Kofta is a Persian term that means to beat or grind. Originally cooked and served on a skewer like a kebab in Persia, Central Asia, and the Middle East, these beef meatballs are cooked in a rich tomato and yogurt-based curry in Pakistani cuisine. The Pakistani version of this curry is primarily made with beef, but chicken, lamb, and even vegetarian koftas are popular throughout South Asia. Growing up, this was a personal favorite, and thanks to my mother’s stress-free recipe, I now make these beef meatballs often for my family. This kofta curry is best enjoyed with naan, basmati rice, or chicken pulao. If you want to add a side, try easy moong masoor dal, kaali masoor ki daal, or mash ki daal.
Why you’ll love this kofta curry
No complex ingredients - Most of the ingredients, including the few spices the recipe calls for, are supermarket staples. Straightforward recipe—This beef meatball kofta recipe is very easy to follow, and no special techniques are required to perfect it. Perfect recipe for meal planning - These beef meatballs are great to batch and freeze to use as needed for weeknight dinners.
Kofta curry ingredients
The Koftas
Beef - I use 80% lean beef for my kofta curry. The 20% fat helps bind the meatballs and makes them juicier. Onions - Onions add flavor and prevent the koftas from getting too hard. Bread slices - These help as a binding agent, and I prefer them to the more traditional poppy seeds or chickpea powder as they keep the koftas soft. Green chilies—I use whole serrano chilies for my beef meatballs. You can deseed them if you want the koftas less spicy. Cilantro - A fresh green bunch of cilantro adds fragrance and flavor to the beef meatballs. Ginger & Garlic - I usually have homemade ginger and garlic paste at home. If you don’t, add a few cloves and a small peeled piece of ginger directly to your food processor (details in recipe card). The spices—I use very few spices for the koftas, letting the fresh ingredients add the necessary flavor and aroma.
The Curry
Onion - A well-caramelized yellow onion provides the base for this kofta curry recipe. Tomatoes - Roma tomatoes are the best for a curry as they’re plump and juicy. If these are unavailable, use vine tomatoes, but make sure they are not too firm. Yogurt - I like to add a combination of tomatoes and yogurt to my kofta curry recipe for a richer flavor and color. Spices - I don’t like to use whole spices as you have to pick them out of the curry throughout the eating process and rely on a few basic spices for flavor. Ginger - I love to add fresh grated ginger at the end, just like I do in my chicken karahi, my tawa-fried beef keema. It adds a pungent flavor that tastes delicious.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients, measurements, and recipe instructions.
Substitutions & variations
Try different meat - The beef meatballs can also be made with Lamb, mutton, or chicken. Since chicken has less fat and tends to be more watery, I like to add an egg along with 2 tablespoons of gram flour(chickpea powder) to counter this. Use a different cooking method - Instead of baking, the Koftas can be fried or poached directly in the curry. Swap the boiled eggs - I love boiled eggs in my kofta curry recipe, but quartered potatoes like you would add to aloo gosht (Pakistani meat and potato curry) also taste delicious. Make it gluten-free - Add two tablespoons of chickpea flour (gram flour) instead of the bread slices to make the koftas gluten-free, and enjoy with plain basmati rice instead of naan. Make it dairy-free - If you don’t eat dairy, use coconut or cashew yogurt for your beef meatball curry.
How to make kofta curry
Making the koftas
First step - Add all ingredients except the ground beef to the food processor and grind to a paste. Start with the hardest ingredients, like the onion, green chilies, whole garlic, and ginger, and then the softer ones. Once everything is ground to a paste, mix the paste with the ground beef by hand. Second step - Add this mixture to the ground beef and mix by hand, or add the ground beef to the mixture in the food processor and pulse just enough to mix. If you use the food processor, make sure not to over-mix the meat, as this can make the koftas tough. Third step - When shaping the beef meatballs, make sure you take equal portions of meat so that they are uniform. The koftas will shrink a little as they release fat during cooking, so make them a little larger than you ultimately want them to be. Also, grease your hands slightly with oil to make the process smoother. Fourth step - Bake the meatballs until they’re par-cooked. Use as many as you need for the curry, and freeze the rest in a zip-loc bag.
Make The Curry
Fifth step - Add the cooking oil to your pot and preheat. I make this kofta curry using pre-browned, pureed onions, homemade garlic paste, and tomato puree. The recipe card includes instructions on how to make the curry from scratch. In this illustration, I add everything except the yogurt and cook just enough to bloom the spices, about 2-3 minutes. Sixth step - Add green chilies next and saute for a few minutes. Seventh step - Start adding the yogurt, 2-3 tablespoons at a time. If you add it all at once, the higher temperature of the curry base will cause it to curdle. Eighth step - Once all of the yogurt has been incorporated, add the beef meatballs along with 2 cups of water, cover, and cook on medium-low for about 15 minutes. The curry is ready when the oil rises to the top. Add the halved boiled eggs, garnish with cilantro, and serve.
Expert Tips
For more Pakistani recipes like this, check out 20 popular Pakistani recipes. If you decide to try this recipe, Please don’t forget to leave a rating and comment below! If you take a picture then tag me on Instagram! Thank You!
