Lamb Kofta
I love a recipe that feels like a small celebration every time I make it. These lamb kofta are exactly that: fragrant, toasty pine nuts, warm spices, and juicy ground lamb shaped into neat mounds and baked until golden. They come together quickly and reward you with big flavor and a hands-on, comforting finish.
This version uses a simple skillet-to-food-processor method for building an aromatic base, then gently combines that into the lamb so the kofta stay tender. Serve them with a fresh cucumber and tomato salad, hummus, warm pita, and grilled lemons for brightness. Weeknight dinner or a relaxed weekend spread — both work.
I’ll walk you through what you need, the exact steps, troubleshooting tips, and ways to adapt these to low-carb diets or seasonal produce. Practical, no-nonsense advice so your kofta come out great every time.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup pine nuts — toasting brings out a buttery flavor and provides small crunchy bites inside the kofta.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil — for sautéing the onion and garlic so they collapse and sweeten.
- ½ yellow onion, (peeled and roughly chopped) — adds moisture and mild sweetness; roughly chopped because we’ll mince it later.
- 4 cloves garlic, (peeled and smashed) — garlic gives bright savory lift; smashing helps release more flavor during cooking.
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt — seasons the minced mixture and the meat; kosher salt is forgiving and easy to measure.
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin — warm, earthy backbone for the lamb.
- 1 teaspoon ground smoked paprika — adds color and a gentle smoky note.
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander — floral, citrusy counterpoint to the cumin and paprika.
- 1 pound ground lamb — the star ingredient; choose 80/20 or similar for good flavor and juiciness.
- 2 tablespoons finely minced Italian parsley, (from a small handful of parsley) — freshness and herbaceous balance.
- 1 teaspoon olive oil, (for baking sheet) — prevents sticking and helps the bottoms brown.
- Cucumber and tomato salad, (for serving) — a crisp, acidic contrast to the rich kofta.
- Hummus, (for serving) — creamy dip that pairs perfectly with the spices.
- Pita, (for serving) — to assemble sandwiches or to scoop with crumbs of meat.
- Grilled lemons, (for serving) — a squeeze wakes up the lamb and brightens each bite.
The Essentials
These kofta are straightforward but precise: toast the pine nuts, sweat the aromatics, pulse with spices, then fold into the lamb gently. The recipe is built to keep the texture light while packing in flavor. Plan for about 10–15 minutes active prep and 10 minutes in the oven.
Yield and timing will vary by how large you scoop the mounds. I use a medium cookie scoop to keep sizes uniform so they cook evenly in the 10-minute bake time. If you make larger meatballs, expect a slightly longer bake.
Flavor profile: toasty, mildly smoky, herbal, and savory. The pine nuts add little pops of texture inside each kofta. Serve simply — the accompaniments do much of the work: a fresh salad, hummus, warm pita, and grilled lemons to squeeze over the finished kofta.
Lamb Kofta: From Prep to Plate
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- In a medium skillet set over medium heat, add 1/3 cup pine nuts. Toast, stirring or shaking the pan, for about 2–3 minutes until lightly golden. Transfer the toasted pine nuts to a food processor and let cool slightly (or transfer to a cutting board to chop by hand if you don’t have a food processor).
- To the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add ½ yellow onion (peeled and roughly chopped) and 4 cloves garlic (peeled and smashed). Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer the cooked onion and garlic to the food processor with the cooled pine nuts. Add 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground smoked paprika, and ½ teaspoon ground coriander. Pulse until the mixture is minced into small bits. If you are working by hand, finely chop and combine the ingredients.
- Pour the minced mixture into a medium bowl. Add 1 pound ground lamb and 2 tablespoons finely minced Italian parsley. Mix gently with your hands or a spoon until just combined.
- Brush a half baking sheet with 1 teaspoon olive oil (for baking sheet). Using a medium cookie scoop or your hands, form mounds of the lamb mixture and place them on the prepared sheet about 2 inches apart.
- Bake on the center rack for 10 minutes, until the tops are lightly golden and the kofta are cooked through. If unsure of doneness, halve one meatball to check.
- Serve the lamb kofta with cucumber and tomato salad, hummus, pita, and grilled lemons.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave on high for 1 minute, or warm in a skillet over medium-low heat with a lid until heated through, about 5–7 minutes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
It balances quick prep with restaurant-worthy flavor. The toasted pine nuts and the spice mix create layers in every bite, and the parsley keeps the meat from tasting one-note. The method avoids overworking the meat, so the kofta stay tender rather than dense.
It’s also flexible. The kofta are baked, so you don’t need a grill or a lot of fuss. That makes this a dependable weeknight dinner that still feels special enough for guests. And the accompaniments are forgiving — serve them family-style and everyone can build plates their way.
Low-Carb/Keto Alternatives
- Skip the pita and serve the kofta over a bed of leafy greens or grilled veggies for a low-carb plate.
- Swap hummus for a simple olive oil and herb dip or a chunky tzatziki (plain yogurt with cucumber and herbs) to keep carbs down while still adding creaminess.
- If you want more fat on the plate for keto, drizzle extra olive oil on the salad or add sliced avocado as a side.
Recommended Tools
- Medium skillet — for toasting pine nuts and softening the aromatics.
- Food processor — speeds up mincing and gives a consistent texture for the pine nut-onion-garlic mix; you can substitute fine chopping by hand.
- Medium bowl — to mix the lamb gently so you don’t overwork it.
- Medium cookie scoop or hands — to shape uniform mounds so they bake evenly.
- Half baking sheet — gives enough space for the kofta to sit about 2 inches apart.
Troubles You Can Avoid
Overmixing the lamb makes dense, tough meatballs. Mix just until combined — no vigorous kneading.
