Grilled Kofta Recipe with Cucumber Sauce
This flavorful kofta recipe is made with a combination of beef and lamb. It’s grilled to perfection and served with a creamy, dairy free cucumber sauce and flatbread. It can also easily be made on the stovetop or in the oven.
Why I love this lamb and beef kofta
I’m so, so excited to share this recipe today. It’s definitely my newest favorite recipe/obsession. Being a food blogger makes choosing an actual favorite recipe pretty much impossible, but I do find my favorites every now and then.
And then I change things up and find all new ones. I found the inspiration for this recipe in a Cooking Light that I impulsively bought a few weeks back, and after watching a contestant on MasterChef make something similar, I added it to our weekly menu.
Anyway, I’m usually really excited about all of my recipes, but these grilled beef and lamb kofta recipe turned out so much better than I even imagined it would.
This recipe would be great served with a fresh tomato salad, this spicy cucumber salad, or this easy, coconut rice. Or, this grilled spaghetti squash is another great option, plus, you already have your grill going.
Ingredients & substitutions
- Lamb – Lamb is a newer ingredient for me, but using in a recipe like this made it so much less intimidating. I especially like that you can’t really tell that there’s lamb in the patties. It just lends a slight sweetness to the recipe that you can’t really get from beef alone. However, you could totally make the recipe with just beef.
- Panko breadcrumbs – Some breadcrumbs contain dairy ingredients, be sure to check your package labels.
- Dairy free sour cream – Plain, unsweetened coconut yogurt is a great option or a vegan sour cream.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
How to make kofta
Make the patties. The recipe itself is simple. You’re basically just making some fancied up burgers and topping them with a vegan tzatziki sauce. Combine the kofta ingredients in a large mixing bowl, then form into 4 burger shaped patties.
Make the cucumber sauce. Whisk together the sauce ingredients in a mixing bowl. Set aside for assembling the patties.
Grill the kofta. Grill the patties for about 6 – 7 minutes per side. Both ground lamb and beef should be cooked to 160˚F, make sure to check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer before removing the patties from the grill, just to be sure.
Serve. We served our grilled kofta with some naan bread to complete the meal. You can also use a pita style flatbread or make your own naan bread if you can’t find any that’s dairy free. Or, you can try making your own garlic naan bread if you are feeling adventurous.
More ground beef recipes: Ground beef stroganoff / Grilled meatloaf / Greek meatballs / Baked hamburgers / Cincinnati chili / Stuffed peppers
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound lean ground beef
- 1/2 pound ground lamb
- 1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint (optional)
- 1/2 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon all-spice
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups dairy free sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt if not dairy free)
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1/4 cup diced cucumber
- 3 tablespoons finely diced onion
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat grill for medium indirect heat (about 375˚ – 400˚F).
- In a large bowl, stir together the kofta ingredients. Form into 4 burger-shaped patties, about 1/2-inch thick.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the sauce ingredients. Set aside.
- Grill patties for 6 – 7 minutes per side – or until juices run clear.
- Remove the patties from grill and allow them to rest for about 2 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE kofta! And cucumber sauce! You just gave me an idea for dinner tomorrow, thank you!
Oh wow, this reminds me of when we went to Greece and all the delicious cucumber sauces there. This sauce would definitely take me back. I’m going to be making this dish soon for when we have friends over. I think it’ll be a hit! Thanks! http://www.ourfoodieappetite.com/
I hope you love it! You can totally double the recipe too, if you have a lot of people coming! I’d love to hear what you think!
This looks awesome and definitely reminds me of Mediterranean vacations! Paired with the cucumber sauce and naan it looks divine.
Never tried making these before, looks like a delicious recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Simon