Bulgarian Kufte Recipe

Kufte is a traditional Bulgarian dish made with various minced meats, onions and spices. The meats and spiced are mixed into a cohesive paste then rolled into smaller portions. They are pressed lightly and grilled. They are served as part of a larger dish, accompanied by rice, salad, bread or dip.

Meat options include pork, beef, chicken and veal. Bulgarian kufte is always made with a blend of meats which is unlike kufte in other countries for instance Turkey, where traditional kufte is made entirely with lamb. Spices are typically salt, black pepper and cumin. Some variations are made with soaked bread or eggs.

The appearance of Bulgarian kufte is also different from other regions where they may appear round or slightly elongated. Though they are referred to as meatballs, they are slightly flattened to look like a tiny burger patty.

Origin & Cultural Significance

The origin of kufte is unknown. They are immensly popular throughout the Balkan countries, so they are also known as kafte, kefta, kofta kufta köfte, Turkish kofte and kufteta which is the Bulgarian plural form.

There are an estimated over 300 variations of kufte.

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Bulgarian Kufte Recipe

Yield: 20 Servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Additional Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 48 minutes

Kufte is a traditional Bulgarian dish made with various minced meats, onions and spices.

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Ingredients

• Minced meat (60% pork, 40% beef) - 2 lbs
• Onion (chopped) - 1
• Salt - 1 tbsp
• Black pepper - 1 tbsp
• Cumin - 1 tsp
• Garlic (minced) - 1
• Paprika - 1 tsp
• Parsley (fresh) - ½ cup

Instructions

1. Chop the fresh parsley into small pieces and set aside.
2. In a large bowl mix all ingredients and half of the fresh parsley together.
3. Cover and place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
4. Place a frying pan with oil over medium heat.
5. Take the chilled meat and start forming balls then flatten into 20 patty-like pieces.
6. Fry until lightly brown, for a few minutes then turn to the other side.
7. Transfer to a paper towel to absorb any extra oil and arrange them into a plate.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 20 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 128Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 391mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 12g

Nutrition is provided and calculated by Nutritionix. It is for general information purposes and is only a rough estimation.