Koofteh is a popular Persian dish made with ground meat, rice, and herbs. This version uses beef and is served with a creamy yogurt sauce. It is a delicious and satisfying meal that is perfect for a special occasion or a family dinner. Enjoy!

A delicious Persian dish made with beef, rice, and herbs, served with a creamy yogurt sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 1/4 cup parsley chopped
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
- 1/4 cup mint chopped
- 1 onion grated
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp turmeric ground
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups plain yogurt
- 2 tbsp dill chopped
- 1 tbsp mint chopped
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- salt to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, cooked rice, chopped parsley, chopped cilantro, chopped mint, grated onion, minced garlic, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, salt, and pepper until well combined.
- Using wet hands, shape the mixture into small oval-shaped balls.
- Heat some olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the meatballs in batches until browned on all sides. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add the yogurt, chopped dill, chopped mint, lemon juice, and salt. Stir well and cook over low heat until heated through.
- Return the meatballs to the skillet and simmer in the yogurt sauce for 10-15 minutes.
- Serve the koofteh with yogurt sauce hot with rice or bread.
Nutrition
Calories: 350kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 30gFat: 15gFiber: 3g
The yogurt sauce was way too runny! I think I used too much yogurt. Oops! π€·ββοΈ
This is the best koofteh I have ever made! The mixture of herbs really makes it pop. π
So good!!! My family loved it! Will make again! Thank you!
I love the yogurt sauce! Paired perfectly with the meatballs. Will make it again.
I added some chili flakes for a kick! Perfect!
I dunno, chili flakes might be too much for a recipe like this. Isnβt it supposed to be more traditional?
Chili flakes? Thatβs a great idea! I love a bit of heat in my dishes. Iβll have to try that next time!
I donβt know about using so much mintβ¦ it was overwhelming. Maybe cut it down?
Can someone tell me if I can use chicken instead of beef? Not a big fan of red meat.
I think chicken would make it dry. Beef is more juicy, right? But I guess you could try it for a change. Just dont mess it up!
Yes, you can definitely use chicken! Itβll give a different flavor but should work fine. Just make sure to adjust the cooking time a bit since chicken can cook faster than beef.
Yogurt sauce turned out sour β not sure what I did wrongβ¦
Sour? Did u mix in the lemon juice? That can make it tangy. I like mine with extra dill!
Sorry to hear that! Maybe the yogurt was too old? Fresh yogurt is usually better in recipes.
My grandma made something like this, but it had raisins. Different but still good!
Sounds really good! My grandma used to add raisins to everything too; it gives such a nice flavor. I might try that with this recipe!
Had a few problems with the meatballs breaking apart. Any tips?
Not bad, but I think it could use more spices. Itβs a bit bland for my taste.
Followed the recipe, but my meatballs fell apart. Sad face. Bad experience.
My mom made this when I was a kid, but she never used rice. Does it really need it?
I think the rice helps bind everything together! Maybe your mom had her own way of doing it. π
Meh, was just okay. Maybe I mixed the spices wrong?
Donβt be too hard on yourself! Spice mixes can be tricky. Maybe adjust the salt next time? I loved it!
Yummy. Meatballs are good. I put a lot of mint! So nice! π
I love that you added mint! It really gives it a fresh taste. Mint with meatballs is a game changer! π
Mint in meatballs? Thatβs weird. I donβt think I would like that at all. π€
This was too complicated for me⦠I give up on cooking!
Delicious! Will impress guests for sure!
This is the best recipe Iβve ever tried! The flavors are amazing!
Looks delicious! Canβt wait to try this on the weekend. π€€