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Middle Eastern Kofta in Tomato Sauce, is a hearty dish made with tender, spiced meatballs with a thick, tangy tomato sauce infused with pomegranate molasses and dried mint. This dish features golden baby potatoes that soak up the rich sauce, making each bite an irresistible balance of savory and vibrant tastes.
This comforting dish, popular across Palestine and the Levant, is traditionally paired with golden potatoes and served alongside warm pita bread or fluffy vermicelli rice.
Whether you’re hosting guests or enjoying a cozy meal at home, this recipe ensures an unforgettable experience full of aromatic spices and wholesome ingredients.
Easy to prepare yet deeply satisfying, it’s a recipe you’ll find yourself returning to again and again.
Recipe Summary
Cuisine: Middle Eastern (Levantine)
Prep and Cooking Time: Approximately 1 hour
Cooking Method: Baking
Skill Required: Beginner to Intermediate
Ingredients
Kafta Ingredients
Ground beef or lamb: For tender and juicy meatballs, use ground beef or lamb with an 80/20 ratio of lean meat to fat. Lamb adds a distinct richness, while beef offers a milder, versatile flavor.
Parsley: It adds a fresh and vibrant taste to the meatballs, with a delicate earthy note.
Garlic cloves: It infuses the kafta with fragrant depth and enhance the savory spices in the mix.
Yellow onion: It adds juiciness to the meatballs while offering a mild, sweet flavor that balances the spices.
Roma tomatoes: Their firm texture and low water content make them ideal for holding their shape while adding a hint of natural sweetness.
Baby potatoes: These are ideal for uniform cooking as they absorb the sauce’s flavor while providing a creamy and hearty base for the dish.
Spices: To make kafta, you will need the following spices: 7 spices, garlic powder, coriander powder, black pepper, salt, and paprika.
Tomato Sauce Ingredients
Hot water: It helps the sauce blends smoothly and maintains a consistent texture.
Tomato sauce: It is the dish’s basis, providing a rich, tangy, and slightly sweet flavor.
Tomato paste: It concentrates the tomato flavor, thickens the sauce, and adds a deeper, robust taste.
Pomegranate molasses: Adds a unique tangy sweetness and a touch of complexity to the sauce, elevating it from a simple tomato base.
Salt: It balances tomato acidity and boosts overall taste.
Black pepper: It adds subtle heat to the sauce, balancing the sweetness of the pomegranate molasses.
Dried mint: It infuses the sauce with a refreshing, herbal note that contrasts beautifully with the richness of the meatballs and potatoes.
How To Make Kafta bi Bandora
First, preheat the oven to 375°F.
Second, finely chop the parsley, onion, garlic, and tomato. Alternatively, add them to a food processor and pulse until fine.
Then, transfer this mixture to a bowl and add the ground beef. Now, add in the 7 spices, garlic powder, black pepper, salt, and paprika. Mix well.
After that, shape the meatballs into 1½ – 2-inch balls. Set aside.
Next, wash and cut the potatoes, then pat dry. If you’re using larger potatoes, peel them too. Fry or air fry the potatoes until golden. Transfer the potatoes and the meatballs into a deep baking dish.
To make the sauce, mix together the tomato sauce, water, and tomato paste. Mix together well until tomato paste is dissolved. Add the pomegranate molasses, salt, black pepper, and dried mint. Mix until well combined.
Now, pour the sauce over the meatballs and potatoes and cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 375°F for 25-35 minutes, or until the beef reaches an internal temperature of 160°F.
Finally, serve with pita bread. Alternatively, you can serve it with Ruz Bil Shiriyeh (Vermicelli rice).
How to Serve Kafta Bi Bandora
Serve Kafta Bi Bandora warm, straight from the oven, so that the aromatic tomato sauce shines. Garnish with fresh parsley for a burst of color and added freshness. You can also top with toasted pine nuts for added texture.
Pair it with fluffy Ruz Bil Shariyeh (vermicelli rice) to soak up the flavorful rich sauce, or serve with warm pita bread to scoop up every bite.
For a complete meal, serve this Middle Eastern kafta stew with crisp salad like fattoush, tomato salad, or creamy hummus to balance the richness of the dish.
Variations and Substitutes
Meat Choices: Swap ground beef for ground lamb, chicken, or turkey according to your tastes.
Potatoes: Replace baby potatoes with sweet potatoes or even roasted eggplant slices for a unique flavor and texture.
Herbs: Add chopped fresh cilantro to the kafta mixture for a different herbal note.
Spices: Adjust the seasonings to your preferences. For a warm undertone, add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg. To increase the spiciness, add crushed red pepper flakes.
Additional Vegetables: For a heartier meal, add veggies such as bell peppers, onions, and carrots to the baking dish.
