) or your favorite side dishes.
NUTRITION
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Grace says
Dear Zerrin & Yusuf, Thank you for all the recipes you have sent me, I find them simple (as I like it) and tasty.
I have a request though, I am forgetting my weight comparisons. The meatballs were given in pounds, but I need metric please as I am old enough to forget the equal amount from pounds to kilos.
Many thanks and best wishes to you, and happy eating.
Grace
Zerrin & Yusuf says
Hi Grace,
Thank you so much for your kind words, it really means a lot to us 😊
Thanks for pointing this out. We’ve now added the metric measurement to this recipe card. Also, we’re currently working on updating our recipes to include metric measurements as well, but it’s a gradual process.
Thanks so much for your patience and for being here with us!
Best,
Zerrin & Yusuf
Christine says
Would the recipe change if I used only lamb?
Zerrin & Yusuf says
Hi Christine,
Lamb works fine too.
Joseph says
hello again. as in moms Italian meatballs , We moisten our bread crumbs which are coarse not fine ground with Milk, so hmmmm ,decided to moisten with beef bullion broth n soak crumbs we used day old bread shredded, squeeze out most of liquid add rest ingredients , roast at 400 degrees grill, pan fry ,I prefer iron skillet. flip no just roll aver n over , Yeahhhhhh
Zerrin & Yusuf says
Thank you for sharing your tips with us!
Joseph says
new to your type of food , really interesting , different flavor profile , me 81 year old Italian Lithuanian , really good cook cook three meals a day love to garden , fishing , prayer ,
Zerrin & Yusuf says
We are so happy to have you here in our small Turkish food community!
April Coskuner says
Tasted great would not stick together enough and my meatballs fell apart on the bbq. Having said this I started with a quantity of ground beef that I did not have an exact weight for and guestimated the correct quantities of everything else. I guess you need to be exact with this recipe...
Zerrin & Yusuf says
Hi April, so happy to hear you liked the taste! 😊 We wonder if the ground beef you used was a bit too lean. Especially on the BBQ, kofte usually hold together better when there’s enough fat in the mix.
Joseph says
hello April, moisten bread crumps no wet just moisten squeeze out if to wet instead of rolling in pals once toss back n forth between palms. the several times then roll them into shape with palms cool fun sing while doing they. enjoy
Janelle R says
SO GOOD I couldn't stop saying "MMMMMM!!" as I ate. Made for supper along with the cabbage rolls and lentil bulgur soup which was all lovely but this was the star.
Zerrin & Yusuf says
Thank you so much, Janelle! We're happy to hear you loved the köfte. And wow, what a delicious spread with the cabbage rolls and lentil bulgur soup! Thanks again for the comment and for the five-star rating!
Tracey says
Excellent. Had to use standard chilli powder as I couldn’t get any aleppo but have sorted that for the next time - thank heavens for online shopping. Worked really well with a Turkish style sauce.
Zerrin & Yusuf says
Hi Tracey,
Thank you for your lovely feedback!
We're so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Standard chili powder is a great substitute. We sometimew use it as well. We're excited for you to try it with Aleppo pepper next time; it adds such a unique flavor!
Sandy Drew says
I’m trying these soon as I like cumin and tumeric for healing. Thanks
Maria McInerney says
wonderful meatballs.
Zerrin & Yusuf says
Thank you Maria!