This delicious turkey kofta recipe by Jamie Oliver is packed with fresh herbs, warm spices, and crunchy pistachios for a juicy, flavourful meal. Served with fluffy Turkish pilav, a spicy homemade chilli sauce, and creamy tahini yoghurt, it’s a simple yet impressive dish. Perfect for grilling and easy to make with everyday ingredients!
Ingredients Needed
Turkey Kofta:
- 1 large courgette (zucchini)
- 2 spring onions (green onions)
- 1 fresh green chilli (green chili)
- 50g (1.75 oz) shelled pistachios
- 3 sprigs fresh coriander (cilantro)
- 3 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 3 sprigs fresh mint
- ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 large free-range egg
- 500g (1.1 lb) free-range minced turkey (ground turkey)
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
Chilli Sauce:
- 4 ripe tomatoes
- 2 small onions
- 4 cloves garlic
- 4 fresh red chillies (red chilies)
- Olive oil
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons tomato purée (tomato paste)
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Tahini Yoghurt:
- 250g (1 cup) Greek yoghurt (Greek yogurt)
- 1 tablespoon tahini
- 1 squeeze lemon juice
Turkish Pilav:
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 200g (1 cup) bulgur wheat
- 400ml (1 ⅔ cups) hot organic chicken stock
- 1 knob unsalted butter
- 80g (2.8 oz) broken rice vermicelli
- 100g (3.5 oz) tinned chickpeas, drained
How To Make Turkey Kofta
- Prepare the kofta mixture: Finely grate the courgette, trim and finely chop the spring onions and green chilli, and chop the pistachios. Pick and finely chop all the fresh herbs.
- Toast the cumin seeds: In a dry pan over medium heat, toast the cumin seeds until fragrant. Lightly beat the egg in a small bowl.
- Mix the kofta ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the minced turkey, courgette, spring onions, green chilli, herbs, toasted cumin, egg, oregano, and most of the pistachios (reserve some for garnish). Season with salt and pepper.
- Shape the kofta: With wet hands, form 16 kofta, each about the size and shape of a small egg. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up.
- Grill the kofta: Thread two kofta onto each metal skewer. Cook under a grill (broiler) or over a charcoal flame on high heat for 12 minutes, turning regularly, until golden brown and cooked through.
- Preheat the oven: Set the oven to 180ºC (350ºF).
- Make the chilli sauce: Halve the tomatoes and onions (no need to peel), and lightly crush the unpeeled garlic cloves. Place the red chillies, tomatoes, onions, and garlic on a baking tray. Drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast for 25 minutes until soft and slightly charred.
- Blend the sauce: Let the roasted vegetables cool slightly. Remove and discard the chilli stalks, tomato cores, and onion and garlic skins. Blend everything in a food processor with the brown sugar, tomato purée, and vinegar. Add a drizzle of olive oil and pulse until smooth. Season to taste.
- Prepare the tahini yoghurt: In a small bowl, mix the Greek yoghurt, tahini, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook the Turkish pilav: Finely chop the onion and garlic. In a non-stick pan, heat a little olive oil over medium-low heat and sweat the onion and garlic for 10 minutes. Add the bulgur wheat and stir to coat.
- Steam the bulgur: Pour in the hot chicken stock, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to very low. Cover with a lid and let it steam for 8 minutes.
- Prepare the vermicelli: In a separate pan, melt the butter over medium heat and cook the broken vermicelli until golden brown.
- Finish the pilav: After 8 minutes, add the toasted vermicelli and drained chickpeas to the bulgur without stirring. Cover and steam for another 8 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it stand for 5 minutes.
- Serve: Arrange the kofta on a plate with Turkish pilav, chilli sauce, and tahini yoghurt. Sprinkle with the reserved pistachios and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Chill the kofta before cooking: Letting the kofta rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes helps them hold their shape and stay juicy when grilled.
- Toast the cumin seeds: Toasting cumin before adding it to the mixture enhances its warm, nutty flavour, making a big difference in taste.
- Grill over high heat: Whether using a grill, broiler, or barbecue, cook the kofta on high heat to get a beautiful golden crust while keeping them tender inside.
- Don’t stir the pilav while cooking: Let the bulgur and vermicelli steam without stirring to keep the pilav light and fluffy.
- Roast the chilli sauce ingredients well: Allow the tomatoes, onions, garlic, and chillies to get slightly charred for a deeper, smoky flavour in the sauce.
How To Store And Reheat Leftovers?
