Juicy Aromatic Turkish Meatballs (Printable)

Aromatic Turkish meatballs with herbs and bulgur, grilled or pan-fried to a crisp exterior and tender center.

# What You Need:

→ Meat & Bulgur

01 - 1.1 lb ground beef or lamb (or a mix)
02 - 3.5 oz fine bulgur
03 - 1 small onion, finely grated
04 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Herbs & Spices

05 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
06 - 1 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped (or 1 tsp dried mint)
07 - 1 tsp ground cumin
08 - 1 tsp paprika
09 - ½ tsp ground black pepper
10 - ½ tsp chili flakes (optional)
11 - 1 tsp salt

→ Binding

12 - 1 large egg

→ For Cooking

13 - 2–3 tbsp olive oil (for pan-frying) or oil spray (for grilling)

# Directions:

01 - Combine bulgur with 3 tbsp warm water in a large bowl and let it rest for 10 minutes until softened.
02 - Add ground meat, onion, garlic, parsley, mint, cumin, paprika, black pepper, chili flakes, salt, and egg to the softened bulgur.
03 - Using clean hands, mix all ingredients until fully incorporated and the mixture becomes slightly sticky.
04 - Moisten your hands and form the mixture into small oval or round meatballs roughly the size of a walnut.
05 - For pan-frying, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook meatballs for 3–4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through. For grilling, preheat grill to medium-high, lightly oil the grates or use oil spray, and grill meatballs for 3–4 minutes per side until charred and cooked through.
06 - Serve the meatballs hot accompanied by rice, flatbread, or a fresh salad.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • They come together in barely 35 minutes, turning a weeknight into something that tastes like you've been cooking all day.
  • The bulgur keeps them impossibly juicy inside while the exterior gets this perfect golden crust that shatters slightly when you bite it.
  • One batch freezes beautifully uncooked, so you can have restaurant-quality köfte ready whenever hunger strikes.
02 -
  • Don't skip the rest time for the bulgur—those 10 minutes change everything, turning it from grainy to tender and ready to bind with the meat.
  • Resist the urge to overmix; once everything is combined, stop—overworking the meat makes the köfte dense and tough instead of springy and yielding.
03 -
  • Grate the onion instead of mincing it—the moisture and fiber distribute more evenly, making the texture silkier throughout.
  • If the mixture feels too wet, let it rest in the refrigerator for 15 minutes before shaping; the bulgur will continue absorbing moisture and everything will hold together more easily.
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