• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

RecipeTin Eats

Fast Prep, Big Flavours

Small book

My cookbook "Dinner" now available!

  • My RecipeTin
  • My cookbook!
  • Recipes
  • Recipes By Category
    • Christmas ⭐️
      • Starters
      • Mains
      • Sides: Warm & Hearty
      • Sides: Light & Fresh
      • Desserts
      • Breads
      • Christmas Leftovers
    • Iconic + cult classics
    • Mains
      • Chicken
        • Chicken mince
      • Beef Recipes
        • Ground Beef (Mince)
      • Pork
      • Lamb
      • Turkey
      • Shrimp / Prawns
      • Salmon
      • Fish recipes
      • Salad Meals
    • Quick and Easy
    • Soups
    • One Pot
    • Stews
    • Slow Cooker
    • Sides
      • All
      • Salads & veg
      • Show Off Salads
      • Rice (all)
      • Fried rice recipes
      • Rice (plain)
      • Potato
    • Pasta
      • All
      • Pasta bakes
      • Pasta salads
    • Sweet
      • Cakes
      • Candy
      • Cheesecakes
      • Cupcakes & Muffins
      • Cookies
      • Puddings & Cosy Desserts
      • Bite Size
      • Pies
      • Slices & Bars
      • Frosting & Icing
      • Ice cream
    • Cuisine
      • Asian
        • All
        • Stir fries
        • Noodles
        • Soups
        • Chinese
        • Japanese
        • Korean
        • Thai
        • Vietnamese
      • French
      • Greek
      • Indian
      • Italian
      • Mediterranean
      • Mexican
      • Middle Eastern
      • South American
    • Dietary
      • Gluten Free
      • Low Calorie
      • Vegetarian
    • Other Categories
      • BBQ
      • Breakfast
      • Burgers
      • Cocktails
      • Party Foods
      • Rice Recipes
      • Roasts
      • Sandwiches & Sliders
    • Cookbook recipes
  • Collections
  • About
    • Me
    • RecipeTin Meals
    • Free Recipe Books
    • Contact
    • Nitty Gritty
      • Policy: Use of Recipes & Images
      • Privacy & Disclosure
Home Collections Australia Day!

Lamb Koftas with Yoghurt Dressing

By:Nagi
Published:16 Sep '19Updated:24 Sep '19
296 Comments
Recipe v Video v Dozer v

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).

Spices like cumin, coriander, cinnamon and paprika which are used in other popular cuisines such as Mexican food (which also makes a regular appearance around these parts).

And of course cinnamon, a baking staple – Apple Cake, Churros, Muffins, Oatmeal Raisin cookies. I am never without cinnamon!

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

  1. Grill over charcoal – the ultimate and traditional way! The extra smokey flavour is sooooo good;

  2. BBQ – next best, and the way I usually cook them for gatherings;

  3. Stove – the way I cook them most of the time; and

  4. 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 – see recipe in the notes of this Doner Kebab recipe

  • 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. Here are some pilaf recipes that will pair beautifully with these Lamb Koftas:

  • Middle Eastern Lentil Rice Pilaf (Mejadra – one of my personal favourites!)

  • Rice Pilaf with Dried Fruit and Nuts

  • Curried Basmati Rice

  • Chickpea Rice Pilaf

  • Red Rice – albeit Mexican, the flavour is on theme with Middle Eastern food

Lamb Koftas on a platter served with pita bread, minted cabbage salad and yogurt sauce

These lamb koftas first made an appearance on my website way back in 2014 when I first started this blog. Patience has never been my greatest virtue, so I did all my favourite recipes right out of the gate. And finally, I’m starting to trawl through them and create videos along with new photos – because I’ve come a long way in both fields since then! 😂

It’s a great recipe for entertaining because you can prepare everything in advance then just throw the koftas on the BBQ when your guests arrive. Pile it all onto a platter and let your guests help themselves! I’ve made this for my friends on many occasions – here’s a typical Arabian Feast menu they’re very familiar with, and I don’t think anyone’s getting bored of it…..  – Nagi xx

Watch how to make it

Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.