Cooking Methods: Instead of baking, cook the kafta and sauce on the stovetop on medium-high heat in a deep pan for a faster cooking technique.
Tips and Tricks
Uniform Meatballs: Use an ice cream scoop or tablespoon to ensure all meatballs are the same size, which helps them cook evenly.
Prevent Sticking: To prevent the mixture from sticking, lightly oil your hands when shaping the meatballs.
Chop Smart: Save time by using a food processor to finely chop the parsley, onion, garlic, and tomatoes for the kafta mixture.
Pre-Cooking Potatoes: Fry or air fry the potatoes until golden before baking. This allows them to maintain their shape and absorb the sauce without turning mushy.
Flavor Boost: Let the kafta mixture rest for 15-20 minutes before shaping to allow the flavors to meld together.
Tomato Sauce Hack: To get a smoother consistency, dissolve the tomato paste in the hot water before mixing it with the other sauce ingredients.
Customize the Sauce: Taste the tomato sauce before pouring it over the kafta and adjust the seasoning, pomegranate molasses, or mint to your preference.
Even Cooking: Arrange the meatballs and potatoes in a single layer in the baking dish to ensure they cook evenly.
Storage Tips
Refrigerating: Allow the leftover to cool to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Freezing: For longer storage, transfer the cooked kafta and sauce to a freezer-safe container. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Reheating: Reheat in the oven at 350°F until warmed through or in the microwave for a quick option. Add a splash of water or broth to the dish when reheating to keep the sauce from drying out. Cover the dish with foil while reheating in the oven to retain moisture.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of potatoes should I use?
Baby potatoes work best, but any starchy or waxy potato can be used. Peel larger potatoes and cut them into even sizes for even cooking.
How do I adjust the sauce consistency?
For a thicker sauce, reduce the amount of water added to the tomato sauce. For a thinner sauce, add more water or broth.
I don’t have pomegranate molasses; how can I substitute it?
If pomegranate molasses isn’t available, substitute it with a splash of lemon juice and a drizzle of honey for a sweet and tangy balance.
Can I use fresh tomatoes instead of canned tomato sauce?
Yes, blend fresh tomatoes with a bit of water to create a sauce. Simmer it with tomato paste to thicken.
Middle Eastern Kafta in Tomato Sauce
A spiced meat ball in a delicious, We often make kofta in this tomato sauce or in a lemony,
- 1 lb 80/20 ground beef or lamb
- ½ bunch parsley
- 6 garlic cloves
- ½ medium yellow onion
- 2 medium roma tomatoes 300g
- 1 pound baby potatoes halved (454g)
- ½ teaspoon 7 spices
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon paprika
Tomato Sauce:
- 2 cups hot water
- 15 ounces can of tomato sauce 425g
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried mint
- Preheat the oven to 375℉.
- Finely chop the parsley, onion, garlic and tomato. Alternatively, add them to a food processor and pulse until fine.
- Transfer this mixture to a bowl and add the ground beef. Add in the 7 spices, garlic powder, black pepper, salt, and paprika. Mix well.
- Shape the meatballs into 1½ – 2-inch balls. Set aside.
- Wash and cut the potatoes, then pat dry. If you’re using larger potatoes, peel them too. Fry or air fry the potatoes until golden.
- Transfer the potatoes and the meatballs into a deep baking dish.
- To make the sauce, mix together the tomato sauce, water, and tomato paste. Mix together well until tomato paste is dissolved. Add the pomegranate molasses, salt, black pepper, and dried mint. Mix until well combined.
- Pour the sauce over the meatballs and potatoes and cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 375℉ for 25-35 minutes, or until the beef reaches an internal temperature of 160℉.
- Serve with pita bread. Alterntively, you can serve with Ruz Bil Shiriyeh (Vermicelli rice).
- Uniform Meatballs: Use an ice cream scoop or tablespoon to ensure all meatballs are the same size, which helps them cook evenly.
- Prevent Sticking: To prevent the mixture from sticking, lightly oil your hands when shaping the meatballs.
- Chop Smart: Save time by using a food processor to finely chop the parsley, onion, garlic, and tomatoes for the kafta mixture.
- Pre-Cooking Potatoes: Fry or air fry the potatoes until golden before baking. This allows them to maintain their shape and absorb the sauce without turning mushy.
- Flavor Boost: Let the kafta mixture rest for 15-20 minutes before shaping to allow the flavors to meld together.
- Tomato Sauce Hack: To get a smoother consistency, dissolve the tomato paste in the hot water before mixing it with the other sauce ingredients.
- Customize the Sauce: Taste the tomato sauce before pouring it over the kafta and adjust the seasoning, pomegranate molasses, or mint to your preference.
- Even Cooking: Arrange the meatballs and potatoes in a single layer in the baking dish to ensure they cook evenly.
