Grilled Kofta with Eggplant and Tomatoes

A grilling staple as soon as the weather warms up! Grilled beef and lamb kofta are seasoned with Turkish flavors of grated onion, sumac and tomato paste. As soon as the kofta are hot of the grill, they are placed on top of pita bread so all the delicious meat juices impart it’s flavor onto the bread. Then drizzled with a creamy tahini sauce and there is nothing better!

Kofta are Spiced Meatballs

Kofta are traditionally a spiced meatball but you can also think of them as a ground beef kabob if you chose to form the mixture on a skewer.

Even if you don’t have skewers, form the mixture like you would in a long oval shape so it’s holds up to grilling. Once placed on the grill, don’t touch it and let the meat cook until charred and easily releases from the grates.

Do the same with the eggplant and tomatoes and grill until the vegetables are charred and softened.

 What to Serve with Kofta and Grilled Eggplant

• Creamy tahini sauce
• Israeli chopped salad
• Lemon Rice Pilaf with Pistachios

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Grilled Beef and Lamb Kofta with Eggplant and Tomatoes

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time45 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Turkish

Keyword: beef and lamb kofta, grilled kofta kebabs

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 596kcal

Author: Samantha Ferraro

Cost: $10

Equipment

Food Processor

Ingredients

Kofta and Veggies:

• 3/4 pound ground beef
• ¼ pound ground lamb
• Bunch of fresh mint finely chopped
• Bunch of fresh parsley leaves finely chopped
• 2-3 tablespoons of grated onion about 1/2 of an onion, excess liquid removed
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon sumac
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoonTurkish red pepper or any red pepper for spice
• 2 small eggplants cut in half
• 3-4 Whole tomatoes

Tahini sauce:

• ½ cup tahini paste
• ¼ cup water may not use all of it
• 2 garlic cloves roughly chopped
• 1 lemon juiced and zested
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Pinch of cayenne
• Salt and pepper to taste

To Serve

• Pita bread
• Sliced radishes
• Lemon wedges

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

• Lightly oil the kofta and place on medium-high heat either on a gas or charcoal grill and grill the kofta until the first side is charred (about 4-5 minutes), then turn over and continue cooking the other side for another 3-4 minutes.
• As the meat cooks, lightly oil the vegetables and place on grill until they are charred and softened.
• When done, place koftas and grilled vegetables on pita bread so meat juices can soak into the bread. Season grilled vegetables with kosher salt.
• To serve, drizzle tahini sauce over kofta and vegetable sand serve with pita bread and lemon wedges.

To make Tahini sauce:

• Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend well. The texture should resemble the thickness of honey and be loose enough to drizzle.
• Add more or less water for desired consistency.
• Taste for seasoning. Store extra in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Nutrition

Calories: 596kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 418mg | Potassium: 1282mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 913IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 5mg