Beef kofta curry is a spicy Indian curry (some also say Pakistani), that consists of minced beef meatballs and a ton of spices. If you like your curries with maximum amount of flavour and a bit of a kick, then this easy beef kofta recipe is definitely for you. Think of this curry as Indian comfort food!
Typically, one uses beef meatballs but it's not uncommon to use lamb mince or mutton mince as well. If you enjoy a hearty and meaty Indian style curry, then I encourage you to give this beef kofta curry a go. It's very simple and it will give you a chance to play around with Indian spicing. If you feel like making a similar curry, you can also try this lamb bhuna. Pair with traditional Indian sides like naans, rotis or white rice. Adjust the level of spice to your liking!
how to make beef kofta curry
If you are looking to improve your Indian cooking skills, then learning how to make this beef kofta curry will certainly do the trick. Beef kofta curry is a very common dish in the Middle East as well as in Southern and Central Asian cuisine. ‘Kofta’ originates from the Persian word ‘koftah’ which means pounded meat. Simply put, they are balls of ground meat, which usually consist of beef, pork, lamb or chicken. So, depending on the region, you can create your own version of beef kofta. In essence, whatever it's name, you won't find a country that doesn't include some sort of meatball recipe.
In the Middle East, a beef kofta curry comprises lamb or mutton. For some, these flavours can be too bold. In the Balkan region, pork and beef are used. By the way, don't confuse koftas with kebabs or souvlakis from the region. Kofta are solely minced meat meatballs with lots of spice. You can pair them with almost any type of curry sauce, so if you've made a large batch feel free to freeze them and reuse. Also, feel free to put your own spin on this recipe and experiment with your favourite spices.
Here are a couple of substitutes you might want to read about before you proceed with this cook:
- turmeric substitutes
- marjoram substitutes
- asafoetida substitutes
- kaffir lime leaves substitutes
- coriander substitutes
- cardamom substitutes
I hope these substitute will help you get through cooking this amazing beef kofta curry!
Jamie Oliver's beef kofta curry
As always, I love to take inspiration from great chefs. That's why I looked up Jamie Oliver's beef kofta recipe. Jamie calls for using premium beef mince or beef mince of very high quality. I couldn't agree more!
Naturally, you can also use inexpensive beef mince, but expect it to be more fatty. The premium beef mince usually has a higher meat content and thus is much juicier as well as heartier.
You can find Jamie Oliver's version of the beef kofta curry here.
chicken kofta curry
Yes, you can also consider poultry as a substitute for this beef kofta curry recipe. Of course, it won't have that natural rich flavour from the beef mince, but chicken will do just fine!
Cut them into even and sizeable pieces to resonante the shape and size of the kofta balls. Remember, the more even they are, the easier they will be to cook. This way, you won't have to check each piece of chicken, as they will all cook the same.
vegetable kofta curry
What I love about Indian dishes is that you can make most of them suitable to your dietary needs. For example, if you are a vegetarian, you can just substitute the meat element with vegetables. Just to give you an example, take korma curry! Usually, you'll find prawn korma or chicken korma on the menu. However, it's totally possible to substitute with vegetables and enjoy a crunchy vegetable korma.
Vegetables that work best with these are:
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- potatoes
- cauliflower
- broccoli
- beetroot
- carrots
- cabbage (again, traditional substitute in the Bengal region)
However you can use more vegetables like swedes, turnips, etc. The sky is the limit.
On top of that, for a lighter alternative to a meaty beef kofta curry, try making this vegetarian-friendly beetroot curry. You can also try this Indian beetroot poriyal which is quite similar. These two beetroot-based dishes are an excellent alternative for those on a vegetarian or vegan diet. In addition, these meals are packed with nutrients and will keep you slim all year if you eat these types of Indian dishes for dinner. Trust me on that!
paneer kofta recipe
You might think that this is impossible but it's not. In fact, I love to use paneer (Indian cheese) in curries. It falls apart very nicely once you bite into it. So, feel free to experiment and substitute with a pack of paneer. If you've got leftovers, make malai paneer or better yet, paneer korma.
If you can't get your hands on paneer, then I highly recommend substituting the koftas with tofu. In essence, tofu is a good substitute for paneer. However, don't substitute with smoked tofu. Plain soft tofu is the best in this case.
beef kofta recipe Indian
For an Indian version of a beef kofta curry recipe, you should interchange the koftas with:
- potatoes
- paneer (Indian cheese)
- shrimp - traditional in Bengal (southern parts of India)
- fish - also traditional in Bengal
- green bananas - also a traditional substitute believe it or not
- minced goat meat
- cabbage
traditional Indian sides for beef kotfa
There are so many, so depending on your desired intake, feel free to select whichever side dish you prefer. Below, a list of filling and low-calorie sides:
filling side dishes
- keema rice
- white rice
- pilau rice
- peshwari naan
- aloo ki kachori
- aloo ki sabi
- rotis
- naan
low-calorie side dishes
So, which side will you chose to complement your beef kofta curry? Will it be the lighter one or a more filling one? If you have a different side dish in mind, please do share in the comments below! I hope you enjoy making this traditional Indian / Pakistani dish!
