Kofta and potato stew: A comforting one-pan meal for cool evenings
Amina Al-Saigh’s recipe is hearty, warming and comes together in under an hour
This comforting stew features tender beef kofta, seasoned with warming spices and simmered with thin slices of potato in a rich tomato sauce. Served over a steaming bowl of rice, it’s a cosy weeknight meal to whip up when the nights get colder.
Ingredients
Kofta:
- ½ yellow onion, peeled and quartered
- 2 large cloves garlic
- ½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, tightly packed
- 454 g lean ground beef
- 1 tsp Lebanese seven spice (or allspice)
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ cup dry bread crumbs
Stew:
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ yellow onion, finely diced
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp Lebanese seven spice (or allspice)
- 2 medium yellow potatoes, halved and cut into ¼-inch slices
- 2 cups passata
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, to garnish (optional)
Preparation
To make the kofta, place the onion, garlic and parsley in a small food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
In a bowl, combine beef, chopped aromatics and parsley, seven spice, paprika, salt, pepper and bread crumbs. Knead the mixture with your hands until well-combined. Form into 10 to 12 small logs, about 1½ inches long.
Heat oil in a large frying pan (with sides that are at least 2 inches high) over medium heat. Arrange the kofta in the pan and sear them until lightly golden, about 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Remove the kofta from the pan and set aside.
To the same pan, add onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add salt and seven spice and stir to combine.
Place the kofta back in the skillet, creating a circle around the perimeter. Carefully wedge the potato slices between the kofta, then place the rest in the middle of the skillet.
Pour in passata and water, and cover and cook on medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Uncover and check the potatoes for doneness. If they are still firm, reduce heat to medium-low and continue to simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes. (You can add more water as needed to adjust the thickness of the sauce.)
Serve the stew over rice and garnish with parsley, if desired.
Serves 4 to 6
Produced in collaboration with CBC Creator Network.
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