Afghan meatballs, also known as Kofta, are a delectable and flavorful Middle Eastern dish that tantalizes taste buds with its unique blend of spices and herbs. These succulent orbs of minced meat are often served as an appetizer or main course and can be cooked in various ways, offering a delightful culinary journey. Whether simmered in a rich tomato sauce, grilled to perfection, or baked with a golden crust, Afghan meatballs are sure to impress with their distinct charm and culinary heritage.
Let's cook with our recipes!
MIDDLE EASTERN MEATBALLS (KOFTA KEBABS)
Middle Eastern Meatballs (Kofta Kebabs) made in just one bowl and ready to bake in 15 minutes with authentic middle eastern spices, it tastes like the ground beef kebab you love but with minimal effort.
Provided by Sabrina Snyder
Categories Main Course
Time 30m
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Add all the ingredients except the beef into a bowl and stir well.
- Add in the beef and stir until just combined.
- Form into 1/4 cup meatballs (I use an ice cream scoop) onto your cast iron skillet or sheet pan.
- Cook for 15-18 minutes or until cooked through.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 94 kcal, Carbohydrate 1 g, Protein 10 g, Fat 5 g, SaturatedFat 2 g, Cholesterol 33 mg, Sodium 229 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 1 g, ServingSize 1 serving
KOFTA CHALAO
Steps:
- For the kofta: Mix together the ground beef, breadcrumbs, coriander, cumin, garlic, onions, cilantro and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Form the mixture into 1-ounce balls.
- For the sauce: Heat the oil in a pot. Fry the onions until translucent. Add the garlic and 2 1/2 cups water; bring to a boil. Stir in the tomato paste, split peas, coriander, paprika, turmeric, dried plums, sweet peppers, tomatoes, cilantro and some salt and black pepper. Add the kofta, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Serve with the basmati rice.
KOFTA CHALLOW (AFGHAN MEATBALLS WITH RICE)
Kofta Afghani recipe is one of the delightful recipes usually served with basmati rice; a delicious combo called kofta challow.
Provided by Afghan Yummy Food
Categories Main
Time 1h10m
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- Rinse rice (First make sure to rinse the rice. Leave it aside for few hours before cooking.
- The taste of it will be much better if it is rinsed and soaked in advance.
- Boil water (Boil water in a pasta pot with strainer or use a regular pot and drain the water after boiling using a strainer.
- Once the water is boiled, add the rice and boil for few minutes or until the rice is soft and long.
- Drain water from rice
- Heat a Pan on High heat and add vegetable oil, boiled rice, salt dissolved in warm water and the spices (Cumin seeds, Black Pepper, Cardamom)
- Mix well
- Make holes with the back of spatula.
- Cover the lid with a kitchen towel and place it on the pot.
- Cook on low heat for at least 25 to 30 minutes.
- 10. Serve with your favourite curry
- In an electric food chopper, add coriander, green pepper, onion, garlic, and mince
- In a big bowel, add meat, the minced mixture, and spices.
- Mix well.
- Add onions in a electric food chopper.
- Fry the minced onions in a large saucepan.
- Add tomato sauce.
- Add water leave on high heat until it comes to boil.
- Make small balls from meat mixture and add to the sauce.
- Leave it on low for 30 minutes to cook.
- 10. Serve with basmati rice or naan bread.
Nutrition Facts :
SPICY AFGHAN MEATBALL/KOFTA
Delicious spicy meatballs which never absorb oil. Makes a good appetizer if you make small meatballs and put them on a toothpick.
Provided by Indian Cook
Categories Meat
Time 35m
Yield 24 meatballls
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- soak the split chickpeas for 10 min then boil till cooked.
- Put all the ingerdients except the mince into the blender and grind till smooth with a few Tbsp water.
- Mix with the meat.
- Shape into 1/2 inch balls.
- Shallow fry in 1/2 inch of oil till brown.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 60.8, Sodium 7.1, Carbohydrate 15, Fiber 0.3, Sugar 10.3, Protein 0.2
NORTH AFRICAN MEATBALLS
Provided by Melissa d'Arabian : Food Network
Categories main-dish
Time 1h10m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 30
Steps:
- To make the North African Sauce:
- In a large saucepan heat the olive oil over medium heat and saute the onion and garlic until soft but not brown, about 3 minutes. Add the lemon zest and olives and cook for 1 more minute. Add the white wine, deglaze the pan, and let it reduce for a 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the stock, canned tomatoes, sugar, red pepper flakes, and cinnamon, and simmer to blend flavors, about 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- To make the Meatballs: In a medium bowl, add the egg and tomato paste and stir until smooth. Add the cilantro, ginger, cumin, and cinnamon and mix until well blended. Stir in the ground beef and oats, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and combine gently after each addition. Do not overmix. Rolling with your hands, make about 32 meatballs, about 1-inch in diameter.
