One of the first dishes that young Lebanese living abroad would try in their own kitchen is kafta bi-sinniyeh. It is not complicated, it is fast, and it has all the flavours of home.
Kafta basics: minced meat, onions, parsley and spices. Not much to it, yet you can prepare your kafta in many different ways. Kafta bi-siniyyeh is only one variation of baking it with potatoes and tomatoes. In my book, I make it my mother’s style, patties seared in the frying pan and then cooked with green peppers and tomatoes. You may also fry or chargrill kafta burgers and enjoy them with a garlicky yoghurt sauce. My friends expect those juicy kafta patties when we invite them for a barbecue, and won’t be satisfied with a rich platter of steaks and sausages anymore!
In my cooking courses kafta didn’t come short at all. We prepared kafta halabiyyeh with lots of onions and sumac as well as kafta with pomegranate molasses. Kafta has often proven to be an excellent option when you run out of ideas as a cook or as a teacher!
In the original recipe of kafta bi-siniyyeh, you evenly spread your kafta in a baking dish, cover with the potatoes and tomatoes. Recently I have started to make patties and arrange them with potatoes and tomatoes in the baking dish. It does not only look much more attractive but it also makes serving accurate and neater.
Sahtein!
Kafta bi-siniyyeh - Baked Kafta
Ingredients
- 500 g beef or lamb minced meat
- 4 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
- 1 small onion 100 g, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- 4 medium potatoes 400 g, peeled, rinsed and thinly sliced into circles (0,5 cm)
- 3 medium tomatoes 400 g, rinsed and thinly sliced into circles (0,5 cm)
- 300 ml tomato sauce
- ¼ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper to season
Instructions
- Rinse parsley leaves and let drain well. Finely chop the parsley with the onion in a food processor (or by hand). Add the mixture and the spices to the meat in the large bowl and mix well with your hand.
- Spread the kafta evenly in a greased baking dish (20x30 cm) and cover with the potatoes and tomatoes. Sprinkle with a little salt and cover tightly with aluminium foil. Or you make 12 patties and arrange in baking dish with the tomatoes and potatoes.
- Preheat oven (250°C, 480°F) and bake on middle rack for about 45 minutes. Season the tomato sauce with the salt and pepper and pour over the kafta. Bake, uncovered, for another 15 minutes and serve hot with ruz mfallfal.
Liliane says
I made this dish and it came out as delicious as it looks!
Dina says
Thank you for trying it!
Souheir M. says
This is fantastic! My the kefta finally turned out like my mom makes it. It looked and tasted great!
Dina says
Glad you liked! It makes me very happy to know I cook like your mom 🙂 Alf sahtein!
Sobeya Abugheneima says
Are you supposed to pour the tomato sauce before the 45 minutes or during the 15 minutes
Dina says
Hi, I guess my reply is late anyway, but I couldn’t log in from where I was on holiday. The sauce should be added during the 15 minutes. It is stated in the recipe. Hope you liked it 🙂
Andrea says
Made this and it was so so so delicious! I absolutely love kafta but usually only cook it on the bbq. This way is just as good and makes a great addition to my main dish recipes. I added a bit of tomato paste and a touch of water to the tomato sauce for flavor. Turned out fabulous. Can’t wait to eat the left overs tomorrow!
Dina says
Kafta is my favourite! I am glad you loved it. Of course you can add water and tomato paste if you like more sauce. That’s great! Thank you for trying the recipe 🙂
Elana A says
I just made this last night, haven’t had this in years my grandma used to make it. Thank you for the recipe !
Dina says
Hi Elana, thank you for trying the recipe!
Nusaybah says
Thank you for the recipe! I love kafta, and this is a wonderful new way to enjoy it!
Dina says
Glad you liked it! Bon appétit!
LEBANESE KOFTA IN TOMATO SAUCE RECIPE says
My husband loved it so much !!!!! I’m making it again for him.
Dina says
Great news! Thank you for trying the recipe 🙂
Serena says
Hi, sorry but is the tomato sauce a tomato paste or the sauce u would use for fries?
Dina says
Hi Serena, this is the thick tomato sauce you buy in jars, usually comes in 500 ml jars or packs. You can also use chopped plum tomatoes available in tins and add tomato paste to thicken. But definitely not Ketchup if that what you meant with fries.
Mel says
I thin you mean tomato passata, yeah? I am planning to make this tomorrow – looking forward to it; thank you!
Dina says
Hi,
Yes! Looking forward to your feedback!
Ayesha Mohsin says
You mean the pasta sauce that we use in jars ?
