Kofta Curry (Beef Meatball Curry)

Kofta curry is a delicious dish of succulent grilled or broiled beef meatballs in a rich, creamy and spicy sauce. It is full of fragrant Indian spices and makes a great weeknight dinner. This low carb meatball curry is also freezer friendly. Great tips for lightening it up also included.

Celebrate your Indian experience with our popular Easy Biryani and Chicken Korma.

Grilled Meatball (Kofta Kebabs) Curry

Kofta kebabs are grilled meatballs that are popular in the Mediterranean, Middle East and the Indian subcontinent. They are made with ground meat, fragrant spices and herbs.

Here in this kofta curry recipe I have broiled them for ease of preparation. Also, the process of grilling or broiling imparts a nice flavor. Some fat is also released out of the meatballs. And the rapid cooking process makes the meatballs juicy.

Many traditional recipes use cream to add richness to this gravy. But I use yogurt instead of cream to achieve a rich consistency for this meatball curry.

How To Make Kofta Curry (Overview)

**Full recipe at end of post.

1. Combine all the kofta (meatballs) ingredients, knead well into a smooth mixture and set it aside. 
2. Shape smooth and cylindrical (or round) koftas and broil on high on both sides. Alternatively the meatballs may be grilled or barbecued.
3. Sauté chopped onions over medium heat until golden brown. Add ginger and garlic paste and stir. Then add the spices (garam masala, paprika, turmeric, cumin powder, coriander powder), salt and stir well.
4. Next, add chili peppers, tomato paste and stir 2 minutes. Then add crushed tomatoes. Stir in whipped yogurt and fenugreek leaves. Add water and let it simmer until some oil surfaces on the top.
5. Add koftas and adjust seasoning and consistency as needed. Raise the heat until it starts bubbling and then simmer. Garnish with cilantro and a drizzle of cream.

Pro Tips

• Juicy & Flavorful: One key step I often use while making meatballs is to add grated onion. This imparts a nice onion flavor and also makes them soft and moist. Some recipes also use grated zucchini to keep meatballs juicy.
• Right Temperature & Time: The beef meatballs should be broiled or grilled quickly at high temperature to brown the meat well on the exterior. If it is not done at the right temperature and it takes too long, then the meatballs can become dry.
• Don't Overcook: Just broil the koftas until they are brown on the surface. They don't have to cook fully inside while broiling. Then simmer meatballs in sauce.
• Cook Tomatoes Well: Make sure that the tomatoes are well cooked before adding the yogurt. Otherwise the yogurt will curdle and the gravy will not be smooth and will look messy.
• Grass Fed Dairy: I like to use creamy whole milk yogurt. Be sure to use grass fed dairy products whenever you can, that way you get more of the CLA that I talk about in this post below.
• Rich & Creamy: The gravy in this beef meatball curry recipe is pretty rich and creamy with the addition of yogurt. But if you want to add a richer flavor for special occasions, then you could drizzle some ghee or cream on the top, just at the end of the cooking process.
• Gluten Free: Replace the breadcrumbs with chickpea flour to make gluten free kofta curry.
• Stove Top: If you wanted to make these koftas on stove top, then try using a cast iron skillet and drain the fat.

Common Questions

Nutrition Facts and Benefits

Meatball curry has an extensive list of ingredients. But the two main ingredients I will elaborate about are beef and tomatoes.

I have used 90% lean beef and the broiling or grilling process will also help drain off some of the fat. Beef is a very good source of protein, some of the B vitamins (B12, Niacin, B6), zinc, selenium, phosphorus and a good source of iron.

I would suggest using grass fed beef for its relatively superior nutrition quality, as it is richer in CLA (conjugate linoleic acid) and omega-3 fats.

Research has shown that CLA is associated with several health benefits such as - prevention of cancer, reducing fat mass and increasing lean body mass, improved blood glucose tolerance, inflammatory system support and cardiovascular health. However, when it comes to red meat, moderation is recommended.

Tomatoes are a treasure house of antioxidants - a rich source of vitamin C, beta-carotene and several phytonutrients. And are well known for being an outstanding source of lycopene and its association with cancer prevention.

More Tomato Based Stews

• Khoresht Kadoo (Persian Zucchini Stew)
• Spicy tomato curry with eggs
• Spicy rosemary tomato chicken
• Egg Curry (Restaurant Style)

More Ground Meat Recipes

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5 from 11 votes

Kofta Curry (Meatball curry)

Kofta curry is a delicious dish of succulent grilled or broiled beef meatballs in a rich, creamy and spicy sauce. It is full of fragrant Indian spices and makes a great weeknight dinner. This low carb meatball curry is also freezer friendly. Great tips for lightening it up also included.