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

Lamb Koftas with Yoghurt Dressing

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 15 minutes mins
Cook: 15 minutes mins
Total: 30 minutes mins
BBQ, Grilling
Middle Eastern, Moroccan
4.99 from 139 votes
Servings8 skewers
Tap or hover to scale
Print
  • 102
RECIPE VIDEO ABOVE. The smell of Middle Eastern spices while this is cooking is totally intoxicating!! Try this Lamb Kofta recipe once, and you'll be addicted for life! Traditionally cooked over charcoal, brilliant on the BBQ, but I usually cook these midweek on the stove. **great recipe for gatherings, DIY spread, make ahead**

Ingredients

Koftas

  • 1 lb / 500 g lamb mince (ground lamb)
  • 1/2 onion , grated
  • 1/4 cup breadcrumbs , preferably panko
  • 2 cloves garlic , crushed
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

Kofta Spices

  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 2 tsp coriander
  • 2 tsp paprika
  • 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper (this is a bit spicy, reduce to taste or leave out)
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 black pepper

Yoghurt Sauce

  • 1 cup yogurt , Greek or other thick plain
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic , crushed
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp salt and pepper , each

To Serve

  • 8 skewers (Note 1)
  • 8 flatbreads (small) or 4 large, warmed (homemade or bought, Note 2)
  • Shredded Red Cabbage, Carrot and Mint Salad (Note 3)
  • OR shredded lettuce, tomato and onion slices (Note 3)

Instructions

  • Yogurt Sauce: Combine the yogurt sauce ingredients and leave in fridge for at least 20 mninutes for the flavor to develop (overnight even better!).
  • Koftas: Grate the onion into the bowl using a standard box grater. Add remaining Kofta ingredients and mix well with your hands.
  • With damp hands, divide the meat into 8 equal pieces and push and shape the meat onto 8 skewers. Make them smooth (looks nicer, pictured!) or a bit nubbly (more surface area to brown!).

Cooking:

  • Stove: Preheat 1/2 tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook in batches for 5 minutes in total, turning to brown evenly all over.
  • BBQ: BBQ on medium high for about 6 minutes, rotating to brown all over.
  • Broiler/oven grill: preheat and cook koftas 30cm/10" from heat source for 12 minutes, rotating as needed until lightly browned (you won't get as good a browning as stove/BBQ).

Serving:

  • Do a DIY spread - pile everything onto a platter a make everyone serve themselves.
  • Get a flatbread, smear with Yogurt Sauce, top with Red Cabbage Mint Salad (more options Note 3) then Kofta, drizzle over more Yoghurt Sauce. Devour and be happy!

Recipe Notes:

Note: I made 1.5x for the photos. Recipe makes 8 skewers with 500g/1lb meat.
1. Soak Skewers - if using wooden or bamboo skewers and planning to cook on BBQ grill or under broil/oven grill, soak for for 30 minutes prior to threading meat on.
If using metal skewers, cooking on stove or plate side of BBQ, no need to do this.
2. Flatbread - any flatbreads that can be wrapped around the koftas will work a treat here. If using small pita breads (pictured), stuff each one with 2 koftas (this is enough for a normal meal I find), or make them with 1 kofta each (pictured in post). Or use large flatbreads (like Lebanese bread) and make 1 long one.
You could also make your own - try these Easy No Yeast Flatbreads!
3. Salad for stuffing - I usually make this Red Cabbage Mint Salad which is on theme and also the fresh mint flavour goes beautifully here. Other options are:
  • Shredded iceberg lettuce (or just handfuls of leafy greens) with slices of tomato and onion (like the way Doner Kebabs are made), some fresh coriander/cilantro, parsley or mint would also be lovely
  • Tabbouleh - see recipe in Doner Kebab recipe
More options:
  • This seasoned Middle Eastern Lentil Rice Pilaf (Mejadra) is super tasty and would go perfectly to serve on the side / stuffing inside the pitas
  • Middle Eastern Chickpea Salad with Cucumber and Tomato (skip the chickpeas if you want) - great juicy crunch factor
  • Hummus instead of / in addition to yogurt sauce
  • Add a side of juicy marinated BBQ Vegetables (or road them!) - extra amazing to stuff into pitas with the koftas
4. Nutrition per kofta, assuming 2 koftas stuffed in 1 pita bread and assuming fatty lamb mince is used (supermarket mince is leaner so will be less calories). Assumes all sauce used (full fat yogurt).