Dina says
Hi, yes. But without flavours of oregano for example.
Debbie Livengood says
I will make this tonight. My mother in law was from Lebanon and her recipe looks like yours. Can’t wait to try it. Thank you
Dina says
Hi Debbie,
Can’t wait to hear your feedback! Thank you 🙂
Noor says
I usually don’t right a review.. but this recipe was amazing that I couldn’t help it!! It was the best kefta I ever made thank you so much!!
Dina says
Thank you so much for this lovely feedback! Alf sahtein 🙂
7alim says
Made this last night. It was ridiculously delicious — and just like teita used to make it <3 🙂 Merci!
Dina says
Glad to hear that! Alf Sahtein! As for the Djaj I have one, but I am still lacking a good photo. You need to be a bit patient. If you have subscribed to the blog, you will get a mail once I do 🙂
Yasmin says
I am confused, the description is different from your photos… can you please clarify?
Dina says
Hi Yasmin, sorry for the confusion, but if you go to the post before the recipe you see photos of the patties and in the last paragraph I say that I am making kafta that way. It is the same recipe. You can make it both ways.
Sam says
Really enjoyed making this. My wife and I, during COVID, gained a ton of weight. We are on a hard core diet, so we’re cooking a whole lot of Leb food. The best 🙂 Thanks for this. When off teh diet, we’ll actually add the potatoes. But that’s later!
Dina says
Glad to hear that! Lebanese food is really healthy, and if you eat moderately, you can easily lose weight. Good luck!
Jennifer Saouli says
Good! Loved it!
Dina says
Great! Thank you for the feedback! Happy Holiday Season!
Cynthia Kohl says
Kafta turned out perfect, just like my mom’s! Wait … you are my mom 🙂 Love you <3
Dina says
Love you, too <3 <3 <3
Ami sasson says
Do I pour red sauce from the start of baking or 45 min later ?
Dina says
Hi, you pour after 45 minutes.
Ami sasson says
Are the salt and pepper considered part of the spice mixture to be put in with the meat or are they to be put into the red sauce only?
Dina says
Hi, they are for the sauce only.
Ami sasson says
Thank you. I will be making it today.
Dina says
Great! You can spread the meat or make patties. The photo with the patties is with 1 kg meat. Leftover kafta always tastes good. Good luck and keep me posted!
Alain H says
Excellent!
Dina says
Thank you!
Cristine says
I try to make this today as a dish for Iftar of my employer. I hope and pray that they will like it. I make the patties with tomatoes and potatoes.
Dina says
It is foolproof and they will love it! Double the recipe if you are more than 4 people. Good luck!
Maryann says
Hi,
Is the tomato sauce the same as tomato paste? Like the one that comes in the jar?
Dina says
Hi, no it isn’t. I mean the thick tomato sauce you buy if you don’t want to use plum tomatoes.
Mariam says
Hello! LOVED this recipe and I’ll be making it again soon. Can you prepare ahead and refrigerate overnight to cook the next day?
Dina says
Hi, glad you liked it! Thanks for the feedback. I would prepare the meat mixture and refrigerate. If you are tight on time, may be peel potatoes and reserve in water in the fridge as well. Don’t keep raw kafta more than 1 day in the fridge.
Ruth says
Just like home.
Dina says
My pleasure 🙂 Glad you enjoyed it!
Carrie says
My stepfather, who was born and raised in Beirut, makes this all of the time. I have asked him several times for the recipe, since it’s one of my favorite foods. He just says it’s easy but he never actually gives me the recipe. I’ve tried kafta at several different restaurants, but they are never like his…not even close. This recipe tastes just like his. The only difference between this recipe is that he makes the Kafta into a football shape. Thank you! The mystery is solved!
Dina says
Hi Carrie, that’s great! I am glad you finally found the right recipe; sometimes it is only a simple ingredient or just the right amount of every ingredient 🙂
Kristin says
Wow! This was so simple and absolutely delicious! I am on weight watchers so I used ground turkey and omitted the potatoes and served it with roasted cauliflower and chickpeas. So flavorful and looked so pretty (I made the patties with the tomato slices in between) . My family loved it and all agreed the recipe is a keeper!
Dina says
Hi Kristin, your adaptation sounds so delicious as well! Thank you for trying the recipe! Your feedback made my day!
Billy says
I also blended beef and lamb instead of all beef. I added some Greek seasoning as well, turned out great!
Dina says
Glad you liked the way I arrange the patties. I don’t add onions though but that is too a great addition! Sahtein as we say in Arabic for Bon Appetit!