Kofta Kebab with Tzatziki + Pita

I’ve spent years perfecting this recipe so you don’t have to! Welcome Back to Episode 18 of Getting To Know Your Greek Bestie! Today we’re making Kofta Skewers served on a bed of my Homemade Tzatziki (just like you)!

It's the season of comfort, deliciousness, and elevated!!! This is the perfect meal to make for your next gathering—it’s EASY and rather nutritious! I am introducing KOFTA SKEWERS WITH TZATZIKI. Make the skewers ahead of time and then cook them just before dinner! The tzatziki is also made ahead friendly and transparently—it actually gets better in the fridge!

Ingredients:

For the beef kofta,
1 lb (450g) lean ground beef
1 large yellow onion, grated and excess juice squeezed out
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint
3 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
2 1/2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup minced Pitted Green olives (Castelvetrano), minced
9 short wooden skewers

For the tomato salad,

3 tomatoes, chopped
1 cup pitted Castelvetrano olives
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Tzatziki,

2 cups Greek yogurt
1/4 cup fresh dill roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, grated
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
juice of one lemon
1 cucumber grated and squeezed to remove any excess liquid
3 tbsp olive oil

Serve with,

pitas (make our fluffy pita recipe!)
fresh mint
fresh dill

Instructions:

Soak the wooden skewers in water while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Make the tzatziki,

Combine every tzatziki ingredient in a large container or bowl and mix to combine. Set aside in the fridge.

Make the tomato salad,

In a small bowl combine tomatoes and olives. Drizzle with the olive oil and red wine vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss and then set aside.

Make the beef kofta,

Make sure the kabob skewers have been soaked in water!
To a medium bowl add the beef, grated onion, finely chopped mint, finely chopped parsley, cumin, salt, pepper, cinnamon and finely chopped green olives. Mix until fully combined.
Divide the mixture into 9 portions. Mold each portion around the pointed ends of the cocktail skewers, making a sort of oval kabob that covers the pointed end of the skewer.
Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Spray the pan with cooking spray or brush with olive oil. Once the pan is hot, grill the kabobs, turning every few minutes, until browned all over - this should take about 8-12 minutes. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.
Add about 1 cup tzatziki to a large serving tray or plate (store the rest in the fridge to enjoy another time) and spread it over the plate. Arrange the kofta on top of the tzatziki and top with the tomato salad. Finally, garnish with fresh mint and fresh dill and serve with pita.

#Greece #GreekFood #GreekRecipes #Kofta