This Kofta and Potatoes recipe combines seasoned beef kofta with sliced potatoes, onions, and green bell pepper in a warmly spiced tomato sauce. The kofta is browned first, then everything is arranged in a baking dish and cooked until the potatoes are tender and the sauce has soaked into the meat and vegetables.

Watch how to make Kofta and Potatoes

Ingredients

For the vegetables

• 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) potatoes, peeled
• 2 medium onions
• 1 green bell pepper

For the kofta

• 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) ground beef
• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 small bunch parsley, approximately 1 loosely packed cup (30 g / 1 oz)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• ½ tbsp (1½ tsp) Middle Eastern baharat
• Neutral cooking oil, for frying

For the tomato sauce

• 1 tbsp (14 g / ½ oz) butter
• 2 cups (480 ml / 16 fl oz) passata
• 2 cups (480 ml / 16 fl oz) water or beef broth
• 1 beef bouillon cube, only if using water
• Salt, to taste
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper, optional

Passata alternative

• 2 cups (480 ml / 16 fl oz) blended and strained fresh tomatoes
• 2 tbsp (30 g / 1 oz) tomato paste

Instructions

Prepare the kofta mixture

Place the onion, parsley, and garlic in a food processor.

Process until very finely chopped, but not completely puréed.

Transfer the mixture to a clean kitchen towel or fine-mesh strainer and squeeze out some of the excess liquid. Removing this moisture will help the kofta hold its shape.

Add the onion mixture to the ground beef, followed by the salt, black pepper, and baharat.

Mix briefly to distribute the seasonings.

Shape and chill the kofta

Using your hands, knead and squeeze the mixture as though you were kneading dough.

Continue for about 5 minutes, or until the kofta mixture becomes cohesive and holds together easily.

Shape the mixture into 10–12 discs.

Each disc should be about 1 cm (⅜ inch) thick and slightly larger than the diameter of your potato slices, since the kofta will shrink during cooking.

Arrange the kofta discs on a parchment-lined tray and refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Prepare the tomato sauce

Combine the passata with 2 cups water or beef broth.

If using water, crumble in the beef bouillon cube.

Add the black pepper, cumin, ground coriander, and optional cayenne pepper.

Mix thoroughly, then taste and add salt only as needed.

If using fresh tomatoes instead of passata, combine the blended and strained tomatoes with the tomato paste before adding the water or broth and seasonings.

Prepare the vegetables and brown the kofta

Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F.

Slice the potatoes into rounds about 1 cm (⅜ inch) thick.

Cut the green bell pepper into similarly sized pieces and thinly slice the 2 onions.

Remove the kofta from the refrigerator.

Heat a layer of neutral cooking oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.

Add the kofta discs without overcrowding the pan, working in batches if necessary.

Leave them undisturbed until the undersides are nicely browned, then turn them over and brown the other sides.

The kofta does not need to cook completely at this stage because it will finish cooking in the oven.

Transfer the browned patties to a plate lined with kitchen paper to absorb the excess oil.

Assemble the baking dish

Arrange the kofta and vegetables upright in a baking dish.

Pack them snugly into rows, alternating the kofta patties with groups of potato slices, onion, and green bell pepper.

Pour the prepared tomato sauce evenly around and over the kofta and vegetables.

Bake and serve

Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 50–60 minutes.

Remove the foil and continue baking uncovered for another 10 minutes, allowing the exposed kofta and vegetables to brown and develop some color.

The total baking time should be about 60–70 minutes.

Before removing the dish from the oven, check that the potatoes are completely tender when pierced with a knife.

Serve hot with white rice.

Recipe Notes

Squeeze out the onion mixture well

Removing some of the excess moisture from the processed onion, parsley, and garlic helps the kofta mixture bind properly and reduces the chance of the patties breaking during frying.

Knead the kofta until cohesive

Do not just stir the meat mixture briefly. Kneading it by hand for several minutes helps develop a sticky, cohesive texture so the kofta holds together better during cooking.

Shape the kofta slightly larger than the potatoes

The kofta patties shrink as they cook, so shaping them slightly wider than the potato slices helps the finished rows look more even after baking.

Brown the kofta without cooking it through

The kofta only needs good color on both sides in the frying pan. It will finish cooking in the oven, so avoid overcooking it during the browning stage.

Check the potatoes before serving

The exact baking time can vary depending on how thickly the potatoes are sliced and how tightly the dish is packed. Before serving, pierce a potato slice with a knife to make sure it is completely tender.

Adjust the sauce depending on your liquid

If using beef broth, taste before adding extra salt. If using water and a bouillon cube, the bouillon will already contribute saltiness, so season carefully.

Learn more about Kofta and Potatoes

Want to learn more about the dish, its flavors, variations, and place in Egyptian food culture? Read our guide to Kofta and Potatoes.