- In a large saute pan, heat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium heat, and brown the meatballs in batches until golden on all sides. Add more oil, as needed. Transfer the meatballs to the pan with the sauce and let simmer for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve over the Couscous with Dried Dates.
- Couscous with Dried Dates:
- Bring the water, stock, and oil to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the dates followed by the couscous. Cover the pan tightly with a lid, remove from the heat, and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.
- Yield: 4 servings
AFGHANI MEATBALLS & NOODLES
Make and share this Afghani Meatballs & Noodles recipe from Food.com.
Provided by Just_Ducky
Categories Meatballs
Time 1h30m
Yield 6-8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- For the meatballs:.
- In a bowl, combine the beef, cinnamon, coriander, turmeric, cayenne, salt, pepper, and half of the garlic. With clean hands, mix thoroughly, then shape the meat into 3/4-inch meatballs. Set aside and let sit for 30 - 90 minutes to allow flavours to meld.
- In a large, heavy pan, heat the oil, add the onion, and cook over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until it is very soft. Turn the heat to medium-high and add the meatballs. Cook, turning them often, until they lose their pink color.
- Add the plum tomatoes and remaining garlic. Cover the pan, turn down the heat, and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, salt, and pepper and cook the mixture for 5 minutes over low heat, stirring once or twice.
- For the noodles:.
- Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook for 2 to 4 minutes or until they are tender but still have some bite. Drain the noodles and transfer them to a bowl. Stir in the kefir, garlic, and salt. Toss thoroughly and transfer to 6 wide bowls. Spoon meatballs around the edges of each bowl of noodles, add the mint to the center and serve at once.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 689.7, Fat 28.8, SaturatedFat 10.1, Cholesterol 166.7, Sodium 846.1, Carbohydrate 65.8, Fiber 6, Sugar 8.4, Protein 41.5
AFGHAN MEATBALLS
Back in the late '60s, when I went to community college, I made friends with several students from Afghanistan and Iran, who were away from home for the first time and trying to fill their stomachs on a budget and battle homesickness at the same time. This is one of their main dishes, which can feed a small army with less than 2...
Provided by Miriam Bucholtz
Categories Other Main Dishes
Time 1h25m
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- 1. Fill large pan or Dutch oven with about 6 cups of water, to start; you can always add more if you need it. Add ketchup, and bring to boil; turn down heat to avoid splashing.
- 2. Beat egg slightly, mix together with meat, onion, and spices. Mix with hands, and form meatballs. They will be soft and a little gooey, thanks to the egg, but don't worry. Drop meatballs, as you form them, into ketchup water. Turn heat down to simmer.
- 3. As the water sets the meatballs, cut the potatoes into medium-sized chunks (you can leave the skin on, if you want). Gently add these to the water. Cover pot, and simmer for about an hour. The longer this cooks, the better it tastes, and it makes great leftovers. Afghans, I'm told, tend to boil their meat, since the ovens they use for baking produces heat that is unreliable for killing all the harmful bacteria in meat.
- 4. Serve over plain white or brown rice. This dish can also be made using chicken parts (dark meat is best) by eliminating the egg, slicing the onion, and first browning the chicken & onion lightly in olive oil before adding to the water. Add the spices to the water.
NORTH AFRICAN MEATBALLS
In France, meatballs are called boulettes, and by far the favorite versions are the spice-scented North African type. Most of the neighborhood Tunisian and Moroccan restaurants in Paris offer them, served as an appetizer or a side, or in a fragrant main-course tagine with couscous. This recipe is an amalgam of several that I found on my bookshelf, among them one called boulettes tangéroises in an old French cookbook. Since I like things a bit spicier, my boulettes are more like Tunisian ones, in which hot pepper is more assertive.
Provided by David Tanis
Categories dinner, main course
Time 1h15m
Yield 4 to 6 servings, about 36 meatballs
Number Of Ingredients 33
Steps:
- Make the sauce: Heat oil over medium-high heat in a wide, heavy bottomed saucepan. Add onion and cook without browning until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, tomato paste, cinnamon and saffron, and stir well to incorporate. Season generously with salt and pepper, and allow to sizzle for 1 minute more. Add broth and simmer gently for 5 minutes. May be made several hours in advance, up to a day.
- Make the meatballs: Put bread cubes and milk in a small bowl. Leave bread to soak until softened, about 5 minutes, then squeeze dry.
- In a mixing bowl, put squeezed-out bread, ground meat and egg. Add salt, pepper, garlic, nutmeg, ginger, turmeric, paprika, cayenne, cloves, coriander and cumin. Mix well with hands to distribute seasoning. Add 2 tablespoons each of parsley, cilantro and scallion, and knead for a minute. May be prepared several hours in advance, up to a day.
