Sage Lamb Kofta with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce
Sage Lamb Kofta with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce is made with ground lamb, onions and spices. The meatballs are served with a cucumber, dill & mint yogurt sauce.
When I think about a cozy dish for entertaining for the holidays, I think of this Sage Lamb Kofta with cucumber, mint, and dill yogurt sauce recipe. Enjoy as an appetizer, or as a main dish!
Easy lamb dishes
Or, you may have tried my Lamb Meatballs served over a warm bed of Coconut Shallot Creamed Kale or Mint Lamb Burgers (if you love lamb).
Sage Lamb Kofta with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce
The Kofta is said to be the “meatball” from which all other meatballs originated. Its flavor and texture vary greatly from region to region—there are many many varieties.
For this recipe, we combined:
- pine nuts
- sweet dates
- potent garlic
- sharp sage
- tender, ground lamb
The warm flavors of the meatballs complimentarily juxtapose the crisp cucumber, mint, and dill of the yogurt sauce.
What is kofta made of?
Kofta is a dish made from ground lamb or beef, mixed with aromatics like onions and spices. The mixture is shaped into balls, patties, or what have you, and then grilled and served with pita, salads, dips, and sauces.
Delegate for the holidays
Remember, you don’t have to do it all by yourself. Ask your guests to contribute to the meal, like bringing dessert and wine!
Decide what you have to make, and enjoy the process! I’ve learned a lot from my daughter Abby, who is a fabulous cook. She truly loves cooking and sharing her dishes with friends!
How to serve lamb Kofta
Place the lamb on top of the yogurt, and drizzle with garnishing oil, large sprigs of fresh dill, and a sprinkle of pomegranate seeds.
Enjoy as an appetizer, or as a main dish!
Conversation starter
Think about a small dinner party, with 4-6 guests, and this amazing Sage Lamb Kofta, with cucumber, mint, and dill yogurt sauce in the center of the table!
Since the holidays are one of the best times to have guests over, here’s a fun conversation starter, if you need one.
If you could invite one guest to your next dinner party, living or dead, who would it be?
This is always a good one! :)
If you could invite one guest to your next dinner party, living or dead, who would it be?
This is always a good one! :)
Enjoy this dish, Friends!
Get the Recipe:
Sage Lamb Kofta with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 1/2 lb ground lamb
- 2 Tbsp dried sage
- 1 medium yellow onion, grated
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1/3 dry toasted pine nuts, coarsely chopped
- 1 tsp ground pepper
- 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 3 dates, finely chopped
Dill Yogurt Sauce
- 1 1/2 c plain yogurt
- 12-15 mint leaves, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 Tbsp finely chopped dill
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, finely grated, or 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 1 1/2 Persian cucumber, shredded
- Salt to taste
- To garnish
- Pomegranate arils
- Garnishing olive oil, optional
Instructions
Yogurt Sauce:
- Using a cheese grater, shred the Persian cucumber and spread it out in a fine mesh strainer (over a bowl) with a pinch or two of salt sprinkled over. Set aside and allow excess water to drain for 10 minutes, then push down on cucumber into the strainer to remove remaining water. You can also ring it out by hand by compiling the shreds into a ball and squeezing tightly.
- As the cucumber drains, in a medium bowl, combine yogurt, mint, oil, garlic, dill, lemon zest, and cucumber. Mix until combined; salt to taste.
Lamb Kofta:
- In a medium bowl, combine lamb, onion, garlic, sage, pine nuts, dates, pepper, and salt. Using your hands, mix gently until just combined. To test the flavor, cook a small portion in a pan and adjust seasoning accordingly.
- Wet your hands to prevent sticking, then portion out meat into 2 Tbsp servings and shape them, folding your fingers around the meat to the bottom of your palm to press the meat into football shaped meatballs—not round. Place on a parchment lined sheet.
- Heat a large skillet on medium-high. When pan is hot, add olive oil to coat the bottom and add in meatballs. Allow each side to brown before rotating. In total, this should take 7-8 minutes per meatball, 2-3 minutes per side. The lamb should achieve a delicious, browned crust on the outside!
- Remove meatballs from the pan and allow to cool slightly.
- To serve, place lamb meatballs on top of yogurt sauce and drizzle with garnishing oil, large sprigs of fresh dill, and a sprinkle of pomegranate seeds. Enjoy as an appetizer, or as a main dish!
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
Made it with pork becomes lamb here in farm country Utah is too expensive. I can send a photo if you send email.
That is awesome!!!! Can’t wait to see.
This looks incredible! I love how you paired pomegranate arils with the cucumber yogurt sauce! What a great idea. This looks delicious, I can’t wait to try it. Thank you for sharing!
This looks fantastic! It just solved my dilemma about the Christmas menu.
Do you think cooking it in the oven would work, too?