Juicy, lean, and inviting Turkey Kofta recipe. A healthy recipe that packs lean protein, savoury flavours, and satisfying wholesome ingredients the entire family will enjoy.
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Possibly the best way to grill and serve dinner – healthy flavourful grilled turkey kebabs with savoury yogurt, fresh vegetables, and grilled pita. My family and I officially loved it.
What made these turkey kebabs so good? It’s almost challenging to figure out where to start with so many good pieces. The main event of Turkey Kebabs was so crazy good. Lean, wholesome ground turkey with all the right herbs and spices that had s coming back time and time again.
That being said, this turkey kofta recipe is perfect for families and kids because it doesn’t t have any spiciness to it and yet, are so juicy and mouthwatering.
We loved piling the pita high with grilled turkey, fresh veg, and lemon garlicky yogurt.
What are kofta balls made out of?
Kofta balls are made from a meat protein (usually a combo of beef and lamb, but I used Canadian turkey here for a lean and reliable substitution), parsley, bread crumbs, and other spices like allspice, cinnamon, and cumin.
To make this kofta recipe gluten-free, simply sub the bread crumbs for one large egg. Both act as a binding agent and I used bread crumbs as a more traditional recipe. In addition, this recipe would be amazing with rice in lieu of the pita.
To me, the best kofta recipe has all the right flavours and remains juicy. That’s what makes ground turkey meat the best partner for grilling. Turkey has great flavour everyone enjoys (kids especially!) and it’s perfect for pairing with other flavours like the savoury herbs and spices in this kofta recipe.
Top with kid-friendly savoury yogurt (condiments are always the answer for kids) and lots of fresh chopped vegetables and we have a winner that will take us through grilling season nicely.
Why else choose turkey? It’s the perfect meat to buy in a pinch as turkey is usually good bang for your buck and it packs a nice nutritional punch too. I like subbing turkey for other meat proteins to make them, not only more kid approachable, but also to save a few dollars here and there.
Some of my favourite weeknight turkey meals include this Turkey and Lentils (slow cooker alert!) and this one pot Turkey Tetrazzini.
Turkey recipes primed for the grill:
- Turkey Burger with Greek Yogurt
- Grilled Turkey Tenderloin
- Avocado Turkey Burgers
- Greek Turkey Burgers
- Grilled Taco Turkey Burgers
Juicy flavourful Turkey Koftas recipe with savoury yogurt, fresh vegetables, and pita.
- 2 lbs ground turkey thigh*
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley leaves
- 2 tbsp finely chopped mint leaves
- 1 tsp smoked paprika (sweet or hot)
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 head Romaine lettuce, roughly chopped
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 English cucumber, quartered
- 1/4 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 5 pitas or naan bread
- 2 cups thick plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 lemon zest and juice
- 2 tsp finely chopped mint leaves
- 1 garlic clove, finely grated
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Soak 10 wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes.
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In a large bowl combine turkey, onion, parsley, mint, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. Mix** until all ingredients are well blended.
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Using a 1/3 cup measuring tool, make 10-12 oval shaped patties and pierce with a soaked toothpick through the middle. Place in fridge while grill preheats.
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Preheat grill to high heat. Add Turkey Koftas to the grill and reduce temperature down to medium. Cook for 15-20 minutes, flipping once after 8 minutes, or until meat has reached 165°.
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Place all sliced/chopped fresh vegetables on a plate.
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Mix all ingredients in a small bowl.
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Grill for 1-2 minutes per side or serve with cooked rice if preferred.
* I find that ground turkey thigh is juicer and holds up to grilling, but extra lean ground turkey breast meat will also work here.
** I find that using my hands to mix all the ingredients together works the best for making any form of patty.
Enjoy! xo
Stephanie Amberger says
September 2, 2019 at 6:10 pm
Samantha says
September 3, 2019 at 7:17 pm