Mediterranean Bowls with Lamb Kafta and Salad (Video)
These Mediterranean bowls with lamb kafta and salad are perfect for any meal. There is so much flavor and beneficial nutrients in this recipe. Every serving has a healthy dose of protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Most importantly, the flavors in this dish are outstanding. The ground lamb for the kafta is mixed with aromatic herbs and blended vegetables. This makes every bite so juicy and flavorful.
I got inspired to make this recipe from eating in a restaurant. The day after Christmas I went to a Mediterranean restaurant with few of my friends and I ordered a platter with different types of lamb. There were kaftas, lamb chops and lamb kebabs on the platter. I liked it a lot and I thought I should make a lamb kaftas for my blog. That is how I came up with this recipe.
Why should you make this recipe?
The recipe for the Mediterranean bowls with lamb kafta and salad is so nutritious. When I was creating the recipe, I wanted it to be a complete meal. That means that it should contains a protein, a grain, a lot of vegetables and healthy fats. You get a healthy serving or protein from the meat and the hummus. All the vegetables you consume with one serving provide you with fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins. With this meal you consume seven different vegetables. You also get calcium and other valuable minerals from the feta.
If you use flatbread without gluten this meal could be gluten-free. There is no bread crumbs or grains in the kafta mixture.
Helpful tips
For this recipe I used grass fed lamb which is so had to find. I recently discovered Cooks Venture. They have the best tasting grass fed lamb I’ve ever tried. You can order other organic and pasture raised meats from them if you want to. If you use this code it is going to give you $50 off your first order. Using it will also give me $10 off my future purchases.
The Kaftas should be about 1 inch thick and with oblong form. If the meat mixture sticks to your hands wet your hands in a bowl of water and try again.
Cook the lamb kaftas on high for 3-4 minutes per side or use a thermometer to know when they are ready. Their internal temperature should be 145F. Be careful not to overcook them because they will become too dry.
From two pounds of ground lamb I got 15 kaftas. It depends on how big you make them. If you serve three in a portion you will have 5 portions.
I like to use cow feta in brine. This is my favorite type of feta, because it is creamy and milder in taste. Unfortunately, it is not easy to find. I buy it from an international store, or I order it online. You can use whatever feta you have and like. I don’t recommend using feta that is already crumbled, because it has additives and anti-caking agents
For this recipe I make my own hummus, but you can use store-bought if you like.
I used olives with pits because they have more flavor but you can use whatever olives you like. I don’t recommend serving olives with pits to small kids and elderly.
Mediterranean Bowls with Lamb Kafta and Salad
Equipment
- Food processor or small chopper
- Grill or grill pan
Ingredients
For the lamb kafta
- 2 lbs ground lamb meat
- 1 small red pepper or half of a large (cut to 2 inch pieces)
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 small red onion cut to large pieces
- ½ cup fresh parsley leaves
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
For the salad
- 1 lettuce of choice I used iceberg
- 2 mini seedless cucumbers sliced
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes sliced in half
- ½ small red onion thinly sliced
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- crumbled feta and olives to taste for topping
- salt to taste
Ingredients for the bowl
- flatbread that you like
- hummus I made my own. Find the recipe in the blog.
Instructions
To make the lamb kafta
- In a small chopper or a food processor add the bell pepper, onion, garlic, parsley and mint. Blend it very well until it looks like a paste.
- In a deep bowl add two pounds of ground lamb, the herb and vegetable mixture, salt, cumin and paprika. Mix it very well, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.
- Preheat your grill or grill pan to high and form the kaftas. Their shape should be oblong with they should be about an inch thick. I ended up with 15 kaftas.
- Then grill the kaftas for about 3-4 minutes per side or until their internal temperature shows 145F.
To make the salad
- Wash and cut your lettuce of choice. Then Slice the cucumbers and onions thinly. If your cherry tomatoes are big like mine slice them in half. Then add all the vegetables in a deep bowl season with olive oil and apple cider vinegar crumble some feta on top. Stir well. Add olives and salt to taste.
To assemble the bowls
- Add three keftas per serving plus some salad, flatbread and hummus to taste.
