Kefta Meatballs Cooked In Creamy Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients

• 454 g (1 lb)ground meat
• 1 mediumonion, finely chopped
• 3 tbspparsley, finely chopped
• to tastesalt and pepper
• 5 ml (1 tsp)cinnamon
• 900 gwhole-milk yoghurt
• 240 ml (1 cup), optionalsour cream
• 1egg
• 120 ml (1/2 cup)water
• 30 ml (2 tbsp)cornflour
• to tastesalt
• 1.25 ml (1/4 tsp)vinegar
• 30 ml (2 tbsp)fresh coriander
• 3–4 clovesgarlic, minced
• 28 g (2 tbsp)butter

Instructions

1. 1

   Season the meat

   Mix the ground meat with the chopped onion, parsley, salt, pepper and cinnamon.

2. 2

   Shape and fry

   Shape the mixture into meatballs. Fry them in a pan over medium-high heat for about 9–10 minutes, until cooked through. Air-fry them instead if you prefer.

3. 3

   Set aside

   Transfer the cooked meatballs out of the pan and set them aside.

4. 4

   Blend the sauce

   In a pan, combine the yoghurt, sour cream if using, water, cornflour, egg and vinegar. Blend with a hand-held blender until smooth and well combined.

5. 5

   Heat the yoghurt

   Cook the yoghurt mixture over medium-high heat, stirring, until it starts to boil.

6. 6

   Add the meatballs

   Put the meatballs into the yoghurt sauce.

7. 7

   Return to a boil

   Bring the sauce back to a gentle boil.

8. 8

   Fry the aromatics

   Meanwhile, fry the coriander and garlic in the butter until fragrant. Add them to the yoghurt sauce, then mix briefly and bring it to a boil.

9. 9

   Serve the dish

   Serve topped with toasted pine nuts and rice, if desired.

10. 10

    Stir one way

    Keep stirring the sauce in one direction, as the recipe's family tip recommends.

What are kefta meatballs?

Kefta refers to seasoned minced meat shaped into balls or other forms, with versions found across Middle Eastern and North African cooking. This recipe pairs the meatballs with a yoghurt-based sauce rather than serving them dry or with a tomato sauce.

The onion and parsley flavour the meat, while cinnamon adds warmth. A buttery garlic-and-coriander finish gives the creamy sauce a savoury lift.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 620 calories, 33g protein, 28g carbs, 44g fat.

The ground meat and yoghurt provide most of the protein, while the meat, whole-milk yoghurt, optional sour cream and butter contribute much of the fat. Carbohydrates mainly come from the yoghurt, onion and cornflour; serve with a modest portion of rice and add vegetables to balance the plate.

Building flavour in the meatballs

Meat mixture: Mix the chopped onion and parsley through the ground meat so they are distributed throughout. Season with salt, pepper and cinnamon before shaping.

Shaping: Make the balls a similar size so they cook at roughly the same rate. The recipe does not specify a particular size, so use a consistent shape rather than adding extra ingredients.

Keeping the yoghurt sauce smooth

Blending: Blend the yoghurt, optional sour cream, water, cornflour, egg and vinegar together before heating. This gives the cornflour a chance to disperse through the liquid.

Stirring: Keep the mixture moving as it heats, following the recipe's advice to stir in one direction. Once it starts to boil, watch it closely and continue stirring as directed.

Checking the meatballs

Doneness: Fry the meatballs over medium-high heat for about 9–10 minutes, until cooked through. Their size and the pan can affect the timing, so check the centre of a larger one if you are unsure.

Air-frying: The recipe also allows air-frying, but does not give a temperature or cooking time for that method. Check that the meatballs are cooked through before adding them to the sauce.

Finishing with garlic and coriander

Aromatics: Fry the minced garlic and fresh coriander in butter until fragrant, then stir them into the sauce. This is the final flavouring step, so add the mixture after the meatballs have gone into the yoghurt.

Serving: The recipe suggests rice and toasted pine nuts alongside or on top. They make a fitting accompaniment to the rich sauce, though neither is included in the ingredient list.

Timing and serving

The stated time for frying the meatballs is about 9–10 minutes, but no overall preparation or cooking time is provided. Allow extra time for chopping, shaping and bringing the yoghurt mixture to a boil.

Serve the meatballs with rice to make a complete plate, and add toasted pine nuts as suggested if you have them. A simple vegetable side can add freshness alongside the creamy sauce.

Recipe notes & tips

• Chop the onion and parsley finely so they mix evenly into the ground meat.
• Shape the meatballs to a similar size to help them cook at the same pace.
• Blend the sauce ingredients before heating to distribute the cornflour.
• Stir continuously while the yoghurt mixture heats, as the recipe recommends.
• Fry the garlic and coriander just until fragrant before adding them to the sauce.
• Check the meatballs are cooked through before transferring them into the yoghurt.

Variations

• Use lamb: Choose ground lamb for a fuller-tasting meatball.
• Omit the sour cream: Leave it out for a less rich sauce.
• Add pine nuts: Toast them and scatter over the finished dish as suggested.
• Serve with rice: Spoon the meatballs and sauce over rice for a more substantial meal.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Uneven meatballs: Shape them to a similar size so they finish cooking at about the same time.
• Lumpy sauce: Blend the yoghurt mixture until smooth before putting it on the heat.
• Leaving the sauce unattended: Stir as it heats to keep it moving.
• Overcooking the garlic: Fry it only until fragrant, then add it to the yoghurt.
• Adding undercooked meatballs: Make sure they are cooked through before setting them aside.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container and use within 3 days. Reheat gently in a pan, stirring often; avoid a vigorous boil, which can affect the yoghurt sauce's texture.

Frequently asked questions