Easy Lamb Kofta Wraps With Yogurt Sauce

✅ 6 reasons why you'll love this recipe:

• Packed with flavour - delicious wraps packed with juicy lamb koftas made from Middle Eastern spiced rich lamb mince, combined with garlic and fresh herbs served with a cool yogurt sauce and fresh minty salad.
• Simple ingredients - you'll be able to find everything you need to make this delicious recipe at your local store. No shopping around required.
• Versatile - you don't need to follow this recipe verbatim to make it taste great. Feel free to change up the bread, or serve with rice, try out different salads, sauces and accompaniments. This is a great recipe for using up any salad bits that are lingering in your fridge.
• Easy - just follow a few simple steps and have dinner on the table 40 minutes later.
• Great make ahead meal - you can prep the lamb koftas ahead, store them in the fridge and fry them up later or make a large batch and freeze some for busy days.
• Great for entertaining - this is a super convenient meal for catering to house guests with different preferences. Just place everything on the table and let everyone assemble their own wraps, choosing their fillings and accompaniments to suit their tastes.

🛒 Ingredients and variations:

This lamb kofta wrap recipe uses everyday ingredients that you can grab in your local store.

Yogurt sauce: you can use any plain / Greek yogurt. Lighter / lower fat versions are fine too, the sauce will just have a thinner consistency. Use fresh garlic if you do not have garlic powder. Sauté it in a little oil first to get rid of the bitter flavour of raw garlic.

Salad: you need around 3 cups/large handfuls of salad for 4 wraps. Choose what you want or use it as an opportunity to use up the salad that's in your fridge. I normally opt for lettuce and grated carrot but will often throw in chopped radishes and grated carrot if I have it. Finely chopped red cabbage also works well.

Lamb koftas: ground lamb is the key ingredient, but the recipe would also work with minced beef or turkey. Use store-bought breadcrumbs (panko or normal) to bind the koftas together. You can also make your own. Ensure you use fresh herbs because dry herbs will not produce the same level of freshness and flavour.

To serve: I like to put the yogurt sauce, salad and koftas on the table with some warm wraps and let everyone get stuck in. Pickled chillies and red onions, and sriracha sauce are great accompaniments but entirely optional. Serve with wraps, pita bread or flatbread. Rice is a good shout if you're not into bread. You can also just enjoy the koftas with salad for a lighter option.

🧑‍🍳 Lamb Kofta Wraps in 5 easy steps

1. Make the yogurt sauce

Mix yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a bowl and set aside.

2. Make the salad and lemon dressing

Toss the salad with fresh mint. Make the dressing by mixing olive oil, lemon juice, honey and salt in a separate small jug or bowl and set aside.

3. Make the koftas

Place the lamb mince in a large bowl and add, garlic, fresh mint and parsley, breadcrumbs, ground cumin, coriander and cinnamon, salt and black pepper. Mix with your hands and form into 16 koftas.

4. Fry the koftas

Place a large frying pan on a medium to high heat and add oil. Place the lamb koftas in the pan when the oil is hot and fry them until they develop a nice char on all sides. Ensure you turn them regularly.

Top tip: Check the doneness of the lamb koftas. They are cooked when the internal temperature reaches 72C or 162F. You can also check by cutting into one. If the lamb is no longer pink in the middle and hot to touch then it's ready to go.

5. Serve

Warm the wraps according to packet instructions. Toss the salad in the lemon dressing. Place the lamb koftas, yogurt sauce, and salad on the table with the wraps and optional pickled chillies and red onions. Let everyone get stuck in and assemble their own wraps.

👍 Top tips for perfect Lamb Kofta Wraps

1. Use fresh herbs - the koftas will lose a lot of the delicious flavour and freshness if you swap them for dry herbs.
2. Ensure your pan is hot before frying - wait for oil to get hot before you fry the koftas. You'll then get a nice crispy char and avoid greasy koftas. If in doubt, place one kofta in the pan first to test. If it sizzles then you're good to add the rest, if not then you need to let the oil heat up for a little longer.
3. Check the doneness of the lamb koftas - cut open the biggest kofta to check the middle is no-longer pink and that it is hot to touch or use a meat thermometer to check the koftas have reached 72C or 162F.

🙋 FAQs

What are lamb koftas made of?Lamb koftas are Middle Eastern spied ground lamb balls, logs or patties. They are often made with garlic, fresh herbs, ground cumin, coriander and cinnamon. Sometimes breadcrumbs are used to bind them together.

What's the difference between a kebab and a kofta?The only difference between a lamb kebab and kofta is the shape. A kebab is larger than a kofta and is cooked on a skewer whereas a kofta is a smaller ball or patty that is cooked on the stove.

Are lamb koftas bad for you?Lamb has several nutritional benefits and is healthy when eaten in moderation. It is high in protein, unsaturated fat and contains zinc, iron and vitamin B12.

📦 Storage

The cooked lamb koftas can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days. Make sure you cover them or place them in an airtight container and place them in the fridge as soon as they are cool.

Freezing instructions

Lamb koftas can be frozen for up to 3 months, making them a great candidate for a make-ahead meal. Place the cooked lamb koftas in an airtight container or freezer bag and place in the freezer when cool. Defrost them first or reheat them from frozen in the oven at 180C or 350F covered with foil to keep them moist and juicy.

You can also freeze raw lamb koftas. Place the raw lamb koftas on a piece of parchment paper on a plate or tray so that they are not touching and put them in the freezer. Transfer them to a container or freezer bag once they are frozen. They can be reheated in the oven or fried from frozen or you can thaw them first.

😋 Check out my other tasty dinner recipes

If you enjoyed this lamb kofta wrap, you should check out my other easy dinner recipes. If Middle Eastern inspired recipes are your thing try my Middle Eastern Lamb Mince Flatbread or Dukkah Chicken With Pomegranate Tabohleh.