Kofte in the UK: what it is, how to order it, where to find it
Quick answer
Köfte are Turkish meatballs, but the word covers dozens of regional shapes and seasonings: grilled lamb köfte from the charcoal, the flat spiced patties of Inegöl and Akçaabat, kadınbudu fried in egg, and the vegetarian mercimek köftesi of red lentil and bulgur. In UK restaurants köfte almost always means the grilled kind, served with rice, grilled pepper and onion, and it is the safest order on any ocakbaşı menu.
Calories and nutrition
- Calories
- 640
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 34 g
- Salt
- 2.2 g
520–780 kcal
Portion: A portion of six grilled köfte (about 180 g cooked) with bulgur and salad.
Köfte ekmek in bread is about 550 kcal; mercimek köftesi (lentil, vegan) is around 250 for a starter portion.
Estimates for a typical portion, based on standard UK and USDA food composition data. Actual values depend on the recipe and the restaurant.
What köfte is
Köfte is minced meat, usually lamb or a lamb and beef mix, worked with grated onion, breadcrumbs or soaked bread, parsley and spice until it is smooth and elastic, then shaped and cooked. The kneading matters: the mixture is worked for several minutes so the proteins bind and the köfte hold on the grill without egg. Regional versions change the seasoning and shape. Inegöl köfte from Bursa is plain, beef-heavy and shaped like a fat finger. Akçaabat köfte from the Black Sea has garlic and is grilled in a curve. Adana-style is spicier and closer to a kebab. What you get in most UK restaurants is a generic grilled lamb köfte, seasoned with cumin, pepper and parsley, cooked over charcoal.
The main types on a UK menu
Izgara köfte, grilled, is the standard, served as a portion of six to eight with rice, bulgur or chips. Köfte ekmek is the same meat in bread with onion and tomato, the Turkish answer to a burger and usually the cheapest hot thing on the menu. Kadınbudu köfte, dipped in egg and fried, appears in home-style restaurants. Mercimek köftesi, made of red lentils, bulgur and pepper paste, is served cold as a meze and is vegan, which many people do not expect from the name. Çiğ köfte, once raw meat, is now sold everywhere as a vegan bulgur version in wraps.
How to judge a good one
Grilled köfte should be charred outside, juicy inside and hold together when cut, with a texture that is smooth rather than crumbly, which comes from proper kneading. It should taste of lamb and onion with the spice behind, not in front. Dry, grey köfte means it was cooked ahead and reheated. Look for a charcoal grill in view; gas produces a paler, softer result. The accompaniments tell you as much as the meat: grilled long green pepper and tomato, sumac onions and a wedge of lemon are the signs of a kitchen that does it properly.
Where in the UK it is done well
Every ocakbaşı house in North London grills köfte, and the best are the ones with the oldest charcoal pits along Green Lanes and Stoke Newington High Street. Birmingham's Turkish grills and the Bold Street cluster in Liverpool are the strongest outside the capital. The ranking below counts Turkish restaurants in our directory whose name signals köfte or a charcoal grill.
How to order it
Order izgara köfte as a main with bulgur rather than chips, or köfte ekmek if you want the cheap version. Ask for it 'az pişmiş' if you like it pink inside; most places cook it through by default. Mercimek köftesi is the vegan option and worth ordering as a starter regardless.
Where it's done well
UK councils with the most kofte specialists, by restaurant name, in our directory.
Restaurants near you
Search by postcode or use your location to find restaurants likely to serve kofte near you.
Make it at home
Serves 4 · 40 min
Ingredients
- 500 g minced lamb, 20 per cent fat
- 1 onion, grated and squeezed dry
- 2 slices of stale white bread, crusts off, soaked in water and squeezed
- a handful of flat parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp salt, black pepper
- bulgur, sumac onions and grilled peppers to serve
Method
- Put everything in a bowl and knead with your hands for five full minutes until the mixture is smooth, sticky and pulls away from the bowl.
- Chill for an hour; it shapes and holds better cold.
- Wet your hands and form into twelve flat oval patties about 2 cm thick.
- Grill over charcoal or in a very hot ridged pan for three to four minutes each side until charred and just cooked through.
- Serve with bulgur, thinly sliced onion tossed with sumac, and a grilled green pepper.
The kneading time is not optional; it is what stops the köfte falling apart without egg. Fat content matters too; lean mince makes dry köfte.