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 305cal (15%)Carbohydrates: 23g (8%)Protein: 15g (30%)Fat: 17g (26%)Saturated Fat: 7g (44%)Cholesterol: 50mg (17%)Sodium: 739mg (32%)Potassium: 340mg (10%)Fiber: 2g (8%)Sugar: 2g (2%)Vitamin A: 1838IU (37%)Vitamin C: 3mg (4%)Calcium: 102mg (10%)Iron: 3mg (17%)
Keywords: Lamb Kofta recipe
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.

Lamb koftas recipe first published November 2014. Updated September 2019 with brand new photos, complete rewrite, slight recipe improvements, brand new video and most importantly, Life of Dozer section added!

Life of Dozer

He knows full well he is not allowed on the white leather couch…. always pushing the boundaries!!!

(PS This is at my mother’s house, and she is going to be peeeeeeeved when she sees this photo! 😂)

Dozer white leather couch

Previous Post
Caramel Popcorn (Caramel Corn)
Next Post
Top 10 BEST Foods to Eat in Tokyo

Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative!

Read More

Free Recipe eBooks

Join my free email list to receive THREE free cookbooks!

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Cooked this? Rate this recipe!




296 Comments

  1. Lauren says

    December 12, 2023 at 6:32 pm

    5 stars
    These are amazing, so tasty and so easy to make!

    Reply
  2. Lynn says

    December 12, 2023 at 5:48 pm

    5 stars
    Great tasting meal, either in wraps or with a salad. Never skip the yoghurt sauce, it’s a winner. Always make extra as they freeze as cooked or uncooked patties. Thanks again Nagi

    Reply
  3. Kate says

    December 12, 2023 at 8:19 am

    5 stars
    These are an excellent east summer meal, I will usually double or triple the recipe and have the meat mix made up ready to go that way any impromptu guests, beach dinners or bbqs down the creek I always have something simple and tasty to bring.

    Reply
  4. Pamela says

    December 8, 2023 at 11:44 am

    This is second time I cooked the lamb koftas, this time I added the cayenne pepper even more in love with this meal.. used your suggestion and made your greek salad..yoghurt sauce delish, koftas were so good.
    I love getting the recipes you send, that are not in your book.
    Thank you Nagi, big kiss to Dozer, congrats to you and Jb
    On Good Food..

    Reply
  5. Aline says

    December 6, 2023 at 4:17 pm

    Easy and quick to make. I use a cookie dough scoop to make small balls, then flaten them a bit and fry in a pan (no stick). They are delicious!

    Reply
  6. Jan says

    December 6, 2023 at 7:16 am

    5 stars
    I made these lamb koftas this evening and thought they were delicious. So easy to make and I liked the yoghurt too. As a bonus there are some in the freezer for a rainy day.

    Reply
  7. L says

    December 4, 2023 at 9:00 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious!
    I made these with my 13 year old non spice loving son. Got a bit sidetracked chit chatting and didn’t read the note about cayenne -and holy heck yes the full amount is a bit hot. 🥵
    The kofta were so tasty the whole family even the non spice loving kid devoured them. We’ve made them so many times since (just less cayenne). Great recipe.
    Also freezes really well (I froze raw and cooked from thawed).

    Reply
  8. Di says

    December 2, 2023 at 8:33 am

    5 stars
    Ah Nagi you have done it again…these kofta’s are easy to put together and delicious.
    Thanks!

    Reply
  9. Ana says

    December 2, 2023 at 2:42 am

    5 stars
    This recipe is so tasty. It has become one of my regular meals and everyone loves it here at home. Only I make mine in an air fryer to make it easier to clean 🙂

    Reply
  10. Ron says

    October 11, 2023 at 1:55 am

    5 stars
    Wow, so I was thinking that Dozer would of been at my feet the entire time this was cooking….
    The smells, tastes….oh my…will do again..an again…..
    Yoghurt dressing will be a work in progress…trying to find a good yogurt in Morocco….:(

    Reply
  11. Tamara says

    September 10, 2023 at 10:17 pm

    5 stars
    Yum! I make these using beef mince Instead and they are delicious. My kids love the yoghurt sauce and flatbread recipe is great too! How would these go with chicken mince?