Undertoasted pine nuts can taste raw and pale; watch them closely in the skillet. They’ll go from pale to golden fast, so stir or shake the pan and remove them promptly.
If kofta are undercooked, they’ll be pink inside; if overcooked, they’ll be dry. Keep uniform sizes and check one by halving it if you’re unsure. The listed 10-minute bake time is for medium cookie-scoop-sized mounds.
Seasonal Adaptations
Summer: take advantage of ripe tomatoes in the cucumber and tomato salad, and serve the kofta with grilled lemons and fresh herbs like mint or dill for brightness.
Fall/Winter: swap the salad for roasted root vegetables or a warm chickpea salad. You can fold in a little extra parsley and a squeeze of lemon before serving to cut through the richness.
Behind-the-Scenes Notes
Toasting the pine nuts does two things: it deepens their flavor and makes them slightly crisper so they hold their own inside the lamb. Cooling them briefly prevents steam from softening the nuts before they’re pulsed.
Sweating the onion and garlic first mellows their sharp edge and concentrates sweetness, which balances the savory lamb and spices. Pulsing that aromatic mixture with spices creates a fragrant, nearly paste-like binder that distributes flavor evenly without adding raw onion texture.
Freezer-Friendly Notes
To freeze uncooked kofta: shape them, place on a lined tray so they don’t touch, and freeze until solid. Transfer to a sealed container or bag and freeze up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding a few minutes to the bake time and checking an internal piece for doneness.
To freeze cooked kofta: cool completely, flash-freeze on a tray, then transfer to a freezer bag. Reheat from frozen in a covered skillet over medium-low heat until warmed through, or thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different nut if I don’t have pine nuts? You can, but toasted pine nuts have a mild, buttery flavor that complements lamb particularly well. If using another nut like almonds, chop them finely and taste the overall seasoning.
Can I grill these kofta instead of baking? Yes. If grilling, thread them onto skewers or shape them around skewers and grill over medium-high heat until charred and cooked through, turning to get even color. Watch them closely so they don’t dry out.
How do I know when they’re done? The 10-minute bake time is a guideline for medium-sized portions. Halve one to check: it should be cooked through with no raw center. If you prefer a precise check, an instant-read thermometer should read 160°F (71°C) for ground lamb.
Can I make the mixture ahead? You can mix the lamb with the minced mixture and refrigerate for a few hours before shaping. Keep an eye on texture — if chilled too long the fats firm up and shaping may be firmer but still workable.
Next Steps
Make the kofta once, and you’ll have a template for quick, satisfying meals. Start by measuring the ingredients and toasting the pine nuts first — it’s the step that lifts the whole dish. When you serve, offer grilled lemons and a simple cucumber and tomato salad for contrast, and let everyone build their plates.
If you try any seasonal twists or low-carb swaps, I’d love to hear how you served them. Leave a note about timing or substitutions that worked for you — practical tweaks help everyone in the kitchen. Happy cooking!
Lamb Kofta
Ingredients
Ingredients
- ?1/3 cuppine nuts
- ?1 tablespoonolive oil
- ?1/2 yellow onion (peeled and roughly chopped)
- ?4 clovesgarlic (peeled and smashed)
- ?1 1/2 teaspoonskosher salt
- ?1 teaspoonground cumin
- ?1 teaspoonground smoked paprika
- ?1/2 teaspoonground coriander
- ?1 poundground lamb
- ?2 tablespoonsfinely minced Italian parsley (from a small handful of parsley)
- ?1 teaspoonolive oil (for baking sheet)
- ?Cucumber and tomato salad (for serving)
- ?Hummus (for serving)
- ?Pita (for serving)
- ?Grilled lemons (for serving)
Instructions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- In a medium skillet set over medium heat, add 1/3 cup pine nuts. Toast, stirring or shaking the pan, for about 2–3 minutes until lightly golden. Transfer the toasted pine nuts to a food processor and let cool slightly (or transfer to a cutting board to chop by hand if you don’t have a food processor).
- To the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add ½ yellow onion (peeled and roughly chopped) and 4 cloves garlic (peeled and smashed). Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer the cooked onion and garlic to the food processor with the cooled pine nuts. Add 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground smoked paprika, and ½ teaspoon ground coriander. Pulse until the mixture is minced into small bits. If you are working by hand, finely chop and combine the ingredients.
- Pour the minced mixture into a medium bowl. Add 1 pound ground lamb and 2 tablespoons finely minced Italian parsley. Mix gently with your hands or a spoon until just combined.
- Brush a half baking sheet with 1 teaspoon olive oil (for baking sheet). Using a medium cookie scoop or your hands, form mounds of the lamb mixture and place them on the prepared sheet about 2 inches apart.
- Bake on the center rack for 10 minutes, until the tops are lightly golden and the kofta are cooked through. If unsure of doneness, halve one meatball to check.
- Serve the lamb kofta with cucumber and tomato salad, hummus, pita, and grilled lemons.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave on high for 1 minute, or warm in a skillet over medium-low heat with a lid until heated through, about 5–7 minutes.
Equipment
- Skillet
- Food Processor
- Baking Sheet
- Medium Bowl
- Cookie Scoop
- Oven
Notes
Don’t over mix the lamb mixture.This will create tough meatballs. However, you still want to mix them up because you want to be sure the onion mixture is evenly dispersed.
The high heat from the oven ensures super moist but delicious meatballs.
Lamb beef kofta– There are variations to this recipe and sometimes people combine ground beef and ground lamb. You can definitely do that with this recipe!
Lamb kofta accompaniments– I like to serve this with rice, grilled lemons, hummus, a little tomato and cucumber salad and pita.
