Spiced Lebanese ground beef and lamb kafta baked in a tray with sliced potato and tomato until tender and deeply savory.
Kafta bil siniyeh is a Lebanese home-cooking classic -- spiced ground meat (kafta) formed into logs or patties, layered in a baking tray with sliced potatoes, tomatoes, and onions, and baked until everything melds together into a savory, one-pan dinner. It's simpler to prepare than skewered, grilled kafta, making it a common weeknight dish across Lebanese households, especially since the oven does most of the work. The technique centers on the kafta mixture itself: ground beef or lamb mixed with grated onion, parsley, and warm spices like cinnamon and allspice, worked by hand until slightly sticky so it holds together during baking without needing eggs or breadcrumbs. Layering thinly sliced potato underneath the meat, with tomato slices on top, allows the potatoes to cook in the meat's rendered juices while the tomatoes soften into a light, informal sauce. Served straight from the baking dish with rice or flatbread, kafta bil siniyeh is unfussy Lebanese family dinner -- deeply savory, warmly spiced, and easy enough to assemble ahead and bake when ready.
Serves 4
Combine ground meat, grated onion, parsley, garlic, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and pepper. Mix well and shape into flattened logs or patties.
Preheat oven to 200C/400F. Toss potato slices with olive oil and a pinch of salt, and arrange in an even layer in a baking dish.
Arrange the shaped kafta over the potato layer.
Layer tomato and onion slices over the kafta.
Pour tomato juice or diluted tomato paste over everything.
Bake covered with foil for 25 minutes, then uncover and bake 15-20 more minutes until the kafta is cooked through and the potatoes are tender.
Serve hot straight from the baking dish with rice or flatbread.
Squeeze the grated onion firmly before mixing into the kafta -- excess liquid makes the mixture too loose to hold its shape.
Slice the potatoes thin and even so they cook through at the same rate as the meat.
Cover with foil for the first part of baking to help the potatoes steam and soften, then uncover to let everything brown.
Add sliced eggplant to the tray alongside the potatoes for extra heartiness.
Use ground lamb for a richer, more traditional Levantine flavor.
Top with a scattering of pine nuts before baking for extra texture and traditional flair.
Refrigerate up to 3 days in an airtight container. Reheat covered in a 180C/350F oven for 15-20 minutes, or microwave individual portions.
Kafta preparations are found throughout Lebanon and the broader Levant, with the baked tray version (siniyeh) being a practical home-cooking adaptation of grilled kafta, allowing a full meal to cook together in one dish with minimal hands-on effort.
Yes -- all beef or a mix of beef and lamb both work well; ground lamb alone gives the richest, most traditional Lebanese flavor.
They were likely sliced too thick or the tray was too crowded to allow even cooking. Slice thin and spread in a single, even layer.
Yes -- assemble the tray up to a day ahead, refrigerate, and bake when ready, adding a few extra minutes to account for the cold start.
Per serving (380g / 13.4 oz) · 4 servings total
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