Sheet Pan Beef Kofta

Just because grilling season is winding down for the year doesn’t mean I plan to take beef kofte off the menu anytime soon! I’ve come up with a recipe to make a baked version of kofte kebabs, which I think may be even easier than the original. 

It’s got all of the flavor you expect from a beautiful collection of spices, and adding finely chopped onion and a slice of soaked bread helps the mixture stay juicy as it cooks. A quick blast from the broiler at the very end gives them that same char-grilled flavor we all love from the original. 

Once you’ve made the baked beef kofta, just grab a few things to complete dinner. Start with pita—or my new yeast-free yogurt flatbreads—plus juicy tomato and red onion, crunchy parsley, and some creamy tahini sauce. It’s a super easy weeknight meal that you can make all year round! 

Ingredients for Beef Kofta

Ok, the ingredient list for this beef kofta recipe is a bit long, but don’t stress! It’s almost entirely made up of spices! Here’s what you’ll need: 

• Bread: Adding a soaked slice of bread to the kofta mixture, as with my kofta meatball recipe, helps keep the beef tender and juicy. 
• Onion: Grated onion adds moisture and natural sweetness to the meat mixture. I call for yellow in the recipe, because that’s what I tested it with, but you can use red or white, too. 
• Garlic is an essential kofta seasoning that adds its signature pungent flavor. 
• Parsley is practically a vegetable in this recipe! You’ll need about 2 cups of leaves to mince into the kofta mixture and a few more sprigs to tuck into the finished wraps. It adds so much freshness and color. 
• Ground beef: I like to use lean ground beef (around 85% lean) to make my baked beef kofta recipe. You can also use lamb or a mix of both for a richer flavor. I haven’t tried this recipe with ground turkey or chicken yet, but if you’ve avoiding beef, the method should work fine to make that swap. Just make sure to cook ground chicken or turkey kofta until they’re at least 165°F inside! And try this recipe, too! 
• Spices give this beef kofta recipe rich layers of flavor! Allspice adds aromatic warmth; cayenne adds some heat; ground cardamom adds citrusy sharpness; sumac adds a tangy, lemony flavor; sweet Spanish paprika adds mellow chili flavor and great color; and nutmeg adds a distinctive cozy aroma. 
• Kosher salt and black pepper: These essentials bring everything into balance.
• Extra virgin olive oil: I use one of our premium extra virgin olive oils to keep the kofta juicy as it bakes. 

To serve: 

• Pita bread cradles the strips of the baked kofta to make wraps. Make your own or pick up your favorite brand at the grocery store! 
• Tahini Sauce is creamy, nutty and tangy, a great foil to the richly-spiced meat! 
• Fresh tomato and onion: Besides the tahini sauce, these are my two essential toppings for a kofta wrap. I slice them in wedges so they tuck in nicely. 

How to Make Beef Kofta

I promise that making these beef kofta is easy, and you don’t have to worry about turning them the way you do when cooking them on the grill! Here’s how to do it, step-by-step. 

• Get ready. Heat the oven to 425°F and position a rack in the center.
• Soak the bread. Toast 1 slice bread until browned. Put the toasted bread in a small bowl and cover with water. Soak until the bread is completely tender. Squeeze the bread well and drain all the water; the bread should crumble easily into small pieces.
• Make the kofta mixture. Crumble the bread into a large mixing bowl and add 1 finely chopped medium yellow onion; 2 minced garlic cloves; 2 cups parsley leaves, chopped; and 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef. Add 1 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom, 1/2 teaspoon ground sumac, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon sweet Spanish paprika, and a big pinch (about 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon) each of kosher salt and black pepper. Drizzle in 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. Using clean hands, mix and knead the meat mixture until well combined. 
• Transfer the kofta to a pan. Line a quarter sheet pan baking pan with foil. Transfer the meat mixture to the pan and spread it evenly into about 1/2-inch thick layer. Use a butter knife or the edge of a spatula to score the meat mixture, all the way to the bottom of the pan, into 1-inch strips. Drizzle with a little more extra virgin olive oil.
• Bake the kofta. Bake on the center rack for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the meat is fully cooked. For a little char, transfer the meat to the top rack and broil briefly, about 3 minutes or so. 
• Finish and serve. Use a spatula to separate each kofta from the ones next to it and place in a round of pita bread. Add tomato, red onion, and sprigs of fresh parsley. Drizzle with tahini sauce and sprinkle with more sumac. 

What to Serve with Beef Kofta

I think that in a wrap these beef kofta are all you need for dinner, but if you want to add a side dish, you can’t go wrong with Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Za’atar, a Mediterranean Salad with Tomato and Cucumber or some delicious roasted eggplant with lentil salad and a pomegranate dressing.