Kefta (Moroccan Meatballs)

Meatballs have their place in cuisines around the world: Italian meatballs, almondigas from the Philippines and Latin America, Frikadelle from Germany, hanbagu from Japan, thit vien from Vietnam, köttbullar from Sweden, and many others. In Morocco, they are known as kefta.

Kefta stand out from other meatballs by the spices used. They are generally made from ground beef or lamb seasoned with paprika, cumin, coriander, and cinnamon. I served mine over couscous, but they can also be eaten in kebab form (brochette). These meatballs came together well. I diced the onion, but next time I will grate it to help with the texture. I loved the hint of cinnamon (though I also believe cinnamon makes everything better- even in savory foods). Don’t be discouraged by the semi-long ingredient list. Most of the ingredients are readily available spices and the recipe was still fairly easy to put together.

The meatballs can also be baked. Lightly grease a wire rack and place over a rimmed baking sheet. Bake the meatballs at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes, until browned and cooked through.

Evan really enjoyed these. He just had a hard time handling them. When he would drop one in his lap, it would immediately roll onto the floor. I ended up sticking a large towel in his lap to keep them from becoming instant dog food.

Kefta (Moroccan Meatballs) Recipe

Adapted from Sweet Sensation

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Kefta (Moroccan Meatballs)

A recipe for Kefta (Moroccan Meatballs)

Course Main

Cuisine Moroccan

Keyword Africa, African, beef, kefta, lamb, meat, meatball, Moroccan, Morocco

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

0 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Servings 20 Meatballs

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef or lamb
• 1 small onion minced or grated
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1/2 inch ginger grated
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Tomato Sauce:

• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
• pinch chili flakes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 red onion diced
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1/2 inch ginger grated
• 1 3/4 pounds roma tomatoes diced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar
• salt and pepper to taste

Garnish:

• Mint
• Cilantro
• Parsley
• Sliced almonds

Instructions

• In a medium bowl, mix together ground meet, onion, garlic, ginger, paprika, cumin, coriander, salt, and cinnamon. If desired, cover and refrigerate about 30 minutes to let flavors blend. Form the meat into small meatballs, about 1 1/2 inches across.
• Crush the cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds with a mortar and pestle. Mix in chili flakes.
• Heat a large pan over medium high heat and drizzle with olive oil. Fry the meatballs in batches until browned on all sides. Remove from pan with slotted spoon onto a paper towel lined plate.
• Decrease heat to medium and fry crushed spices for about 2 minutes, until fragrant. Mix in the onion, garlic, and ginger. Cook until onions soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, water, and sugar. Add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for about 15 minutes, until tomatoes start to break down. Gently add meatballs and continue to simmer until the meatballs are heated through and the sauce thickens, about 20 minutes.
• Garnish as desired and serve immediately with couscous.