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Lamb Kofta Flatbreads with Tahini Yogurt

Juicy, warmly spiced lamb meets cool tahini yogurt and crisp vegetables in a fast, abundant flatbread dinner.

Lamb kofta flatbreads are topped with tahini yogurt, tomato-cucumber salad, pickled onions, herbs, and lemon.

These kofta flatbreads balance rich lamb with tangy sauce, crunchy salad, sharp pickled onion, and plenty of herbs. Broiling gives the elongated patties a browned exterior while keeping the meal within a practical 45-minute window.

Remove moisture, keep flavor

Grated onion seasons the lamb throughout, but its excess liquid can make the mixture difficult to shape. A firm squeeze in a towel leaves the aromatic onion behind while helping the patties hold together under the broiler.

Handle the lamb lightly

Mix the lamb only until the parsley, garlic, and warm spices look evenly dispersed. Uniform, lightly packed patties cook at the same pace and retain a more tender texture than tightly compressed ones.

Eight parsley-flecked lamb kofta patties are spaced on a foil-lined sheet pan before broiling. — Elongated lamb patties are spaced on the foil-lined pan before broiling.

A sauce that ties it together

Greek yogurt gives the tahini a cool, creamy body while lemon keeps the sauce bright against the lamb. Cold water loosens the mixture into a spreadable consistency that coats the flatbread without running off it.

Brown without drying

Keep the kofta close enough to the broiler for quick color, and turn them once so both sides brown. Begin checking the center near 8 minutes; 160 F confirms doneness without unnecessarily extending the cooking time.

A browned lamb kofta reveals a juicy center beside creamy tahini yogurt, crisp salad, and pickled onion. — A split kofta shows its juicy center beside lemony tahini yogurt and crisp salad.

Layer contrast into every bite

Start with tahini yogurt so every bite has a creamy base, then add hot kofta and the juicy tomato-cucumber salad. Pickled onion, mint, parsley, and lemon finish the flatbreads with acidity and fresh aroma.

Lamb Kofta Flatbreads with Tahini Yogurt

4 servings

45 minutes total

Ingredients

• 1 small yellow onion
• 3 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 1/2 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, divided
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1 tsp Aleppo pepper
• 1 1/4 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1 lb ground lamb
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1 large lemon
• 2 tbsp cold water
• 1 Persian cucumber
• 2 medium tomatoes
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 flatbreads
• 1/2 cup drained pickled red onions
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

Method

Heat the broiler
Position a rack 5 inches from the broiler and heat the broiler to high; line a rimmed sheet pan with foil for the kofta.
Look for: The broiler is fully heated and the rack sits close to the element.
Drain the onion
Coarsely grate the onion onto a clean towel, then squeeze firmly over the sink until it stops releasing liquid.
Look for: The grated onion is damp but no longer dripping.
Mix the kofta
Chop 1/4 cup parsley and gently mix it with the drained onion, garlic, cumin, coriander, allspice, Aleppo pepper, 3/4 tsp salt, and lamb until evenly distributed.
Look for: The seasonings are evenly dispersed without the lamb becoming pasty.
Shape the kofta
Divide the lamb mixture into 8 portions and shape each into a 4-inch-long patty on the prepared pan, leaving space between them.
Look for: The patties are evenly thick and hold their elongated shape.
Make tahini yogurt
Whisk the yogurt, tahini, zest and 2 tbsp juice from the lemon, cold water, and 1/4 tsp salt until smooth and spoonable.
Look for: The sauce falls slowly from a spoon without clumps.
Toss the salad
Dice the cucumber and tomatoes, then toss them with the olive oil, remaining 1/4 tsp salt, and 1 tbsp of the remaining lemon juice.
Look for: The vegetables glisten and a little seasoned juice collects below them.
Broil the kofta
Broil the kofta for 8 to 10 minutes, turning once halfway through, until deeply browned outside and 160 F at the center.
Look for: The kofta are browned at the edges, juicy inside, and register 160 F.
Warm the flatbreads
During the final 2 minutes, wrap the flatbreads in foil and place them on a lower oven rack just until warm and flexible.
Look for: The flatbreads bend easily without cracking.
Assemble and serve
Spread each warm flatbread with tahini yogurt, then add kofta, tomato-cucumber salad, pickled onions, mint, and the remaining parsley; serve with any remaining lemon wedges.
Look for: Each flatbread has creamy sauce, hot kofta, crisp salad, and fresh herbs.