Description
These Turkish Spiced Ground Beef Meatballs (Kofte) are juicy, tender, and packed with warm spices like cumin and cinnamon. Roasted in the oven for easy cleanup and drizzled with a creamy, zesty tahini sauce, they make a perfect weeknight dinner or meal prep protein.
Ingredients
1 lb ground beef (85% lean)
1 small onion, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup breadcrumbs (or gluten-free alternative)
1 large egg
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the Tahini Sauce:
1/3 cup tahini paste
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 small clove garlic, minced
3–4 tablespoons cold water (to thin)
Pinch of salt
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, grated onion, minced garlic, breadcrumbs, egg, parsley, mint, cumin, coriander, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and pepper.
3. Gently mix with your hands until just combined. Do not overmix.
4. Shape mixture into about 16-20 meatballs (round or slightly flattened oval shapes).
5. Place meatballs on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them out evenly.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until browned and cooked through (internal temperature of 160°F).
7. While meatballs bake, prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. The mixture will thicken. Add cold water 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking constantly, until sauce reaches a smooth, drizzle-able consistency.
8. Transfer meatballs to a serving platter and drizzle with tahini sauce. Garnish with extra herbs if desired.
Notes
Grating the onion adds moisture and prevents large chunks in the meatballs.
Don’t skip the cinnamon! It provides that authentic Turkish flavor profile.
Leftover meatballs freeze beautifully. Store them without sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Serve with rice, pita bread, or a fresh cucumber salad.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 20
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Turkish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4-5 meatballs
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 580mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 105mg