Best Moroccan Kefta Recipes

MOROCCAN MEATBALLS -- TAGINE KEFTA

Moroccan Meatballs -- Tagine Kefta image

I was taught how to make this recipe during a vacation in Morocco, where I was lucky enough to spend some time with the chef of a restaurant, Naima. In Morocco, people eat it straight out of the tagine with lots of bread to soak up the sauce but it also makes the best spaghetti and meatballs I've ever tasted! The key is to use the freshest, juciest tomatoes you can find. If you aren't lucky enough to have a tagine, you should be able to make this dish in a deep frying pan, as long as it has a cover. I think a non-stick pan would be best. One other thing, be careful of adding onions to this dish as they are very watery and will make the sauce runny. If you do add onions, you will probably have to let it simmer uncovered for a few minutes to reduce the sauce.

Provided by Sackville

Categories Vegetable

Time 35m

Yield 2-3 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

6 -8 medium tomatoes, cored and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 -4 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup vegetable oil
400 g ground beef
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 -4 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Steps:

Mix all the ingredients for the sauce together in the tagine, cover and let simmer gently over a medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, use your hands to mix the ingredients for the meatballs together and then roll the meat into small balls, about 1 inch round.
After the tomatoes have simmered for about 15 minutes, stir the sauce and add a little water if you feel it is needed.
Place the meatballs in the sauce.
Do not stir but just let them sit on top of the sauce.
Lower the heat, cover and cook for another 8-10 minutes. Uncover and let simmer another couple minutes if you feel the sauce needs thickening.
Serve with lots of crusty bread for dipping in the sauce or over spaghetti with parmesan cheese on top.
If you want to make these ahead of time and freeze them, leave the parsley out and place the meatballs in a rigid container like a tupperware dish before freezing.
To reheat, thaw in the fridge (you can do this overnight) and reheat on the stovetop over medium-low until bubbly. Add chopped parsley before serving.

KEFTA TAJINE (MOROCCAN SPICED MEATBALLS W/ EGGS IN TOMATO SAUCE)

Kefta Tajine (Moroccan Spiced Meatballs W/ Eggs in Tomato Sauce) image

Classic Moroccan Tagine. A tagine is a subtly flavored stew, served over couscous or rice. This one makes a nice dinner served with salad and fresh bread.

Provided by littleturtle

Categories Stew

Time 35m

Yield 35 meatballs, 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 19

Ingredients

1 lb ground lamb or 1 lb ground beef
1/2 onion, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika
2 sprigs fresh coriander, finely chopped
2 sprigs flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 onion, grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup lamb stock or 1 cup beef stock
2 cups squash or 2 cups potatoes, peeled & cut into large chunks
1/2 cup peas
3 eggs, beaten

Steps:

Use your hands to mix the meatball ingredients, and roll mixture into mini meatballs 3/4"-1" in diameter; set aside.
In a skillet or tajine combine sauce ingredients and let mixture simmer, covered, over low heat for 5 minutes.
Add meatballs, squash, and peas to the sauce and simmer, covered, over medium-low heat for 15 minutes.
Pour the eggs in in a stream over everything.
Cover and cook just long enough to cook the egg (about 3 minutes, depending on how well done you like your eggs).
Serve warm over couscous, sprinkled with cumin or black pepper if desired.

MOROCCAN KEFTA KEBABS

Moroccan Kefta Kebabs image

Grilled with a nice charred flavor and exotic spice, these go great with a salad and a side of couscous. You can also cook these under the broiler as well as the grill.

Provided by PalatablePastime

Categories Meat

Time 1h16m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 9

Ingredients

2 lbs ground beef
1 onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon mint
1/4 teaspoon marjoram
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
24 bamboo skewers or 24 metal skewers

Steps:

Mix together all ingredients until blended.
Chill for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
If using bamboo skewers, soak them for 35 minutes to an hour.
Oil your hands, and divide meat into 24 portions.
Take one portion and shape into an elongated patty like a torpedo and run a skewer through it.
Set on waxed paper until time to cook.
Repeat with remaining meat portions.
Grill for 6 minutes until cooked through.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 502, Fat 34.1, SaturatedFat 13.3, Cholesterol 154.2, Sodium 590.2, Carbohydrate 3.1, Fiber 0.7, Sugar 1.2, Protein 42.7