- With hands, roll mixture into small round balls about the size of a quarter. Dust balls lightly with flour. Heat a few tablespoons of oil, or a quarter-inch depth, over medium-high heat and fry meatballs until barely browned, about 2 minutes per side. Drain and blot on paper towel. Simmer meatballs in saffron-tomato sauce, covered, over medium heat for about 20 minutes, until tender.
- Meanwhile, make the couscous, if desired: Cook according to package directions, fluff gently and stir in butter and raisins. Season with salt and cinnamon, and toss well.
- Garnish meatballs with remaining parsley, cilantro and scallion. Serve with couscous and roasted tomatoes if desired.
THE BEST MEATBALLS
I never knew how to make good meatballs until I found this recipe. I normally make mine with just ground beef and they still taste great. I've used the combination of pork, beef and veal and they are equally good. Definitely use fresh bread crumbs and freshly grate your cheese instead of using the canned variety...it really does make a difference.
Provided by Geanine
Categories World Cuisine Recipes European Italian
Time 50m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Combine beef, veal, and pork in a large bowl. Add garlic, eggs, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper.
- Blend bread crumbs into meat mixture. Slowly add the water 1/2 cup at a time. The mixture should be very moist but still hold its shape if rolled into meatballs. (I usually use about 1 1/4 cups of water). Shape into meatballs.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Fry meatballs in batches. When the meatball is very brown and slightly crisp remove from the heat and drain on a paper towel. (If your mixture is too wet, cover the meatballs while they are cooking so that they hold their shape better.)
Nutrition Facts : Calories 613.4 calories, Carbohydrate 6.6 g, Cholesterol 148.6 mg, Fat 53.2 g, Fiber 0.3 g, Protein 26.6 g, SaturatedFat 15 g, Sodium 333.1 mg, Sugar 0.3 g
ALGERIAN KEFTA (MEATBALLS)
This simple meatball dish is delicious, rich, and fresh. It was taught to me by my Algerian husband, one of his favorites from home. The tomato sauce can be used for anything and the amounts of flavors can be adjusted. I like a lot of garlic and pepper. I have also found halal hamburger to be much leaner and lighter than regular. You can find it at international food stores and halal butcher shops in bigger cities. Serve this dish with a French baguette.
Provided by jacqueline senouci
Categories World Cuisine Recipes African
Time 1h
Yield 3
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Combine the ground beef with half of the minced garlic and a tablespoon of chopped onion. Mix with your hands until fully incorporated. Shape the meat mixture into 1 1/2-inch oblong patties; you should have 12 to 14 meatballs.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the patties in batches until they are crispy on both sides and are no longer pink in the center, about 10 minutes. Set the meatballs aside in a rimmed serving dish and repeat with the remaining patties.
- Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the remaining chopped onion. Add salt and pepper. Cook the onions in the drippings, stirring constantly, until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining half of the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Stir in the roma tomatoes, dried parsley, ras el hanout, and water. Cook until the tomatoes are soft, about 5 minutes. Pour the tomato sauce over the meatballs and serve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 423.7 calories, Carbohydrate 5.3 g, Cholesterol 113.5 mg, Fat 31.5 g, Fiber 1.2 g, Protein 27.8 g, SaturatedFat 12.6 g, Sodium 110.8 mg, Sugar 2.3 g
Tips:
- Choose the right meat. Ground beef is the most common meat used for meatballs, but you can also use lamb, pork, or a combination of meats. If you're using ground beef, choose a leaner cut, such as 85% lean or 90% lean. This will help to prevent the meatballs from becoming too greasy.
- Season the meat well. Meatballs should be well-seasoned with salt, pepper, and other spices. You can also add herbs, such as parsley, oregano, or thyme. Be sure to mix the seasonings into the meat evenly.
- Handle the meat gently. Overworking the meat will make the meatballs tough. Mix the ingredients together just until they are combined. Then, shape the meatballs into balls and place them in the cooking pan.
- Pan-fry the meatballs before simmering them. This will help to brown the meatballs and give them a crispy crust. Be sure to pan-fry the meatballs over medium heat so that they don't burn.
- Simmer the meatballs in a flavorful sauce. The sauce will help to keep the meatballs moist and flavorful. You can use a variety of sauces for meatballs, such as tomato sauce, marinara sauce, or a creamy sauce.
- Serve the meatballs with your favorite sides. Meatballs can be served with a variety of sides, such as pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes. You can also serve the meatballs as an appetizer or snack.
Conclusion:
Meatballs are a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. They're perfect for a weeknight meal, a party, or a potluck. With so many different variations on the classic meatball recipe, there's sure to be a recipe that everyone will love. So next time you're looking for a hearty and satisfying meal, give meatballs a try.
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