Juicy Turkish köfte made with herbed ground meat, bulgur, and spices, grilled or pan-fried to perfection.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meat & Bulgur
01 - 1.1 lb ground beef or lamb (or a mix)
02 - 0.5 cups fine bulgur
03 - 1 small onion, finely grated
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Herbs & Spices
05 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
06 - 1 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped (or 1 tsp dried mint)
07 - 1 tsp ground cumin
08 - 1 tsp paprika
09 - ½ tsp ground black pepper
10 - ½ tsp chili flakes (optional)
11 - 1 tsp salt
→ Binding
12 - 1 large egg
→ For Cooking
13 - 2–3 tbsp olive oil (for pan-frying) or oil spray (for grilling)
# How To Make It:
01 - Combine bulgur with 3 tbsp warm water in a large bowl; let sit for 10 minutes until softened.
02 - Add ground meat, grated onion, minced garlic, chopped parsley, mint, cumin, paprika, black pepper, chili flakes, salt, and egg to the softened bulgur.
03 - Using clean hands, mix all ingredients until fully incorporated and slightly sticky.
04 - With damp hands, form the mixture into small oval or round meatballs about the size of a walnut.
05 - For pan-frying: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and fry meatballs in batches for 3–4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. For grilling: Preheat grill to medium-high, lightly oil grates or spray oil, then grill meatballs 3–4 minutes per side until charred and cooked through.
06 - Serve meatballs hot alongside rice, flatbread, or a fresh salad.
