Turkish Meatballs in Tomato Sauce (Köfte Recipe)
These Turkish meatballs are what you need when you want to spice up your meatballs. These are so small, so you won't be guilty savouring them.
Equipment
Rimmed baking sheet (half sheet pan)
Large saucepan or deep skillet
Colander
Food processor (optional, for finely mincing onion)
Instant-read thermometer
Ingredients
Meatball Ingredients
1 ¼ pounds ground beef - 565g, or a 50/50 mix of ground beef and ground lamb
1 small yellow onion - minced
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon allspice - ground ; also called pimento or Jamaican pepper- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Sauce Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic - minced or crushed
28 ounces passata or crushed tomatoes (tomato puree with seeds removed) - 795g
1 tablespoon sugar
3 ounces tomato paste - 85g- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt - adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
Meatball Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 500°F / 260°C (or 550°F / 290°C if your oven allows — the higher the better). If you have a food processor, pulse the onion until very finely minced, then add the cinnamon, allspice, salt, and pepper and pulse briefly to combine.1 small yellow onion, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon allspice, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, minced onion, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and pepper. Mix until just combined — overmixing will make the meatballs dense. Roll into 1-inch (2.5cm) diameter balls (you should get about 50-60 meatballs). Keeping them small is important — they cook evenly at high heat and absorb more sauce.1 1/4 pounds ground beef, 1 small yellow onion, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon allspice, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Arrange the meatballs on a rimmed baking sheet, spacing them so they are not touching. Bake for 7 minutes until lightly browned on the outside and cooked through to an internal temperature of 160°F / 71°C.
- Drain in a colander.
Sauce Instructions
- While the meatballs bake, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or deep skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and just beginning to turn golden. Do not let it burn.3 tablespoons olive oil, 3 cloves garlic
- Add the passata (or crushed tomatoes), tomato paste, sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the drained meatballs to the sauce, stir gently to coat, and simmer for 15 minutes over medium-low heat until the sauce has thickened slightly and the meatballs have absorbed some flavour.28 ounces passata or crushed tomatoes (tomato puree with seeds removed), 1 tablespoon sugar, 3 ounces tomato paste, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Notes
Storage: Refrigerate meatballs in sauce in a sealed container for up to 4 days. The flavour actually improves overnight as the meatballs absorb the sauce.
Freezing: Cool completely, then freeze meatballs and sauce together in portion-sized containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Make-ahead: Form the meatballs up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate on the baking sheet, covered. Add 1-2 minutes to the baking time if baking from cold.
Substitution: Replace ground beef with a 50/50 beef and lamb mix for a richer, more traditional Turkish flavour. Ensure the internal temperature reaches 160°F / 71°C.
Pro tip: Mince the onion as finely as possible — a food processor is ideal. Chunky onion pieces create weak spots that cause small meatballs to crack apart in the sauce.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 380kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 19gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 601mgPotassium: 1008mgFiber: 4gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 894IUVitamin C: 19mgCalcium: 57mgIron: 5mg
How did this recipe turn out for you?Rate this Recipe !
