Koftas fall off the skewer for one reason: the mince wasn't worked enough. Mixing it hard for a couple of minutes develops the protein and turns it tacky, and tacky mince grips. Fifteen percent fat mince is the other half of the answer.
Everything you need
- 500 g minced beef, 15% fat
- 1 small onion, grated and squeezed dry
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- ⅓ cup (36 g) breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1½ tsp fine salt
- ½ cup (123 g) yogurt, to serve
Single layer, always. Crowding the basket steams food instead of crisping it. Tap any ingredient to open its converter.
Method
0 of 6 done-
Grate the onion and squeeze it dry in a towel. Wet onion is why koftas steam and slump instead of browning.
For this step
- 1 small onion
-
Mix the beef, onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, parsley and all the spices, then knead it hard for 2 minutes until it feels sticky and holds together in one mass.
For this step
- 500 g minced beef
- 1 small onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- ⅓ cup (36 g) breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup fresh parsley
-
Shape into 8 sausages around flat metal or soaked wooden skewers, squeezing firmly along the length. Chill for 30 minutes so they set.
-
Preheat the air fryer to 190°C / 375°F for 3 minutes and lay the koftas in with space between them.
-
Air fry for 6 minutes, turn, then another 5 to 6 minutes until browned all over and cooked through at 70°C.
-
Rest 3 minutes and serve with the yogurt, some lemon and warm flatbread.
For this step
- ½ cup (123 g) yogurt
Tap a step to check it off. Your place is saved on this device.
Air fryer notes
- Cook at 190°C / 375°F and preheat for 2 to 3 minutes for the crispiest result.
- Keep everything in a single layer with space around each piece. Overcrowding steams food instead of crisping it, so cook in batches if your basket is small.
- Shake or turn halfway, and check a few minutes early, since air fryers cook faster than ovens and every model runs slightly differently.
Cook's tips
- Flat skewers stop the meat spinning when you turn them. On round ones the whole kofta rotates and only one side ever browns.
- Lean mince below 10% fat makes dry, crumbly koftas. The fat is what carries the spice.
Make it your own
- Use lamb instead of beef, which is more traditional, and add a teaspoon of dried mint.
- Skip the skewers and shape them into patties for kofta burgers.
Storing & reheating
Refrigerate for 3 days or freeze raw, shaped, for 3 months. Reheat at 170°C for 5 minutes, or cook from frozen with 5 extra minutes.
Frequently asked
Why do my koftas fall apart in the air fryer?
Under-mixed meat, wet onion, or skipping the chill. Knead until the mixture is sticky, squeeze the onion dry, and rest the shaped koftas in the fridge first.
How many grams is a cup of breadcrumbs?
About 108 g per US cup for dried crumbs, so the ⅓ cup here is roughly 36 g. Fresh crumbs weigh about half that.
Adapting your own recipe? Use the oven to air fryer converter for temp and time, or the recipe scaler to halve or double this.
More air fryer recipes
A note on cooking safely. Recipes are provided for informational purposes only and are not medical or nutritional advice. Cooking times, temperatures and quantities are suggestions: use your own judgement, and check that meat, poultry, fish and eggs are properly cooked before serving.
Consult a qualified healthcare professional before making dietary changes, particularly if you have allergies, a medical condition or specific nutritional requirements.