Beef Köfte with Tomato-Butter Sauce and Yogurt

This delicious recipe for beef köfte with tomato-butter sauce and yogurt was the center piece of a menu on Turkish and eastern Mediterranean cuisine for a class that I have taught at the Culinaria Cooking School.  This dish is always such a big hit with our students that I thought of sharing it with my blog readers as well!

The savory mini meatballs (köfte) are cooked in a skillet or broiled in the oven.  They are so tasty on their own, but even better as part of this dish.  A warm and spicy tomato sauce is spread over pieces of toasted pita bread which can be served whole, cut into triangles, or, just torn into large pieces.  Then, the köfte are placed on top of the tomato sauce and drizzled with a thick and creamy yogurt-garlic sauce.

Variations of the Beef Köfte with Tomato-Butter Sauce and Yogurt

This dish is very popular throughout the eastern Mediterranean countries and, as it is often the case, it offers many variations among different regions.

Sometimes the beef köfte (meatballs) is replaced with well-marinated cubes of beef or lamb kebabs that are grilled to perfection.  Other times, the ground meat is formed into long patties (shish kebab), skewered, and grilled.  A spicier version includes adding hot green chillies as a topping to the kebabs and an even more indulgent version suggests drizzling melted butter seasoned with cayenne and paprika over the meat just before serving!

How to serve it 

You can prepare the components of this dish well in advance:  the tomato sauce and the meatballs can be fully cooked and then kept hot.  The toasted pita can be wrapped in foil and placed in a low-heat oven to keep warm.  The yogurt sauce should be at room temperature.

Since this is a multi-layered dish, it is best to assemble it just before serving so the pita remains crisp and does not become soggy.  Just before serving, you can also garnish the dish with fresh parsley or toasted pine nuts.  Homemade french fries on the side are always welcome (and something that my kids would definitely endorse)!

The recipe for the beef köfte

Beef Köfte with Tomato-Butter Sauce and Yogurt

 

Save Print

Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

1 hour

 

A very flavorful main dish of savory meat balls, spicy tomato sauce and creamy garlic yogurt

Author: Marilena Leavitt

Recipe type: Main Dish

Cuisine: Middle Eastern - Turkish

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• For the meat patties:
• 1 lb. lean ground meat, ground twice if possible
• 1 cup grated onion (1 medium)
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely minced
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 1 tsp. fresh thyme
• ½ tsp. ground cumin
• ½ tsp. ground sumac
• 2 tsps. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 TBSP. milk
• For the tomato sauce:
• 4 med. ripe tomatoes
• 1 TBSP. butter
• 3 med. cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 6 TBSP. beef broth
• Yogurt & Garnish:
• ¾ cup Greek yogurt, lightly beaten, at room temp
• 1 sm. garlic clove, grated (optional)
• 4 --- Mediterranean-style pita bread (without pockets)
• --- --- fresh parsley leaves

Instructions

1. Place the grated onion, parsley, all the seasonings, the olive oil and the milk in a medium bowl and thoroughly mix.
2. To the bowl with the onion mix, add the ground meat and knead thoroughly until very smooth.
3. Cover and refrigerate the bowl with the meat mixture for one to two hours so that it firms up and is easier to handle.
4. Make the tomato sauce: Remove the skins and the seeds of the tomatoes. Chop them and cook them in a medium skillet with the butter. Add the garlic, vinegar and sugar. Once they are slightly reduced, add the beef broth and mix to incorporate.
5. Make a “test” meat patty: Take a small spoonful of the meat mixture, flatten it into a tiny patty and cook in a skillet. Taste and adjust the seasoning of the meat mixture as needed.
6. Shape the meat mixture into small meatballs and flatten them slightly. Heat large, non-stick skillet under medium-high heat. Drizzle enough olive oil to the skillet to cover the bottom. Once the skillet is hot, place the meatballs in, making sure not to overcrowd it. Cook them on both sides until nicely brown.
7. To serve: Toast some pita bread, cut it in wedges and place in individual warm plates. Spoon some warm tomato sauce over the pita, drizzle some room temperature yogurt sauce over the sauce, and arrange some meat patties on the bed of yogurt. Sprinkle with some parsley leaves and serve at once.

3.5.3240

Other meatball recipes you will love

Grilled Lamb Meatballs

Traditional Greek Meatballs

Greek mini meatballs with tzatziki

– THANK YOU FOR READING AND FOLLOWING ALONG –

I really appreciate your support for my blog, please consider reviewing and rating my recipes!

If you are new here:  Subscribe to Marilena’s Kitchen to have every new post delivered right to your inbox!