    Reply
  12. A says

    September 10, 2023 at 7:53 am

    5 stars
    My family love these!
    I like to add LSA (ground up linseed, sunflower seeds and almond mix).
    I find i have to reduce or leave out the cayenne pepper as too spicy for the kids.

    Reply
  13. Mark A Armstrong says

    August 6, 2023 at 12:36 pm

    5 stars
    These were excellent. I’m not a fan of adding bread to kofta, but these were very good. I would recommend cooking them very well done. I cooked them over charcoal and medium was a little doughy tasting. I reheated them the next day in an air fryer for 20 minutes @ 350°. I was concerned they were over done because they were pretty dark, but they were super tender and not doughty at all. That is why I give this recipe 5 stars.

    Reply
  14. Glenice says

    August 2, 2023 at 8:52 pm

    5 stars
    Fantastic recipe! Followed exactly including the salad which goes beautifully with the Koftas. Thank you Nagi

    Reply
    • mai moore says

      October 16, 2023 at 2:06 pm

      i loved these and am making them for my whole family again this week. they are the best tasting Kofta I’ve made.

      Reply
  15. Sarah says

    July 19, 2023 at 10:01 am

    5 stars
    Delicious. Will become a regular staple in our house! I use the bbq to cook them and serve with fattoush, pickles and Lebanese bread. Perfect Friday night meal!

    Reply
  16. Raeleen says

    June 29, 2023 at 8:35 pm

    5 stars
    Made this for dinner yesterday. So flavourful and yummy. I was originally going to serve with the rice pilaf with fruit and nuts but since everyone else was working late it was served with flatbread and a quick salad and not forgetting the yoghurt sauce. Will definitely make again hopefully with the pilaf as planned.

    Reply
  17. Megan says

    June 27, 2023 at 10:03 am

    5 stars
    another fantastic flavour-bomb from Nagi! absolutely delicious, so easy to make. Grilled on the Traegar for an easy cook, these packed a real (good!) punch!!

    Reply
  18. Percy says

    June 21, 2023 at 6:00 am

    Used (and shared) this recipe with my class of 24 ten year olds today. Koftas, roasted veg, couscous, Labneh with cucumber/carrot sticks and flatbread. Great cooking skills learned and many converted to this type of food. Win, win.

    Reply
  19. Mia says

    May 29, 2023 at 12:04 pm

    5 stars
    This was such an easy recipe and it tasted incredible!!

    Reply
  20. Julie says

    May 24, 2023 at 7:25 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Nagi! This is one of my faves! Decided to make again tonight but couldn’t get any lamb mince so tried chicken mince. Yummo! Made into large patties & we ate them on toasted buns with the yoghurt sauce, baby spinach leaves, sliced tomato & finely sliced onion. Best Korma Burgers ever! 🙂

    Reply
Older Comments

Primary Sidebar

Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative! Read More

Free Recipe eBooks

Join my free email list to receive THREE free cookbooks!

Meet Dozer

Official taste tester of RecipeTin Eats! Meet Dozer
As Featured On
  • Goodfood
  • Food Network
  • Better Homes Gardens
  • Taste
  • Nine
  • Network 10
  • BuzzFeed
  • Daily Telegraph
  • Women's Day

Never miss a recipe!

Subscribe to my newsletter and receive 3 FREE ebooks!

Subscribe
Recipes
  • All Recipes
  • By Category
  • Collections
About
  • About Nagi
  • About Dozer
  • RecipeTin Meals
Related
  • RecipeTin Japan
  • Food Bloggers Central
Help
  • Contact
  • Image Use Policy
© RecipeTin Eats 2023
  • Privacy Policy & Terms
Site Credits
Maintained by Zao Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled
All Rights Reserved

Subscribe to my newsletter

Sign up and receive 3 FREE EBOOKS!