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Grilled Turkey Kafta Patties

Liz DellaCroce Avatar

LIZ DELLA CROCE

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Ground turkey lightens up this traditional Middle Eastern dish without sacrificing flavor.

Grilled Turkey Kafta Patties - The Lemon Bowl

Did you know that my family is Middle Eastern? I’m kidding. Garlic, lemon juice and olive oil runs through my veins. In fact, my Syrian heritage is the reason this blog is named The Lemon Bowl. One of my favorite Lebanese dishes is grilled kafta kabobs. Traditionally made with a lamb and beef combination, I decided to create a lighter version with ground turkey breast which we almost always have on hand.

Thanks to the juicy onion and plenty of fresh parsley, these Grilled Turkey Kafta Patties came out tender, moist and delicious. Even my beef-loving husband admitted that I nailed it. Our 21 month old ate three patties so clearly they got his stamp of approval as well. 

Cucumber Laban - The Lemon Bowl

To serve, make a batch of Cucumber Laban – Lebanese Yogurt Sauce. Cool, creamy and tangy – it is the perfect balance to any grilled meat or seafood but works particularly well with kafta.

fattoush

A classic Middle Eastern Salad or Fattoush Salad would also be great with this dish. Don’t worry about too much garlic, two garlic breaths balance out the other so eat up and enjoy.

BTW – This recipe (and entire suggested menu) is completely gluten free! Perfect for summer grilling season, especially when you may be hosting guests with various allergies. For more delicious gluten free recipe ideas and gluten free living support, head on over to the Udi’s Gluten Free Community.

Your fork is waiting.

Grilled Turkey Kafta Patties - The Lemon Bowl

Grilled Turkey Kafta Patties

4 stars
Ground turkey lightens up this traditional Middle Eastern dish without sacrificing flavor.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 18 minutes
Serves4
CourseMain Dish
Calories173

Ingredients
 
 

Instructions
 

  1. Pre-heat grill on high.
  2. Pour olive oil on to a large plate; set aside.
  3. Pulse together all remaining ingredients (ground turkey through nutmeg) in a food processor until smooth, about 2-3 minutes.
  4. Remove blade from food processor and use hands to form 8 small patties.
  5. Place patties on plate with olive oil and toss once to coat both sides.
  6. Grill over high heat 3-4 minutes per side, turning once, until internal cooking temperature reaches 165 degrees or higher.
  7. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve over rice pilaf or in a pita bread with cucumber yogurt sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 173kcalCarbohydrates: 5.1gProtein: 28.7gFat: 4.6gSaturated Fat: 0.5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4.1gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 648mgFiber: 1.6gSugar: 1.7g

Liz’s Notes

These patties can be cooked under the broiler just as easily as they can be grilled! Just broil on high for 4-5 minutes per side or until browned.

Have you tried this?

Let us know how it was!

4 from 1 vote

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32 responses to “Grilled Turkey Kafta Patties”

  1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
    Liz DellaCroce

    Thanks lady – such simple ingredients but so nice to do something different with plain ground turkey. :)

  2. Laurie {SimplyScratch} Avatar
    Laurie {SimplyScratch}

    This is the perfect meal! From top to bottom I’m in love with it!

    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      Thanks lady!!! Let me know if you try it!

  3. Meagan @ A Zesty Bite Avatar
    Meagan @ A Zesty Bite

    What a great recipe! I love middle eastern flavors in recipes.

    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      Me too…always reminds me of my relatives that are no longer with us. Love that about food!

  4. Tina | My Life as a Mrs Avatar
    Tina | My Life as a Mrs

    DROOLING. Can I come over for lunch?? ;)

    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      YES!! Please!!! :) That would be so fun!

  5. barbara Avatar
    barbara

    These sound yummy, but I have a question: any suggestions if the onion needs to be left out? My husband needs to avoid all members of the onion family.

    1. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
      Liz DellaCroce

      Hi Barbara: Onions are a key component to kafta so although I can give you suggestions for another recipe, it would not be anything to compare to traditional kafta. Perhaps you could make these patties more of an Italian style with parmesan cheese instead of onions? You could add sundried tomatoes too. Again, kafta really relies on the onion so I would probably just make something different. :-) I hope you understand!!

      1. barbara Avatar
        barbara

        I do understand completely and appreciate the thoughtful reply! I love your site by the way!

  6. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
    Liz DellaCroce

    Fist pump right back atcha!! Your seat is waiting. :) Wear a white dress.

  7. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
    Liz DellaCroce

    We adore beef kafta also but I thought it would be fun to try it with turkey and it worked!!

  8. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
    Liz DellaCroce

    Thanks friend! Hope you had a great 4th of July weekend!! xo

  9. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
    Liz DellaCroce

    You’d love them!! So lean but so full of flavor. My 22 month old ate three of them!

  10. Liz DellaCroce Avatar
    Liz DellaCroce

    Me too!! I eat more Lebanese food when I’m pregnant than any other time!