Persian Turkey Kofta
with baby kale salad / herb dressing

Name: Persian Turkey Kofta
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1/4 Onions, medium, finely chopped; 3/4 tsp Salt; 1 tsp Cumin, ground; 1/2 tsp Cinnamon; 1/2 tsp Coriander, ground; 1/2 tsp Black pepper; 1 lb Turkey, ground (look for dark meat ground turkey for the most flavor); 1 Tbsp Oil, cooking; 1/4 cup Stock, any type (sub water); 1/2 cup Pistachios, shelled; 1/2 cup Pomegranate seeds (look for these removed from the pomegranate shells in the produce section); 8 oz Cucumbers, chopped; 6 oz Baby kale; 1 Tbsp Oil, olive, more if needed; 1 Tbsp Lemon juice, more if needed; 1 clove Garlic, chopped; 2 tsp Parsley, chopped; 1/2 cup Tahini; 2 tsp Vinegar, white wine; 1/2 tsp Honey

Active: 45 Total: 45

Original GF Paleo Vegetarian

A Persian-inspired combination of spices give these meatballs a truly uniqe flavor. Add a fresh and crispy salad and creamy sauce for a meal with many layers.
Smarts: Keep in mind that the larger / thicker the kofta the longer they will take to cook. Though traditionally rolled into long ovals so that they can be cooked over a grill, these will work great if just rolled into meatballs. Use any shape you prefer.

Proteins

Ground meat

Cuisines

Middle Eastern / North African

Ingredients

Metric

Servings:

Persian Turkey Kofta:

Onions, medium - 1/4 , finely chopped
Salt - 3/4 tsp
Cumin, ground - 1 tsp
Cinnamon - 1/2 tsp
Coriander, ground - 1/2 tsp
Black pepper - 1/2 tsp
Turkey, ground - 1 lb (look for dark meat ground turkey for the most flavor)
Oil, cooking - 1 Tbsp
Stock, any type - 1/4 cup (sub water)

Baby Kale Salad:

Pistachios, shelled - 1/2 cup
Pomegranate seeds - 1/2 cup (look for these removed from the pomegranate shells in the produce section)
Cucumbers - 8 oz , chopped
Baby kale - 6 oz
Oil, olive - 1 Tbsp , more if needed
Lemon juice - 1 Tbsp , more if needed

Herb Tahini Dressing:

Garlic - 1 clove , chopped
Parsley - 2 tsp , chopped
Tahini - 1/2 cup
Vinegar, white wine - 2 tsp
Honey - 1/2 tsp

Prep

Onions / Pistachios (if not already shelled) / Pomegranate seeds (if not already shelled) / Garlic / Parsley - Prep as directed. Store onions, pistachios, and pomegranate seeds in their own separate containers. Combine garlic and parsley in another container. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
Make dressing - Whisk together garlic, parsley, tahini, vinegar, and honey. Season with some salt and pepper. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
Make kofta - Combine onions, salt, cumin, cinnamon, coriander, black pepper, and ground turkey in a mixing bowl and mix gently until even. Form into meatballs - you can make these into long skinny meatballs as in the photos or into regular round meatballs. Estimate about 4 meatballs / serving. (Can be done up to 2 days ahead)
Cucumbers - Chop cucumbers.

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Make

Heat a large skillet with cooking oil over medium heat. Add kofta and sear on all sides until deep golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add stock and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Cook, covered, until kofta are cooked all the way through, 3 to 4 minutes more.
While kofta cooks, combine pistachios, pomegranate seeds, cucumbers, and baby kale in a large bowl.
Just before serving, toss salad with olive oil and lemon juice, adding more as needed to lightly coat all ingredients.
Give dressing a good stir. (If the dressing was made ahead and has thickened, you can whisk in a small amount of water.)
Serve kofta with salad on the side and dressing over everything. Enjoy!

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