Kufta in Tahini Sauce with Efficiency Tricks
Kufta in Tahini Sauce (or kofta or kefta) is ground meat mixed with parsley, onions, garlic and spices! Topped with potatoes and Tahini Sauce it’s a Middle Eastern delight.
In my youth, I used to eat Middle Eastern a lot. It was a great way to go, when you were watching your pennies, but still wanted food that was high on flavor.
I often ordered Kufta in Tahini Sauce, a seasoned ground meat dish topped with potato slices and tahini. Creamy, rich and comforting, it was on “make someday” list practically forever!
What is Kufta?
Now to help those who may not have heard of kufta, I decided to look for a definition on Wikipedia. Here I was informed that it’s “a family of meatball or meatloaf dishes found in the Indian subcontinent, South Caucasian, Middle Eastern, Balkan, and Central Asian cuisines. In the simplest form, koftas consist of balls of ground meat usually beef, chicken, lamb or mutton, or a mixture – mixed with spices or onions.”
Because this dish is enjoyed in so many countries, there are different terms for the dish from ketfa, to kofta, to kufta to kafta and more.
On Compromise
Happily, my Sunday blogging buddies decided to cook Middle Eastern this week which was the push I needed to try it!
Unhappily, when I got ready to cook, I was out of ground lamb. I am a big lamb fan and had always ordered it made with lamb, though I knew that beef was authentic too. So I almost abandoned my plans. Then I remembered my new philosophy that nothing matters if it makes something impossible. So I took out some ground beef.
In the end, the change of meat was no problem. The spices and tahini sauce provided the real character, not the specific meat. And the family gobbled it down. Yes!
Recipe Efficiencies and Directions
The recipe, based on one from the Foodtasia blog, tastes virtually identical to my earlier memories. Despite the fact that it has a few changes from tradition to make it more efficient. Hooray for the “not too hard” philosophy again.
To start, you blend up seasoning mix in a food processor (the first efficiency trick!)
Then mix the seasoning mixture with meat right in baking pan
Make finger tip depressions in the meat mixture, bake to part done
Top with raw potato slices (no pre-cooking is another efficiency trick)
Pour tahini sauce over everything and finish baking
In the end, the potatoes were perfectly cooked and the Kufta in Tahini Sauce was, well… dangerously delicious!
What do I serve with Kufta?
Although there are a fair number of vegetables in the “seasoning mix” I think a salad is a nice accompaniment. You could go with a Tabbouli salad like this gluten-free Cauliflower Tabboulleh (other options below), a nice green salad or something fruity like this Watermelon Feta Salad.
The potatoes mean that a starch is covered but big eaters might appreciate a little rice or pita bread on the side.
Yes, here’s to living in the real world!
More Easy Middle Eastern Food Recipes
- Ghorayeba by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Nan e Barbari | Persian Flat Bread by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Palestinian Musakhan Made Easy by Pandemonium Noshery
- Shakshuka by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Tabbouli by That Recipe
- Kefta Salad with Tzatziki Dressing by Art of Natural Living
- Kale Tabbouleh from the Pantry by Art of Natural Living
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Kufta in Tahini Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef or lamb
- About 5 medium potatoes cut in ¼ inch slices (no need to peel)
- Optional Garnish: additional chopped parsley and/or 1-2 Tablespoons toasted pine nuts
Kufta seasoning mix
- 1 medium onion
- 1 medium tomato
- 4 cloves garlic pressed or finely minced
- ½ cup of fresh parsley leaves
- Spices: ½ teaspoon paprika ½ t allspice, ½ t coriander, 1/2 t pepper, 1/4 t cinnamon, ¼ t cumin, pinch cloves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 slice bread torn into pieces
Tahini Sauce
- 4 cloves garlic minced or pressed
- 1 cups yogurt
- 1 cup tahini
- Juice from large lemon
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
Instructions
- Combine the Kufta seasoning ingredients in a food processor and process until finely minced. It will look surprisingly like meat when done.
- Put the seasoning mixture into a 9 by 13 inch baking pan. Add the ground beef and mix by hand to combine, right in the dish. Don't overwork.
- Press the Kufta into a flat, uniform layer in the baking pan. Make depressions in the Kufta mixture with your fingers.
- Put the baking pan into the preheated oven for about 7 minutes while you make the sauce. This will allow the meat to set slightly. Do not leave it in longer or the meat will be overcooked in the end.
- In a blender or food processor, combine the sauce ingredients and blend until smooth.
- Remove the pan from the oven. Top with sliced potatoes. Pour sauce over evenly to cover.
- Bake at 400 degrees F for about 40 minutes until the meat is cooked through and the sauce is bubbling and lightly browned.
- Serve warm, optionally with rice.
Nutrition
- Kale Tabbouleh from the Pantry
- Butterscotch Pudding
This looks and sounds divine! And great for rent week. I’m adding it to the menu for sure.
I can’t wait to try this, I can’t wait to try this, Inger. We both love Middle Eastern food, and I think this will be wonderful with either lamb or beef!We both love Middle Eastern food, and I think this will be wonderful with your peace!
I am going out to get my meat grinder soon David–then I’ll be doing this again with lamb!
This sounds so delicious! I have tried something similar, but not with tahini. I seriously need to explore tahini!
Tahini is amazing Karen–you have to try it!
One pan, loaded with flavor, and EASY! Gotta love that. I have never seen Kofta like this, but I want to make it now.
I was so happy to have some simplifications and excited to learn the flavor was identical!
It sounds like a flavorful one pan meal which I’m all about!
I know! How can you beat all that flavor in a one pan recipe!
I eat a lot of Middle Eastern Food and have never heard of this wonderful dish. Cannot wait to try it.
It’s really flavorful Wendy. Hope you get a chance to try it.