Juicy Spicy Turkish Meatballs

My Turkish Meatballs are slightly spicy and bathed in a tangy yogurt sauce with fresh herbs. These juicy meatballs are classically served with white rice or bread, but you can go bold and serve it with pasta too. Video Included!!

Next time you’re craving meatballs, you need to try this Turkish Meatballs recipe!

So my parents have been visiting for a couple of weeks now, and I’ve been spoiled and pampered like a little kid. I’ve been shamelessly enjoying it. Best part about it: Making delicious food every single day!

TURKISH MEATBALLS

Turkish meatballs are also referred to as Kofte. These are definitely not your average meatballs recipe and it’s not your grandma’s meatballs. Unless your grandma was Turkish like mine.

These are seriously delicious, like I can’t stress enough how you’ll love the different flavors and amazing texture of these meatballs!

The meatballs are juicy and chewy NOT crumbly (if you love crumbly meatballs, then look away lol).

These Turkish meatballs DON’T taste like onions and they have a ton of flavor and spice. The meatballs are NOT stewed or boiled in tomato sauce, they’re nicely crisped and seared first until nearly cooked through then they’re coated and cooked for a little bit in a sauce.

So forget the classic Italian-American meatballs with marinara. Instead, open your taste buds for a spicy blend of nutmeg, allspice, cilantro, parsley, dill, onion and garlic meatballs.

What are Turkish Meatballs Made of?

Classically Turkish meatballs are 100% lamb, spice and herbs. The only change I made today was I made it 50% beef and 50% lamb.

You’ll probably feel like you need to try the all lamb version at some point. However, I wanted to make them more familiar to the meatballs you’ve been having, so I went with 50% only lamb. For the record, my close friend prefers it with 100% beef. Pick your preference so that you can enjoy it!

Spices: salt, pepper, allspice, nutmeg, oregano and herbs. Turkish meatballs are best when you add a combo of parsley, cilantro and dill.

Binder: this is like the secret ingredient. This keeps the meatballs juicy, tender and have a unique bite. Instead of breadcrumbs, use ground rice powder. To get that, simply grind some rice in a grinder until it turns into white powder.

Flavoring: onion, garlic, spicy peppers and olive oil.

Turkish Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

So yes, these meatballs are also in tomato sauce. But this tomato sauce has extra spice, and a creamy tangy velvety smooth texture form the yogurt. Yes yogurt. Trust me.

The secret to adding yogurt to any sauces (which is super common in lots of Turkish cooking) is to add a tablespoon of cornstarch to the yogurt. This trick will prevent the yogurt from curdling or separating in the sauce. So don’t forget it!

HOW TO MAKE TURKISH MEATBALLS / KOFTE

To make the meatballs, place all the ingredients (except the ground beef) in a food processor and process until smooth.

Then take this mixture and place it in a large mixing bowl, add the ground beef to it and mix well. Then shape the mixture into 1-inch size balls and place them on a baking sheet.

In a large saute pan, add the olive oil and heat for a few minutes on medium high until it’s hot. Then add the meatballs and start searing them.

Don’t move the Turkish meatballs at all for the first 2 minutes so they can sear and get a nice crust. Then try swirling and shaking the pan slightly back n forth and to the sides to swirl the meatballs all around.

Using a wooden spoon or spatula, try to toss the meatballs evenly so they’re seared on all sides. This takes about 7 minutes.

HOW TO MAKE TOMATO SAUCE

Now the sauce. Onion, garlic, green chilli, dill, parsley, tomatoes and bay leaves. Then a touch of yogurt to brighten up the sauce.

If you’ve never had yogurt sauces before, you are MISSING OUT! The trick to sustain a nice thick and creamy yogurt sauce without having the sauce separate is to add a teaspoon of cornstarch to the yogurt before cooking it. This trick is magic!

You definitely won’t taste the starch, you’ll just get the creamy dreamy feel of it.

If you’re out of yogurt, then you can use light cream or half n half. But I strongly urge you to try the yogurt, it pairs beautifully with the sauce.

Remove the meatballs to a clean plate and to the same pan, add the olive oil, onion, garlic, and green chili to make the sauce.
Saute these over medium heat until soft and fragrant, then add the tomatoes, spice and bay leaves. Cover the pan and let the sauce cook for 5 minutes.

In a small cup, add the cold yogurt and cornstarch and use a spoon to dissolve the starch into the yogurt. Add the yogurt mixture to the sauce and once it starts boiling, add the meatballs back to the sauce.

Cover the pan and let the Turkish meatballs cook all the way through in the tomato sauce for nearly 10 minutes over medium-low heat. Add in the fresh herbs, toss the meatballs and serve right away.

Don’t miss out on these meatballs—coming from a person who never appreciated the classic meatballs and yet devoured these.

