Lamb Koftas with Yoghurt Dressing

These Lamb Koftas are a long standing personal favourite Middle Eastern recipe! Made with lamb mince (ground lamb) and a hefty dose of spices, the smell when this is cooking is intoxicating!

You’ll be surprised how many of the spices you already have for this Lamb Koftas recipe – they’re pantry standards. Stuff these in warm pita breads with a fresh Cabbage, Carrot & Mint Salad and a side of Pilaf with Dried Nuts and Fruit or Mejadra (Spice Lentil Rice) to create your own Middle Eastern banquet.

Lamb Koftas on a platter, ready to stuff into pita bread with minted salad and yogurt sauce

Lamb Kofta recipe

Middle Eastern food is one of my favourite cuisines because I’m all about big flavours, and the heavy spice flavouring of Middle Eastern dishes like these Koftas, Chicken Shawarma, Lamb Shawarma and Doner Kerbabs really hits my sweet spot!

The other reason is because most of the spices are pantry staples. It always surprises me when I read a Middle Eastern recipe and realise that I have everything I need to make it (other than fresh produce).

It’s the combination of spices used in Middle Eastern cooking that makes it taste and smell so exotic – and these Lamb Koftas are no exception!

Cinnamon is the secret ingredient in Lamb Koftas that’s so distinctly Middle Eastern and makes these intoxicating!

Hand holding Lamb Koftas stuffed I pita bread

What are lamb koftas?

Koftas refers to a dish made with spiced ground meat (mince). Sometimes it’s made on skewers (this recipe) though they do also come in non skewered form, often shaped like a torpedo / football.

Typically, they are stuffed inside flatbreads with fresh salad or pickled vegetables and sauces, though they can be served over rice with fresh sides.

Where do lamb koftas come from?

No one country can declare themselves to be the creator of lamb koftas! But they’re typically associated with the Middle East and Mediterranean countries like Turkey, especially because they’re made with lamb which is a common protein associated with the food of that region.

What goes in lamb koftas

Here’s what you need. How many of these spices do you already have?? 🙂

(PS I realise panko breadcrumbs are totally non-Middle Eastern, but they are so much better than normal breadcrumbs, being that they’re larger fluffier pieces = softer koftas!)

(PPS While these are lamb koftas, this recipe works equally well with beef!)

What goes in lamb koftas

How to make lamb koftas

Just toss everything into the bowl, mix it up then thread onto skewers. I even grate the onion straight into the bowl. And there’s just no avoiding getting your hands dirty to make sure the spices are well mixed throughout the meat. It’s half the fun!

These can be made ahead and refrigerated or frozen, making them ideal for getting ahead for busy midweek meals or big gatherings!

Remember: skewers are optional! Also, there are plenty of shape options:

Skewers – smoothish (pictured) or flat and dimpled
Non skewered – balls, football shaped, short cylinders, long cylinders

So unleash the creative demon within! 😈

How to make Lamb Koftas

Best way to cook lamb koftas

Grill over charcoal – the ultimate and traditional way! The extra smokey flavour is sooooo good;
BBQ – next best, and the way I usually cook them for gatherings;
Stove – the way I cook them most of the time; and
Broiler/grill – a fall back option, though you don’t get quite as good browning on the surface.

Yogurt Sauce for lamb koftas

The heavy spicing and rich flavour of lamb makes the koftas a perfect candidate for a tangy-yet-creamy Lemon Garlic Yogurt Sauce. Sometimes I like to add a dollop of Tahini which adds another layer of richness.

And if I’m serving these at a gathering, I’ll usually add Hummus as another sauce option.

Lemon Yogurt Sauce for Lamb Koftas

What to serve with Lamb Koftas

The most common way koftas are served are as wraps. This is how I serve it:

Flatbreads – to make wraps (try these easy no-yeast homemade flatbreads)
Simple Lemon Yogurt Sauce (included in recipe)
Hummus – extra / alternative sauce option
A colourful minted red cabbage salad which is a refreshing contrast and adds great crunch

A couple of alternative salad options for wraps:

Shredded lettuce or other leafy greens, tomato slices and onion (the easy option)
Tabbouleh
This Middle Eastern Chickpea, Tomato and Cucumber Salad would also pair beautifully, though I’d skip the spiced chickpeas (make sure you dice the veg small enough to stuff inside)
A big fat Greek Salad – different cuisine I know, but this is right at home alongside the strong flavours in these Koftas and I love stuffing them in the pita bread! (Again, make sure the veg is chopped smaller)

The other option is to serve it with a rice pilaf side instead of (or in addition to) pita bread.