MOROCCAN BEEF KEFTA ON SKEWERS WITH CHOPPED VEGETABLE SALAD

Moroccan Beef Kefta on Skewers with Chopped Vegetable Salad image

Provided by Food Network

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 19

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/2 cup grated onion
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander
3 teaspoons finely chopped fresh mint or 1 teaspoon dried mint
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh marjoram or 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 seedless cucumber, peeled and finely diced
1 large tomato, seeded and finely diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 hot Italian-style pepper, seeded and finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil

Steps:

In a large bowl combine the beef, onion, garlic, parsley, coriander, mint, marjoram, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika and cayenne. Cover and let sit for one hour. Soak 12 wooden skewers in water for one hour.
In a separate bowl combine cucumber, tomato, bell pepper, hot pepper, garlic, mint, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper tossing to combine. Cover and let marinate at room temperature until ready to serve.
Preheat grill or broiler.
Dip hands into a bowl of water. Shape and pack about a 1/3 cup of the meat mixture into 2 sausage-shapes on a soaked wooden skewer. Repeat procedure for remaining meat and skewers.
Grill the keftas on both sides until cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Serve hot with chopped salad.

MOROCCAN KEFTA

Moroccan Kefta image

Kefta is ground beef or lamb mixed with ingredients like fresh herbs, onions, ground cumin and sweet paprika, which are often used in Moroccan cuisine. Moroccans often grill it over charcoal, but it's very versatile: You can thread kefta onto skewers, as done here, or shape it as a patty to fill a sandwich or even use it as a stuffing for dumplings.

Provided by Nargisse Benkabbou

Categories meat

Time 15m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef or lamb (15- to 20-percent fat)
1 small yellow onion, grated with its juices reserved (about 120 grams)
1/2 packed cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1/2 packed cup cilantro, finely chopped
1/2 packed cup mint leaves, finely chopped
2 heaped teaspoons sweet paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 heaped teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Pinch of ground cayenne

Steps:

In a large bowl using your hands or a large spoon, combine the beef, onion and the juices, parsley, cilantro, mint, sweet paprika, cumin, salt, black pepper and cayenne.
Take about 1/2 teaspoon of the kefta mixture, cook it (in a pan or in the microwave) and taste it to check the seasoning. Add more salt to the kefta mixture if necessary.
Take about 2 1/2 tablespoons of the kefta mixture (slightly larger than a golf ball) and mold it onto a skewer to form a log. (If using a long skewer, form two logs on each.) Repeat until you've used all the kefta mixture. Place the skewers on a plate, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to cook.
Heat your grill or grill pan to medium-high and cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until cooked through, using a thin spatula to help turn if the kefta sticks. Serve immediately with bread and a side of vegetables or a salad.

MOROCCAN KEFTA KEBAB

Moroccan Kefta Kebab image

This recipe for kefta includes the traditional quantities of spices and herbs, but feel free to adjust them based on your preferences. Recipe adapted from The Spruce Eats blog. Enjoy!

Provided by Kathy D @LifeIsGoodkd

Categories Beef

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

1 pound(s) ground beef (or ground lamb, or a combination of both)
3 ounce(s) beef (or lamb) fat - optional
1 medium onion, chopped very fine or grated
2 teaspoon(s) paprika
1 teaspoon(s) cumin
1 teaspoon(s) salt
1/4 teaspoon(s) ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon(s) cayenne pepper
1/4 cup(s) fresh parsley, chopped
1/8 - 1/4 cup(s) fresh cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon(s) cinnamon, optional
1 tablespoon(s) chopped mint leaves, optional (great with the lamb option)

Steps:

Mix all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl, and let sit for 1 hour or longer to allow the flavors to blend. The kefta is then ready to shape and cook.
To make kebabs, take small amounts of kefta and shape them into cylinders or sausage shapes. Skewer the meat, squeezing it to mold it the skewer.
Cook over hot coals, approximately 5 minutes each side. (It may take less or more time, depending on how hot the coals are, and how thick you shaped the kefta.) Watch the kebabs carefully, so you don't dry out the meat.
Serve immediately, or wrap in aluminum foil to keep hot while you cook additional kebabs.