- Refrigerate: First, let the leftover kofta, pilav, and sauces cool to room temperature. Store them separately in airtight containers. The kofta and pilav will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days, while the chilli sauce and tahini yoghurt will last for 4 days.
- Freeze: The kofta and pilav can be frozen in airtight containers for up to 2 months. The sauces are not recommended for freezing, as the texture may change. To reheat, thaw the kofta and pilav overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheat: Heat a pan over medium heat and add a little oil. Cook the kofta for 3–5 minutes, turning occasionally, until heated evenly.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 of 4 servings
- Calories: 544
- Total Fat: 14.6g
- Saturated Fat: 4.6g
- Total Carbohydrate: 54g
- Sugars: 19.3g
- Protein: 50.4 g
Try More Jamie Oliver Recipes:
- Jamie Oliver Turkey Drumsticks
- Jamie Oliver Turkey Clementine
- Jamie Oliver Turkey Crown
- Jamie Oliver Turkey Stew
Jamie Oliver Turkey Kofta
Description
This delicious turkey kofta recipe by Jamie Oliver is packed with fresh herbs, warm spices, and crunchy pistachios for a juicy, flavourful meal. Served with fluffy Turkish pilav, a spicy homemade chilli sauce, and creamy tahini yoghurt, it’s a simple yet impressive dish. Perfect for grilling and easy to make with everyday ingredients!
Ingredients
Turkey Kofta:
Chilli Sauce:
Tahini Yoghurt:
Turkish Pilav:
Instructions
- Prepare the kofta mixture: Finely grate the courgette, trim and finely chop the spring onions and green chilli, and chop the pistachios. Pick and finely chop all the fresh herbs.
- Toast the cumin seeds: In a dry pan over medium heat, toast the cumin seeds until fragrant. Lightly beat the egg in a small bowl.
- Mix the kofta ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the minced turkey, courgette, spring onions, green chilli, herbs, toasted cumin, egg, oregano, and most of the pistachios (reserve some for garnish). Season with salt and pepper.
- Shape the kofta: With wet hands, form 16 kofta, each about the size and shape of a small egg. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up.
- Grill the kofta: Thread two kofta onto each metal skewer. Cook under a grill (broiler) or over a charcoal flame on high heat for 12 minutes, turning regularly, until golden brown and cooked through.
- Preheat the oven: Set the oven to 180ºC (350ºF).
- Make the chilli sauce: Halve the tomatoes and onions (no need to peel), and lightly crush the unpeeled garlic cloves. Place the red chillies, tomatoes, onions, and garlic on a baking tray. Drizzle with oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast for 25 minutes until soft and slightly charred.
- Blend the sauce: Let the roasted vegetables cool slightly. Remove and discard the chilli stalks, tomato cores, and onion and garlic skins. Blend everything in a food processor with the brown sugar, tomato purée, and vinegar. Add a drizzle of olive oil and pulse until smooth. Season to taste.
- Prepare the tahini yoghurt: In a small bowl, mix the Greek yoghurt, tahini, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook the Turkish pilav: Finely chop the onion and garlic. In a non-stick pan, heat a little olive oil over medium-low heat and sweat the onion and garlic for 10 minutes. Add the bulgur wheat and stir to coat.
- Steam the bulgur: Pour in the hot chicken stock, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to very low. Cover with a lid and let it steam for 8 minutes.
- Prepare the vermicelli: In a separate pan, melt the butter over medium heat and cook the broken vermicelli until golden brown.
- Finish the pilav: After 8 minutes, add the toasted vermicelli and drained chickpeas to the bulgur without stirring. Cover and steam for another 8 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it stand for 5 minutes.
- Serve: Arrange the kofta on a plate with Turkish pilav, chilli sauce, and tahini yoghurt. Sprinkle with the reserved pistachios and enjoy!
Notes
- Chill the kofta before cooking: Letting the kofta rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes helps them hold their shape and stay juicy when grilled.
- Toast the cumin seeds: Toasting cumin before adding it to the mixture enhances its warm, nutty flavour, making a big difference in taste.
- Grill over high heat: Whether using a grill, broiler, or barbecue, cook the kofta on high heat to get a beautiful golden crust while keeping them tender inside.
- Don’t stir the pilav while cooking: Let the bulgur and vermicelli steam without stirring to keep the pilav light and fluffy.
- Roast the chilli sauce ingredients well: Allow the tomatoes, onions, garlic, and chillies to get slightly charred for a deeper, smoky flavour in the sauce.
Jamie Oliver Turkey Kofta