Lamb Kofta Recipe
Description
This Lamb Kofta is a flavorful 45-minute meal that's easy to make for any occasion. Ground lamb is mixed with spices and fresh herbs, pressed onto a skewer and either grilled or baked. It's often traditionally served with chewy naan, garlicky yogurt sauce, sliced cucumber, and tons of fresh herbs.
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Ingredients
Kofta
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 shallots, chopped (or ½ yellow onion)
- ⅓ cup pine nuts, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- kosher salt and black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 pound ground lamb, 70% or 80% lean
- ½ cup finely chopped parsley or cilantro
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh mint
- 8 wooden or metal skewers
Serving
- Zucchini Tzatziki or Greek yogurt mixed with a bit of garlic, *see notes
- Naan
- Shredded cabbage tossed with olive oil and lemon juice, *see notes
- Sliced cucumber
- Lots of herbs such as mint, cilantro and parsley
- Ground sumac sprinkled over platter
Instructions
- Heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium heat in a large cast-iron skillet or nonstick skillet until shimmering. Add 2 chopped shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 5 minutes.
- Add ⅓ cup chopped pine nuts and cook until starting to brown, about 2 minutes. Add 2 minced cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons each coriander and cumin, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ¾ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon cayenne, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon cloves; cook 30 seconds.
- Transfer shallot mixture to a large bowl with 1 pound lamb, ½ cup chopped parsley and ¼ cup chopped mint; mix to combine.
- Divide mixture into 8 even portions.
- Form each into a 4-inch-long log. Push a skewer through the length of each log, leaving a 4-inch tail on one end and a 1-inch tail on the other; form meat around skewer to secure.
- Cook according to directions below using the stove, grill or broiler.
Stovetop Instructions
- Preheat a 10- or 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium high heat for 5 minutes (just wipe out the skillet you used to cook the shallot and spices). Add 4 lamb skewers and cook, turning every 2–3 minutes, until well charred and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the centers registers 145ºF (*see recipe notes below), about 8 minutes total. Transfer skewers to a platter and repeat cooking process with remaining 4 skewers.
Grilling Instructions
- Preheat a grill to medium-high for 5–10 minutes; brush grill grate clean. Arrange lamb skewers over grate and grill, turning every 2 minutes, until charred and an instant-read thermometer registers 145ºF (*see recipe notes below), about 6 minutes total.
Broiler Instructions
- Heat broiler to high with rack set 10-inches from element (middle rack). Arrange lamb skewers on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil, turning every 3 minutes, until well-browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 145ºF (*see recipe notes below), 10–12 minutes.
Serving
- Arrange skewers on a large platter. Place a small bowl of yogurt sauce in the middle then arrange naan, shredded cabbage, cucumber, and fresh herbs around the rest of the platter. Sprinkle sumac over top.
Notes
Internal Temperature of Lamb: It is recommended by the USDA to cook ground lamb to 160ºF. Follow these cooking temperatures for specific doneness: 120–125ºF for medium--rare, 130–135ºF for medium, 140–145ºF for medium-well.
For a garlic Greek yogurt sauce: ½ cup whole milk or 2% Greek yogurt + ¼ teaspoon grated garlic + salt and pepper to taste
For a simple slaw: ½ small green cabbage shredded + 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil + 2 tablespoons lemon juice + salt and pepper to taste
Nut-Free: do not use pine nuts.
Ground Lamb: I find most ground lamb is 70/30. If you find leaner, you can use that but add a teaspoon of oil to the cast-iron skillet for cooking the skewers.
Skewers: Wooden skewers are best for cooking these on the stove top. Depending on how large your cast-iron skillet is, you may need to cut down the wooden skewers to fit.
Nutrition
Serving: 2 skewersCalories: 366kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 25gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 94mgSodium: 505mg
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