Egyptian Kofta Burger

About This Recipe

Kofta in Egypt is traditionally shaped by hand around skewers and grilled over charcoal, made from ground beef or lamb worked heavily with grated onion, parsley and warm spices like cumin and allspice until the mixture becomes cohesive and slightly sticky. This burger keeps that same well-seasoned kofta mixture but shapes it into patties, making it easier to cook on a home grill or stovetop without needing skewers. The parsley is what most distinguishes Egyptian kofta from similarly spiced ground meat dishes elsewhere in the region -- a generous amount is worked directly into the meat rather than used only as a garnish, giving the finished patties a slightly green-flecked color and a fresh, herbal note that cuts through the richness of the beef. Grated onion, squeezed dry, adds moisture and sweetness without watering down the mixture. Served with tahini sauce and quick-pickled vegetables in a warm pita or bun, this kofta burger channels the same charcoal-grilled, herb-heavy flavor of traditional skewered kofta into a format that's simple to make on any home stovetop or grill.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 600 gground beef(20% fat)
• 1onion(grated and squeezed dry)
• 0.5 cupfresh parsley(finely chopped)
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 tspground cumin
• 0.5 tspground allspice
• 1.25 tspfine sea salt
• 0.5 tspblack pepper
• 4pita breads or burger buns
• 0.33 cuptahini sauce
• 1 cupquick-pickled cucumber and carrot
• 2 tbspolive oil

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the kofta

   Combine ground beef, grated onion, parsley, garlic, cumin, allspice, salt and pepper in a bowl. Knead by hand for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture becomes sticky and well combined.

   Squeeze the grated onion thoroughly dry before mixing it in -- excess moisture keeps the patties from holding together on the grill.

2. 2

   Shape the patties

   Divide into 4 patties about 3/4 inch thick. Chill 15 minutes if the mixture feels loose.

3. 3

   Cook the patties

   Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Cook patties 4 to 5 minutes per side until well browned and cooked to 160°F (71°C) internally.

4. 4

   Warm the pita

   In the last minute of cooking, warm the pita breads briefly in a dry skillet or over an open flame until soft and lightly toasted.

5. 5

   Assemble

   Spread tahini sauce inside the warm pita, add the kofta patty and pickled vegetables, and serve immediately.

Variations

• •

  Lamb kofta: substitute ground lamb for a richer, more traditional flavor.

• •

  Skewer style: shape the mixture around flat metal or soaked wooden skewers and grill directly over the flame for the classic presentation.

• •

  Spicier: add a pinch of cayenne or ground chile to the mixture for extra heat.

Storage

Refrigerate cooked patties up to 3 days; reheat gently in a skillet over medium-low heat. Raw shaped patties freeze well, wrapped individually, for up to 2 months.

Frequently Asked Questions