Turkish meatballs, or köfte are probably one of my kids’ favorite meals that I make. They are flavorful, juicy and easy to eat, which makes dinner time a breeze. The addition of grated zucchini adds moisture and extra nutrition. As long as you use a Microplane, even your biggest critics won't even notice the zucchini, I PROMISE!
Now let's talk about the sweet potatoes…. The sweetness paired with the spices make a nice combination with the köfte, finished off with some lime juice, cilantro and tangy feta cheese. I like to keep some sweet potatoes set aside for the kids in case they aren’t in the mood for all the flavors of the finished dish.
Ingredients
For the Turkish Meatballs:
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 onion finely diced
- 1 tsp coriander
- 2 tsp cumin
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 lb ground beef or lamb
- 2 tbsp finely grated zucchini on microplane
- 1 tbsp salt
For the Sweet Potatoes:
- 5 medium-sized sweet potatoes diced (about 5 cups)
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp chopped cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- Toss the sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt, cumin and smoked paprika.
- Place sheet pan in the oven and roast for about 30 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are golden and tender.
- In the meantime prepare the meatballs.
- Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add the finely diced onions and sauté, mixing frequently for about 2 minutes. Add the coriander, cumin, crushed red pepper and smoked paprika. Mix to combine. Remove from the heat and place the onion and spice mixture in a large bowl and cool.
- Once cool, add the ground beef, zucchini and salt, and mix by hand until fully combined.
- Form into 2 oz patties.
- Wipe out the large sauté pan you used before, and heat on a high flame.
- Cook the meatballs for a few minutes on each side, so they have a nice dark brown char. Place in the oven and cook for about 10 minutes until they are fully cooked through.
- Finish the sweet potatoes with freshly squeezed lime juice, crumbled feta cheese and cilantro.
Simple and delicious! My family enjoyed these. We used lamb.
Hi Alisa!
Oh yea..I LOVE lamb. So flavorful. Plus that makes these even more authentic!