Vegetarian Kufteh Kfte Middle Eastern Meatballs Recipes

MIDDLE EASTERN MEATBALLS (KOFTA KEBABS)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• Add all the ingredients except the beef into a bowl and stir well.
• Add in the beef and stir until just combined.
• Form into 1/4 cup meatballs (I use an ice cream scoop) onto your cast iron skillet or sheet pan.
• Cook for 15-18 minutes or until cooked through.

VEGETARIAN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a medium pot, add the lentils and 2 quarts water. Set the pot over high heat and bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the lentils until soft but not falling apart, about 25 minutes.
• Pour the cooked lentils through a colander and let cool. In a large frying pan set over a medium-high heat, saute the carrots, onions, celery, garlic, thyme and salt with the 1/4 cup olive oil until the vegetables soften, about 10 minutes.
• When the vegetables are tender and beginning to brown, stir in the tomato paste. Cook, stirring constantly, until the paste darkens, about 3 minutes. Stir in mushrooms and saute, stirring frequently, until completely cooked and browned on edges, about 15 minutes. Remove vegetables from frying pan and set aside to cool.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled vegetables with lentils and all remaining ingredients, save for the 2 tablespoons olive oil and the pesto. Mix until well combined. Place the mixture in the refrigerator to cool completely, about 25 minutes.
• Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil into a large 9-by-12-inch baking dish, making sure to coat evenly. Roll the lentil mixture into round, golf-ball-size meatballs, making sure to pack the balls firmly. Place lentil balls into the oiled baking dish, making sure none of the meatballs touch one another.
• Roast the lentil balls until firm and cooked through, about 30 minutes. Allow the meatballs to cool for five minutes before removing them from the tray. Serve with pesto.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spread the walnuts out on a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and roast until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Set the nuts aside to cool.
• Fill a large stockpot three-quarters of the way full with water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Next, fill a large bowl with ice water.
• Drop the spinach and basil into boiling water and give the leaves a stir. After 1 minute, remove the greens and plunge them into ice water. Discard the boiling water.
• Once cool, remove the greens from the ice bath and squeeze them dry. Give them a rough chop and transfer to a food processor.
• Add the salt, olive oil and Parmesan to the food processor and blend until a uniform, pesto-like consistency is reached.

CHICKPEA VEGETARIAN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet with cooking spray.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until tender, about 5 minutes.
• Pulse chickpeas in a food processor until finely ground. Add onion and garlic, bread crumbs, egg, parsley, seasoning blend, salt, and black pepper; process until mixture holds together like a dough.
• Scoop out 2 tablespoons of the mixture and roll into a ball; set on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining mixture.
• Bake in the preheated oven until bottom is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Turn each meatball over and continue baking until golden brown on top, about 10 minutes more.

MIDDLE EASTERN CUMIN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Combine the ground beef, egg, garlic, bread crumbs, cumin, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until well mixed. Roll the mixture into egg-sized balls, and set aside.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs; cook until firm, and browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove meatballs from the skillet and pour out the fat.
• Bring the water to a boil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the tomato paste, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium. Add the cooked meatballs, and simmer in the tomato sauce for 5 to 10 minutes until completely cooked.

VEGETARIAN KUFTEH / KöFTE (MIDDLE-EASTERN MEATBALLS)

Steps:

• Combine the lentils and water in a large saucepan, bring to a boil, skim off any foam, reduce the heat, add salt to taste and simmer 30 minutes, or until the lentils are soft and most but not all of the water is absorbed.
• Place the bulgur in a bowl, mix with 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pour in the lentils with their liquid. Stir together, then cover and let sit for 30 minutes, until the bulgur is tender and has absorbed all the liquid.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-low heat and add the onion. Cook gently for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden and very tender. Stir often. Add the ground cumin and stir together for about 30 seconds, then stir into the lentils and bulgur.
• Moisten your hands with water and knead the mixture in the bowl for 3 to 5 minutes. Each time it begins to stick to your hands, moisten them again, and this will moisten the mixture. If it seems very dry and crumbly, add a tablespoon of water. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, 1/4 cup of the minced parsley, and for a spicier mixture add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper. Taste and adjust salt.
• Moisten your hands and shape the mixture into walnut-size balls (about 1 inch). You'll have to moisten your hands again whenever the mixture begins to stick to them. Place on a platter and sprinkle with the remaining parsley. Garnish with scallions, romaine lettuce leaves and lemon wedges, and serve, or chill for several hours. Serve cold or at room temperature.

MADZOON OV KUFTEH (MEATBALL YOGURT SOUP)

Steps:

• Mix together salt, beef, bulgar, onion, red pepper, black pepper, one egg. Use food processor if necessary to blend. Dip hands in cold roll into balls about a size of a quarter.
• For broth crack egg in yogurt and mix well with mint. Heat up 2 cans broth along with 2 cups water, add yogurt mix and keep stirring so soup will not curdle. Add butter and stir until melted.
• Once broth is nearly boiling add meatballs and heat for ten minutes.
• Note: If you want a richer soup, add a pea size pat of butter in the middle of each meatball. It helps if they are cut up and then frozen when rolling the meatball.