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time45 mins

Total Time1 hr 15 mins

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Course :Stews

Cuisine :Indian

Servings: 8

Calories: 222kcal

Author: Roxana Begum

Ingredients

Koftas (Meatballs)

• ▢ 1 pound ground beef
• ▢ 1 onion medium, grated
• ▢ 1 egg large
• ▢ 4 tablespoons panko bread crumbs or 2 tablespoon chickpea flour
• ▢ 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• ▢ 1 tablespoon chopped mint or 1 teaspoon dry mint
• ▢ 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
• ▢ 2 teaspoons garam masala or tikka masala
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• ▢ 1 teaspoon turmeric
• ▢ 1 teaspoon paprika
• ▢ 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes or red chili powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt

Curry

• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil use a bit more if needed
• ▢ 1 onion medium, chopped
• ▢ 2 tablespoons ginger garlic paste
• ▢ 1 tablespoon garam masala
• ▢ 1 teaspoon chili powder or paprika
• ▢ 1 teaspoon turmeric
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon salt adjust per taste
• ▢ 1 chili pepper chopped (jalapeno or cayenne or serrano)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• ▢ 1½ cups crushed tomatoes see note
• ▢ 1 cup yogurt whole, whipped
• ▢ 2 tablespoon fenugreek leaves fresh, chopped or 1 tablespoon dried leaves
• ▢ 1 cup water
• ▢ 2 tablespoons heavy cream optional
• ▢ Cilantro chopped for garnish

US Customary - Metric

Equipment

• ▢
  Cooking Pot
• ▢
  Mixing Bowl
• ▢
  Baking Sheet
• ▢
  Blender
• ▢
  Cast Iron Skillet

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Instructions

Beef Meatballs (Koftas)

• Combine all the ingredients for koftas (meatballs) in a mixing bowl. Mix and knead it well for 3-4 minutes and let it rest.
• Shape 16 smooth and cylindrical (or round) koftas and arrange on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Broil meatballs on high for about 3 to 5 minutes on both sides.

  Tip: You can do this while cooking the curry on the side.
• The broiling time may differ with each oven, so make sure to check initial progress. Alternatively the koftas may also be grilled. The koftas do not have to be completely cooked in this process as they will cook further in the sauce.

Curry (Sauce)

• Heat olive oil in a cooking pot over medium heat. Add chopped onions and sauté until golden brown.
• Add ginger and garlic paste and stir for 2 minutes. Then add tikka masala, chili powder, turmeric, cumin powder, coriander powder, salt and mix well.
• Next add chili peppers, tomato paste and stir 2 minutes. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and cook couple minutes.
• Add whipped yogurt and stir very well. Stir in fenugreek leaves, which give a distinctive taste to this dish. 
• Then add 1 cup of water and stir (adjust the water as needed). Let it simmer about 20 minutes, until some oil starts surfacing on the top.

  Tip: If necessary, you may use a blender and process the sauce.
• Add koftas to the sauce. Adjust seasoning and consistency as needed. 
• Increase the heat to medium high and once the curry starts bubbling, lower the heat and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes.
• Scatter chopped cilantro leaves on the top. You may drizzle cream or whipped yogurt on top.
• Serve this beef meatball curry with rice or flat bread. Enjoy!
  

Notes

1. If you prefer to use fresh tomatoes for the gravy, chop and puree 1 pound of fresh tomatoes with the skin and seeds, along with 1 tablespoon tomato paste.
2. If using fresh tomatoes, you may skip addition of water in the recipe, and add the yogurt only after the tomatoes are very well cooked. Otherwise the yogurt will curdle and the gravy will not be smooth. I prefer to use grass fed whole milk yogurt.
3. You could also try using tomato paste (½ cup double concentrated good quality tomato paste + 2 cups water).
4. Use grated onion or grated zucchini for soft, juicy and moist meatballs.
5. Meatballs should be broiled or grilled quickly at high temperature to only brown the meat well on the exterior. If it takes too long, then the meatballs can become dry.
6. For a richer flavor or special occasions, drizzle some ghee or cream on the top, at the end of the cooking process.
7. Replace the breadcrumbs with chickpea flour to make gluten free kofta curry.
8. If you wanted to make these koftas on stove top, then try using a cast iron skillet and drain the fat.

Nutrition

Serving: 2koftas with ½ cup curry | Calories: 222kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 713mg | Potassium: 477mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 495IU | Vitamin C: 7.7mg | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 3.1mg

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This post was first published on January 25th 2016 and has been updated with improvements in recipe, formatting, tips, and additional enhancements.

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