Grilled Kofta Kebabs w/Tzatziki & Saffron Rice {+ Romanesco Greek Salad}

For anyone who loves a good gyro, you’re gonna love this.

Koftas are spiced meatballs, usually in kabab form, common in the Middle Eastern and Eastern Mediterranean parts of the world. Being Greek myself, I’m a big fan of these flavors. So I threw together a little meal that brings the Mediterranean right to your table. I think you’re gonna like it.

First, decide on your meat. Want to keep it Greek? Try lamb. Want to stick with something more common in your home? Make it with ground beef or even turkey if you’d like. Want to try something new and fun? Try goat, like I did here.

You may have seen me post about Yellowstone Grassfed Beef in the past- high quality grassfed meats from Montana (check out the special for my readers below!). They sent me some cuts to try out and what do you know, some ground goat was in there. A newbie for my kitchen. So I decided to give it a go for a twist on one of my old faves. It doesn’t matter what type of meat you use… just make sure you adjust the cook-time to match it (meaning if you use poultry, please make certain you cook it well).

Once you choose your fave meat, the rest is a breeze. Just throw a handful of herbs, spices, and onions in a little food processor, form up some meatballs around sticks, and get your grillin’ face on. These guys love a little char… that crispy exterior makes all the difference!

I’ve been making tzatziki since I was a kid. Sometimes I try random little tweaks, but usually, this is it. Deseeded and grated cuke, fresh dill, mint leaves, and delicious fatty Greek yogurt. (Want a dairy-free version? Try my spin-off DF version HERE!)

Now that we have the staples out of the way, let’s talk sides.

For me, saffron rice is the perfect fit. Instead, you could serve up some plain white rice, cauliflower rice (thank you Trader Joes for making that so easy and accessible for us all these days), some potatoes, or sautéed greens instead. This saffron rice kills it though- it’s simple, flavorful, and hey, it’s pretty too.

The other side I whipped here is a recent fave. It’s a twist on a Greek salad, made with romanesco. I really love that stuff lately. It’s gorgeous, healthy, and makes everything I cook look more exciting. Check out the recipe HERE!!

Okay, now back to the meat… the main star here. It’s all about the spices. I know it may seem annoying to go buy a spice you don’t have for just one recipe, but this recipe really does shine with this blend. And you’ll use them again- spices are always great to have around!

Saffron… more expensive than gold per ounce, they say! Whenever I see it for a decent deal, I grab some and keep it in the back of my spice cabinet for a rainy day. You just never know when you’ll get a hankering for some saffron-infused rice. 😉

Alright, enough babble, let’s get to the eatin’!

makes approx 12 kebabs

INGREDIENTS

for the meat…

1 lb ground meat (goat, lamb, beef, or turkey)

1/2 cup chopped yellow onion

4 garlic cloves, smashed

3 tbsp fresh parsley

1 tsp mint

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp oregano (preferably Greek)

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground allspice

1/4 tsp paprika

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

for the tzatziki…

1 cup Greek yogurt, full fat

1 tbsp chopped fresh dill

1/4 – 1/2 tsp smashed garlic* + 1/4 tsp salt to sweat

1/2 – 1 tsp lemon juice* (or red wine vinegar)

1 tsp fresh mint

1 cucumber + 1/2 tsp salt to sweat

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

*about garlic and lemon amounts- start with the smaller amount, then add more to taste

for the saffron rice…

2 cups basmati rice

3 1/2 cups good quality chicken broth

1 hefty tsp saffron threads

1/2 cup chopped yellow onion

drizzle of olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

*see the romanesco Greek salad HERE!

DIRECTIONS

If using wooden skewers, place in water to soak…

I like to use short wide bamboo ones (like THESE)

To make koftas…

Prep the onion, garlic, herbs, and seasonings

Add all to a small food processor…

Blend until finely minced

Alternatively, you could finely chop everything with a knife instead,

but I’m a fan of ease 😉

Add the meat

Using your hands, mix until blended

(Careful not to overhandle- working meat too much can make it tough!)

Make little golfball-sized meatballs with your palms

Shape the meat around a skewer to make long oblong-like meatballs around sticks

Get them as even in thickness as possible… helps for even cooking

Skewer all koftas, then cover and place in the fridge for approx 30 minutes

Chilling them helps keep the meat together for grillin’ 😉

This is a great time to make the tzatziki and other sides!! (Scroll down!)

After approx 30 mins or so, pull the kebabs out and get ready for Q-in!

Make sure to oil the grates first, so the meat doesn’t stick

Crank the heat high and plop those guys on there

Grill them for approx 7-10 minutes (this will depend on how thick they are, and which kind of

meat you use- adjust accordingly to ensure proper cooking), flipping once half way through

In my little opinion, a little char is tasty tasty 😉

That’s it, take those puppies off the grill and bring them in to rest for approx 5 mins or so

To make the tzatziki….

I suggest a full-fat Greek yogurt for this… the thicker, the better 🙂

Peel cucumber, then slice in half

Using a spoon, scrape out all seeds

Grate the cucumber

Add salt to the grated cuke (this helps pull excess moisture out)

Toss then set in a strainer for a bit- 10 minutes or so

Meanwhile, prep the remaining ingredients

You can use finely minced garlic, however I find it best to make a garlic paste…

Add salt… this will pull out moisture making it easier to spread

Using a large knife, spread the garlic out into a paste… it may take a few hard presses

And there you have it, garlic paste!

By now, your cuke should be good to go…

Using strong paper towels or cheese cloth, wrap the grated cucumber up,

then squeeze out as much moisture as you can (you may be surprised by how much streams out!)

Alternatively, if squeezing is obnoxious, you can use a

spoon to press the cuke in a mesh strainer instead

It’s a tad pathetic how much cucumber you’ll actually be left with

(only about 1/4 cup or so), but it’s enough to make a tasty tzatziki!

Add all ingredients to a bowl

(Remember to start slowly with the garlic and lemon juice, as noted in the ingredients)

Stir, add olive oil, then adjust flavors as desired

Badaboom, that’s it!

Cover and refrigerate until use

For the saffron rice…

Many people first rinse their rice before cooking…

it makes it lighter and fluffier- less starchy

I don’t always… totally your call!

Chop onion and get your saffron ready…

To prepare saffron, many recommend letting it steep first in hot water or wine to bring out its color… some also call for a mortar and pestle. I just give it a good pinch to crush it a tad, then add it right to the chicken broth… use whichever method is your fave 🙂

Add the broth, onions, saffron, and a drizzle of olive oil to a pot