Print📖 Recipe
Beef Kofta Curry
- Total Time: 1 hours 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Transform this simple minced beef recipe into an Indian kofta curry! It's easy to prepare and makes for a fragrant, comforting dinner. Try it!
Ingredients
- 30ml (2 tbsp) sunflower oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 15ml (1 tbsp) ground coriander
- 15ml (1 tbsp) ground cumin
- 10ml (2 tsp) ground turmeric
- 10ml (2 tsp) garam masala
- 2.5ml (½ tsp) cayenne pepper
- 2.5cm (1in) fresh ginger, peeled and finely minced
- 2 red chillies, washed, deseeded and finely chopped
- 700g (1 ½lb) beef mince
- 45ml (3 tbsp) fresh coriander, washed and chopped 400g (1 can) coconut milk 30ml (2 tbsp) tomato puree
- 250ml (1 cup) beef stock
- 6 cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 8 green cardamom pods, crushed
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry the onion and garlic until softened and lightly browned. Add the ground coriander, cumin, turmeric, masala, pepper, ginger and chillies and cook for 5 minutes.
- Scrape half the mixture into a bowl and add the minced beef and fresh coriander. Mix well.
- When cool enough to handle, shape the koftas into walnut-sized balls. Set aside.
- Add the tomato puree, stock and coconut milk to the remaining mixture in the pan.
- Bruise the cloves, cinnamon and cardamom pods and add to the curry.
- Bring to the boil then add the meatballs.
- Simmer gently for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is well reduced and thickened. Divide between 4 plates and garnish with fresh coriander sprigs. Serve with steamed basmati rice and chopped fresh coriander.
Notes
- As tempting as it may be, refrain from adding salt to the curry. The stock and spices make it plenty flavourful.
- If you like your curry on the mild side, adjust the quantity of chilli used.
- No egg is needed to bind the meat.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Curry
- Method: Braise
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Main course portion
- Calories: 821
- Sugar: 5.2 g
- Sodium: 301.2 mg
- Fat: 33.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 20.9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 82.2 g
- Fiber: 7.5 g
- Protein: 56 g
- Cholesterol: 105 mg
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Linda
Thank you so much for this recipe. We loved it. The flavours are wonderful. I did change the recipe slightly and used fat free Greek yoghurt instead of coconut milk and it worked really well.
atefe
Here’s what composes the regular Kofta Curry recipe: The meatballs are shaped with gram flour, typically dry-toasted in a very pan before victimization for additional oomph The meatballs are spiced with a variety of spices, however, most notably white flower seeds (khashkhaas in Urdu). The flower seeds are what provide the kofta their distinctive flavor
The masala base of the curry is formed from onions and yogurt – no tomatoes are used
Here’s one thing which can be new to you! Ancient Kofta recipes don’t use recent coriander as garnishing as most Pakistani curries!
Sonya Hill
Beautiful flavours. Some found it too spicy so may reduce to 1 chilli for some but I loved it! I mistakenly had the lid on when cooking so had to continue longer without the lid to allow it to reduce. Thanks a lot
Vishal Roy
Hello, I want to try making these koftas in the IP. Any recommendations on cooking time And whether I should do high pressure or low pressure? Thank you!
Michelle
Hello!
The cooking time is 1 hour. I recommend using medium pressure. I hope this helps!
Best,
Michelle
Anna Kerfoot
Love this recipe so easy and so tasty
Pamela
Loving all of your beef recipes, keep them coming!
Tara
Hi! I added 400g coconut milk as per the recipe, but the colour came out orange, and it looks very different from the picture. Did I add too much?
michelle
Hi Tara, may I ask what type of coconut milk you've used? Could be that your can had higher levels of coconut cream hence making your curry lighter. Michelle
Rachel
Just cooked. Devine! Boyfriend loves it. Thank you ❤️👌🏻
michelle
really glad 🙂
Kimberly
I made these and they are absolutely divine! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe.
michelle
thanks Kimberly 🙂
Anthony Osude
So glad I found this site -
michelle
I am so glad you love it 🙂 A big welcome and be sure to keep an eye out for amazing recipes to come 🙂
Leila Benhamida
I love the Curry Guy recipe book.
michelle
good choice