I’m a meatball convert now and went ahead and created other meatball recipes like these Thai chicken meatballs! Make these soon and see for yourself—enjoy 🙂

TURKISH MEATBALLS/KOFTE TIPS

• Pick your blend of beef and lamb or all beef, or all lamb.
• Make sure you use ground rice powder–this adds an incredible chewy texture to meatballs versus a crumbly texture!
• When frying, don’t move the Turkish meatballs at all for the first 2 minutes so they can sear and get a nice crust.
• If you’re out of yogurt, then you can use light cream or half n half.
• The trick to a nice thick and creamy yogurt sauce without having the sauce separate is to add a teaspoon of cornstarch to the yogurt before cooking it. This trick is magic!
• Leftovers can be frozen or stored in the fridge and reheated before serving.

MORE TURKISH RECIPES

Turkish Style Chicken Skewers

Game Day Mini Turkish Pizza Party

Turkish Pizza Lahmacun

Soothing Garlic Chickpea Soup

Falafel Recipe

Best Falafel Sandwich

Ultimate Mujadara Recipe

Grilled Lamb Skewers BBQ Party

Ultimate Lamb Kabab Platter

4.72 from 25 votes

Print

Juicy Spicy Turkish Meatballs

Turkish Meatballs are slightly spicy and bathed in a tangy yogurt sauce with fresh herbs. These juicy meatballs are classically served with white rice or bread, but you can go bold and serve it with pasta too.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mediterranean, Turkish

Keyword Kofte, meatballs recipe, spicy meatballs, Turkish meatballs

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings 6

Calories 267 kcal

Author Mahy

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef (lean or extra lean to your preference, lean is a tad better 🙂 )
• 1 small red onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1-2 fresh green chilli (or jalapeños) to your taste—or skip altogether if you don’t like a strong spice
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh dill leaves
• 2 or more tablespoons of fresh parsley leaves
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons ground rice flour ( or grind 1/4 cup of any type of rice till it’s a fine powder)
• 1 teaspoon olive oil

Sauce

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 small onion minced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 green chilli thinly sliced ( or use jalapeños) or skip altogether for a milder sauce
• 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup cold plain yogurt (Green yogurt works fine)
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
• 2 more Tablespoons of fresh parsley
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh dill

Instructions

1. To make the meatballs, place all the ingredients (except the beef) in a food processor and process until smooth. Then take this mixture and place it in a large bowl, add the beef to it and mix well. Then shape the mixture into 1 inch size balls and place them on a baking sheet.
2. In a large saute pan, add the olive oil and heat for a few minutes on medium high until it’s hot. Then add the meatballs and start searing them.
3. Don’t move the meatballs at all for the first 2 minutes so they can sear and get a nice crust. Then try swirling and shaking the pan slightly back n forth and to the sides to swirl the meatballs all around. Then use a wooden spoon or spatula, try to toss the meatballs evenly so they’re seared on all sides. This takes about 7 minutes.
4. Remove the meatballs to a clean plate and to the same pan, add the olive oil, onion, garlic and green chilli to make the sauce.
5. Saute these over medium heat until soft and fragrant, then add the tomatoes, spice and bay leaves. Cover the pan and let the sauce cook for 5 minutes.
6. In a small cup, add the cold yogurt and cornstarch and use a spoon to dissolve the starch in to the yogurt.
7. Add the yogurt mixture to the tout sauce and once it starts boiling, add the meatballs ack to the sauce.
8. Cover the pan and let the meatballs cook all the way through in the tomato sauce for nearly 10 minutes over medium low heat.
9. Add in the fresh herbs, toss the meatballs and serve right away. Enjoy 🙂

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

• TURKISH MEATBALLS/KOFTE TIPS

  • Pick your blend of beef and lamb or all beef, or all lamb.
  • Make sure you use ground rice powder--this adds an incredible chewy texture to meatballs versus a crumbly texture!
  • When frying, don’t move the Turkish meatballs at all for the first 2 minutes so they can sear and get a nice crust.
  • If you’re out of yogurt, then you can use light cream or half n half.
  • The trick to a nice thick and creamy yogurt sauce without having the sauce separate is to add a teaspoon of cornstarch to the yogurt before cooking it. This trick is magic!
  • Leftovers can be frozen or stored in the fridge and reheated before serving.

Nutrition Facts

Juicy Spicy Turkish Meatballs

Amount Per Serving (1 small bowl)

Calories 267 Calories from Fat 153

% Daily Value*

Fat 17g26%

Saturated Fat 6g38%

Cholesterol 56mg19%

Sodium 431mg19%

Potassium 407mg12%

Carbohydrates 12g4%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 15g30%

Vitamin A 115IU2%

Vitamin C 7.9mg10%

Calcium 66mg7%

Iron 2.1mg12%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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