Make Your Own Turkey Kofta with Tzatziki and Pitas
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Do you have a meal that you just crave? For me, that’s turkey kofta nestled into a warm pita with fresh tzatziki. It’s a perfect combination of herbs and spices in a tasty little nugget. Even better, the pita is homemade and simple using only two ingredients! While we’re at it, let’s make fresh tzatziki! It’s so easy, why would you even buy it?
How Are You Supposed to Spell “Kofta?”
First things first, let’s talk about the name. For this post, I will be spelling it out as “kofta.” However, there are a half dozen different ways to spell it, each correct depending on the origin of the recipe. In Lebanon, they spell it kafta. Albanians spell it qofte. There are also keftedes in Greece and a whole slew of variations in the Balkans (source). However, “kofta” appears to be the spelling of choice in a variety of cultures.
What Makes Turkey Kofta Special
My recipe uses garlic, mint, parsley, cinnamon, nutmeg, cumin, salt, and pepper for flavor. This makes it similar to recipes you might find in Greek or some Middle Eastern cooking. Now, let’s talk about those flavors. If you’ve never had cinnamon in your meat, you’re really missing out. This adds a sweet warmth that just works. All I can say is that you have to try it!
The shaping, honestly, is something I learned from a Sun Basket recipe for Greek souvlakaki. I find that the elongated shape helps it cook evenly without burning on the outside. This makes for a tender interior without a tough exterior.
The process is really easy, too. All you have to do is mix everything together, portion it out, and roll each portion into a fat cigar shape. I place these on a baking sheet and bake them for 20 minutes. You can also cook them on the stove in a cast iron if you want more crust, or you could skewer them and grill them.
Making 2-Ingredient Pitas
Sometimes, it’s easier to go to the store and buy pitas. But sometimes, it’s a whole lot easier to dump some Greek yogurt into self-rising flour. All you have to do is mix it up, knead it for about 5 minutes, portion it into 4 balls, roll them out, and cook them on a skillet. There’s no technical craziness to it at all.
You don’t really even need much of a recipe. It’s equal parts yogurt to flour, and 1 cup of each will give you enough dough for 4 pitas. Need more? Double or triple it. Then, once you’ve portioned out your dough balls, you just have to roll them. I go about a quarter of an inch thick. You kind of want them thin, but not paper-thin.
Then, I spray down a cast iron with olive oil and cook until I see some pretty good bubbles staying up. The edges of the dough will look whiter, at which point, I’ll flip with a pair of tongs to check the color. You want the bottom to pick up some golden brown spots. On the first side, you’ll likely have more leopard patterning. On the second side, your bubbles will be the primary area for browning.
I cooked mine one at a time because of the size of my skillet. You could use a griddle and cook more if you want. Once each one is done, I transfer to a tea towel on a plate and cover them up so they stay warm and tender.
How to Make Tzatziki
I’m not entirely sure why you would buy tzatziki when it’s so each to make and it’s infinitely tastier. I start with a cup of Greek yogurt. To this, I will add a tablespoon each of fresh chopped parsley and mint. Give it a nice pinch of salt while you’re here.
Then, grab a box grater and turn it to the small side. Finely grate about a quarter cup of cucumber. I place the grater over my work bowl so I can catch the liquid that inevitably seeps out. This has good flavor and loosens up the sauce a little. I finish with a squeeze of lemon juice and mix it together. Don’t forget to taste it for seasoning. You can always add more of something, so if you want it brighter, add more lemon. Herbier? Add more mint and parsley. Cucumber fiend? Go nuts with the cuke!
This sauce is versatile! Don’t let any go to waste. Make a stack of falafel waffles for dinner the next night!
Serving Up Your Turkey Kofta Meal
I like to serve this meal up family-style. That means everything gets its own plate, and everyone can serve themselves.
My daughter was only interested in eating a pita, and she went and found herself an applesauce pouch to go with it. My husband likes to put down the pita and pile everything up on top of it. Then, he enjoys the challenge of trying to take a bite without it falling apart.
I like mine semi-neat. I slather on the tzatziki like a paste to hold the turkey kofta in place. Then, I load three turkey kofta on in a neat row so there’ll be a good bit in every bite. That’s it. I might add in a piece of tomato or a spoonful of my Greek Quinoa Salad for fun as I eat. But the flavors in this simple sandwich are perfect without any extras.
And yes, I really do recommend making up that salad as a side dish. It goes so perfectly! Plus, it’s fresh and easy!
You’ve got three recipes in one below. Let me know how it turns out for you!
Comment below if you have questions, concerns, or opinions. And tag me @ellejayathome on Instagram or Twitter if you share pictures from any of my recipes. I love to hear from you!
Turkey Kofta with 2-Ingredient Pitas and Tzatziki
Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet
- 2 Medium Mixing Bowls
- 1 small bowl
- Rolling pin
Ingredients
Turkey Kofta
- 1 pound lean ground turkey
- 1 Tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- 1 Tbsp fresh mint chopped
- 1 Tbsp garlic minced
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp pink Himalayan salt
- ½ tsp cumin
Tzatziki
- 1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
- 3 oz cucumber
- 1 Tbsp fresh mint
- 1 Tbsp fresh parsley
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ tsp pink Himalayan salt
2-Ingredient Pitas
- 1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 cup self-rising flour
Instructions
Turkey Kofta (Part 1)
- In a medium mixing bowl, use your hand to mix together the turkey, chopped herbs, minced garlic, and spices. Cover and rest for 30 minutes in the fridge as you prepare the tzatziki and pitas.
Tzatziki
- Grate about 3 oz of cucumber into a small bowl. To this, add the chopped parsley and mint, yogurt, lemon juice, and salt. Stir to combine.
- Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until you've finished cooking the rest of the meal.
2-Ingredient Pitas
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the yogurt and self-rising flour.
- Once a shaggy dough forms, knead on the counter for 5 minutes.
- Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball.
- With a rolling pin, roll out each piece to about ¼-inch thickness.
- Preheat a cast-iron skillet on the stove to about 350ºF (or until a drop of water sizzles when dropped in). Spray the pan with olive oil.
- Cook the pitas one at a time for about 2-3 minutes per side. The edges will turn whiter and the bottom will be dappled golden-brown when it's ready to flip. Large bubbles will form, and that's perfect!
- Wrap the cooked pitas in a dish towel, and store them in the microwave to keep warm while you continue cooking.
Turkey Kofta (Part 2)
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Divide the ground turkey mixture into 12 equal balls. Roll the balls into thick logs.
- Coat the same preheated skilled that you used for the pitas with a light spray of olive oil. Set the kofta in the pan and place it in the oven for 20 minutes. Turn them over halfway through the cooking time. Once finished, they should register 165ºF in the center using a meat thermometer.
To Serve
- Spread tzatziki onto a pita. Add 3 kofta. Enjoy! I recommend serving with Greek Quinoa Salad for a full meal.
