I absolutely hated Kefta with Tahini as a kid. I vividly remember coming home from school starving asking my mom what’s for dinner. Anytime she said kefta, I cringed. It’s crazy, because some of the foods I love most now are the ones I hated the most as a child. This one falls right after eggplants and dates.
As great as I am in the kitchen, for some reason I can never get this right. Either my sauce is too thin. Or it’s too thick. Or it breaks. I almost always mess it up. My mom makes great Kefta, and she taught my sister well. She has literally mastered it. So you better believe I took advantage and had her make it for me. I got the exact quantities for you guys so you can replicate it too. You will love it, and it’ll definitely become a dish you’ll cook over and over again.
Kefta with Tahini
A perfectly seasoned kefta with a creamy and tangy tahini sauce. Baked with fried potatoes and spicy jalapeno. This is truly the perfect fall dish.
- Prep Time: 25 Minutes
- Cook Time: 35 Minutes
- Total Time: 1 Hour
- Yield: 4-6 Servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
Ingredients
MEAT
1.5 lbs 90/10 Ground Beef
1 Onion, minced
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1/2 Bunch Parsley, finely chopped
1/2 Jalapeno deveined, finely diced
1/2 tsp Ground Cardamom
1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
1 tsp Salt
1 1/2 tbsp Kefta Seasoning
2 tbsp Ketchup
SAUCE
1 Cup Tahini
1/3 Cup Lemon Juice
2 1/2 Cups Water
2 tsp Chicken Boullion Powder
2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Pepper
1 tsp Kefta Seasoning
2 tbsp White Vinegar
2 tbsp Yogurt
2 tbsp Meat Drippings
1 Potato, Sliced into 1/2 inch discs
Instructions
Mix the beef, onion, garlic, jalapeno, parsley, ketchup and seasonings together. Don’t overmix or the meat will be tough. Spread evenly into a 9×13 inch metal pan or 10 inch round. Make little dents with your fingers so the sauce sits in them.
Fry the Potatoes and set aside.
Parbake the kefta at 450 F for 10 minutes. Reserve some of the drippings for the tahini sauce and pour off the rest. It could make your sauce separate if you keep it.
Blend or whisk the tahini, lemon juice, water, vinegar, and seasonings. Add the yogurt and kefta drippings.
Whisk the tahini over medium heat until boiling. Allow it to boil on low for 2 minutes.
Arrange the fried potatoes over the parbaked Kefta. Pour the boiled tahini sauce on top.
Bake at 450 F for about 20 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and slightly reduced.
Remove the Kefta and allow it to sit for a few minutes before serving. The sauce will thicken slightly. Serve with rice or bread. Enjoy!
Keywords: kefta, tahini, middle eastern, weeknight meals, easy dinner
Sheimma
What is in the kefta seasoning
Nur Ashour
I Love that!
Sarah Nemo
Middle Eastern comfort food at its finest. This recipe is so cozy and delicious! It was a hit with adults and toddlers alike, haha. Definitely adding it to our recipe rotation.
★★★★★
Nur Ashour
Flattered this made it into your rotation. It’s so special to me because my sister taught me how to make it.
Khadija
This is THE best kefta recipe, hands down. I’ve avoided making kefta for a long time because mine never came out that great. I made this two days in a row because I didn’t have enough for leftovers the first night (we ate it all up) lol
★★★★★
Nur Ashour
Thank you so much! I am so glad it was so easy and delicious!
Tasneem
This recipe is amazing! So easy to follow and the tahini sauce turned out creamy and flavorful. I always found this dish to be intimidating because of the sauce and would wait for my mom to make it, after finding this recipe I’m going to make it every week!
★★★★★
Maha
I’ve always struggled to get my tahinia sauce to not split. I’ve tried a handful of sauce recipes but this one was definitely one of my favorites. Very easy to follow and doesn’t split! The end result is creamy and smooth.
★★★★★
Nur Ashour
Thank you so much! Yes, cooking it first keeps it from splitting. I’m glad you love it as much as we do!