Spiced Beef Kofta with Roasted Vegetables

Tender and flavorful spiced ground beef kofta, baked to perfection and served with a colorful medley of roasted bell peppers, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes alongside fluffy white rice.

• Prep: 25 min
• Cook: 30 min
• Total: 55 min
• Servings: 5
• Cuisine: Mediterranean
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost: $4.96/serving

Dietary

• Nut-Free
• Egg-Free
• Soy-Free
• Gluten-Free
• High-Protein

Tags

• bake
• roast
• healthy
• savory
• fresh
• comfort food

Ingredients

• 1.5 pound ground beef (lean)
• 0.5 yellow onion (medium, finely grated or minced)
• 3 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 0.5 teaspoon dried mint
• 0.75 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 yellow bell pepper (chopped into 1-inch pieces)
• 2 zucchinis (chopped into 1-inch pieces)
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1.5 cup long grain white rice (uncooked)
• 3 cup water
• 0.75 cup plain yogurt
• 0.5 cucumber (grated and squeezed dry)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh dill (chopped)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine the lean ground beef, finely grated yellow onion, minced garlic, ground cumin, ground coriander, dried mint, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Mix well with your hands until just combined. Form into 15 small oblong shapes (kofta).
3. On a separate large baking sheet, toss the chopped yellow bell pepper, chopped zucchini, and cherry tomatoes with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, dried oregano, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Spread vegetables in a single layer.
4. Place the kofta on the prepared baking sheet alongside the vegetables (or use two sheets if needed). Bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping kofta and stirring vegetables halfway through, until kofta are cooked through and vegetables are tender.
5. While kofta and vegetables bake, prepare the white rice. In a medium saucepan, combine the long grain white rice and 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed and rice is tender. Keep covered off heat for 5 minutes.
6. To make the tzatziki, combine the plain yogurt, grated and squeezed dry cucumber, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, chopped fresh dill, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a small bowl. Stir until well combined.
7. Serve the baked kofta and roasted vegetables with fluffy white rice and a dollop of tzatziki.

Notes

Finely grating the onion helps it incorporate smoothly into the kofta mixture without large pieces. You can pan-fry the kofta instead of baking for a crispier exterior.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 620
• Protein: 42 g
• Carbohydrates: 60.5 g
• Fat: 23.5 g
• Fiber: 7.5 g
• Sodium: 790 mg
• Saturated Fat: 8 g
• Sugar: 7 g
• Cholesterol: 100 mg