Albanian meatballs (qofte) recipe

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground turkey is leaner, while ground pork is often less expensive.

feta cheese

🥗Healthier: cottage cheese

💰Cheaper: ricotta cheese

Cottage cheese reduces calories while ricotta is often cheaper.

Place stale bread in a bowl with water and leave for a few minutes until it softens.

Chop the red onion very finely and grind the garlic cloves.

Squeeze the bread to remove all excess water.

In a bowl with the ground beef, add egg, about 1 tablespoon of olive oil, onion, garlic, and the prepared bread.

Season to taste with salt and black pepper and mix well.

Refrigerate the mixture for about an hour.

Chop fresh herbs such as mint and parsley for the sauce.

In a bowl, add 250 g of natural yogurt, a drizzle of olive oil, and season with salt and black pepper.

Add the chopped herbs and ground garlic to the yogurt and mix well.

Prepare a salad by cutting a medium cucumber in half and then into slices, cutting 1/2 green bell pepper into thin strips, cutting 1/2 red onion, and halving 7-8 small tomatoes.

Arrange the cut vegetables on a plate to create a salad.

Remove the meat mixture from the refrigerator and form meatballs, pressing lightly on top.

In a frying pan with oil, fry the meatballs until golden, turning them over to cook evenly.

Place the cooked meatballs on paper towels to drain excess oil.

Serve immediately with mint leaves, the prepared salad, slices of bread, and yogurt sauce with lemon juice over the meatballs.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens