Kofta Kabab (Saudi Spiced Ground Beef Meatballs in Tomato Sauce)

About This Recipe

Kofta kabab bil salsa (كفتة كباب بالصلصة) — spiced meatballs in tomato sauce — is one of the most widely eaten home-cooking dishes across Saudi Arabia and the broader Arab world. Unlike the grilled skewer form of kabab, this preparation takes the spiced ground meat mixture and simmers it directly in a vibrant tomato, onion, and bell pepper sauce until the meatballs absorb the sauce and become tender, juicy, and richly flavoured. The Saudi version uses the Gulf spice profile — coriander, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, and sometimes a pinch of dried lime powder — and the tomato sauce is often enriched with tomato paste and finished with a small amount of ghee for richness. This dish is practical weeknight cooking at its best: the meatballs can be formed in minutes, the sauce is a simple sauté, and the whole dish is on the table in under an hour. Served over steamed rice or with khubz (round flatbread) for scooping, it is the sort of nourishing, fragrant, satisfying food that Gulf families eat several times a week.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 600 gground beef(80/20 fat ratio)
• 1 mediumonion(half grated into meatballs, half chopped for sauce)
• 1/4 cupfresh parsley(finely chopped)
• 1 tspcumin
• 1 tspground coriander
• 1/2 tspallspice
• 1/4 tspcinnamon
• 1.5 tspsalt(divided)
• 1/2 tspblack pepper
• 3 tbspvegetable oil
• 1 wholegreen bell pepper(diced)
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 2 tbsptomato paste
• 1 cancrushed tomatoes(400g)
• 1/2 tspsugar
• 1 tbspghee(optional, for finishing)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the meatballs

   Combine ground beef, grated onion (juice squeezed out), parsley, cumin, coriander, allspice, cinnamon, 1 tsp salt, and pepper. Mix well and roll into balls about 3cm in diameter. Refrigerate for 15 minutes to firm up.

2. 2

   Brown the meatballs

   Heat oil in a wide sauté pan over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs in batches, turning, until golden all over — about 4 minutes per batch. Remove and set aside.

   Do not cook the meatballs through at this stage — just brown the outside. They will finish cooking in the sauce.

3. 3

   Make the sauce

   In the same pan, fry the chopped onion for 5 minutes until golden. Add bell pepper and garlic and fry 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir for 2 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, 1/2 cup water, remaining salt, and sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes.

4. 4

   Simmer the meatballs in sauce

   Return the meatballs to the sauce. Spoon sauce over them. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes until the meatballs are cooked through and have absorbed the sauce flavours.

5. 5

   Finish and serve

   Stir in ghee if using and taste for seasoning. Serve over steamed rice or with khubz flatbread. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Variations

• •

  Kofta with eggs: crack 4 eggs into the sauce in the last 5 minutes of cooking and cover until the eggs are just set — a popular Saudi breakfast version.

• •

  Lamb kofta: substitute lamb mince for a richer flavour.

Storage

Keeps in the fridge for 3 days; actually improves overnight as the meatballs absorb more sauce. Reheat gently in a covered pan. Freezes well for up to 2 months.

Frequently Asked Questions