Kotlet are delicious meat patties, the Persian version of meat cutlets. You'll find variations in the spices used depending on which part of Iran your family is from. My grandmother is Esfanhani, so this version has a good amount of cumin, and I absolutely love it!
It is just as delicious cold as it is warm, though this is actually a debate amongst family members! Serve with my Persian rice or pita bread, and a host of tasty veggies.
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Why this Recipe Works
This recipe is a quick and simple way to make really flavorful meat patties. Kotlet are made with an easy all-in-one method to make the mixture, then the Kotlets are shaped and fried (or baked if you like).
My version spices the mix with plenty of cumin, which adds an earthy flavor to the more mildly flavored meat and potatoes. I also add a whole onion, grated instead of diced, which integrates into the mixture seamlessly.
The Kotlet go well with a variety of other dishes - they can be eaten alone, served with rice, served as sandwiches with pita and herbs with hummus, or even burger-style with bread and accompaniments.
Ingredients & Substitutions
ground beef - I like to purchase sirloin and grind it myself with a meat grinder attachment for my stand mixer.
egg - I use egg as the binder in this recipe. You can substitute with a few tablespoons of smashed banana, but it will change the taste of the final produc.
potatoes - this recipe uses Russet potatoes for their texture and starch content. You can also use leftover mashed potatoes.
How to Make this Recipe
Preheat the oven to 400F. In the meantime, poke holes in the potatoes with a fork, coat them lightly in oil, and season them well with salt. Bake for 1 hour.
Once cool enough to handle, peel them and mash or mill them. Mix in the grated onion (make sure to squeeze out the excess liquid after grating), ground meat, egg, cumin, turmeric, and salt by mashing it all together with your hand. It should be the texture of meatloaf.
Heat ¼ inch of oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Form the meat and potato mixture into oval-shaped patties approximately ½-inch thick and 6-inches long.
Cook them 7-10 minutes per side until brown. You can serve these hot, warm, or cold. Everyone has their own preference.
Kotlet FAQs
You can make kotlet with ground beef or by grinding beef cuts such as sirloin, chuck, and shoulder.
Kotlet are Persian or Iranian meat and potato patties that also contain onion, spices, and an egg as a binder.
More Iranian Favorites
What I love about learning about other cultures, is seeing the many parallels in the dishes. You can find meat and potato patties in so many different cultures and they are made with different spices. This Persian recipe is the version I grew up with, just like some of these other favorite Persian recipes:
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Kotlet
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10 oz. ground beef or sirloin that you grind yourself
- 20 oz. Russet potatoes
- 1 yellow onion grated
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- sea salt to taste, I use ½-1 tsp
- canola oil or other flavorless oil, for frying
- pepper to taste, I use ¼-1/2 tsp
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F. In the meantime, poke holes in the potatoes with a fork, coat them lightly in oil, and season them well with salt. Bake for 1 hour.
- Once cool enough to handle, peel them and mash or mill them. Mix in the grated onion (make sure to squeeze out the extra liquid), ground meat, egg, cumin, turmeric, and salt by mashing it all together with your hand. It should be the texture of meatloaf.
- Heat ¼ inch of oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat.
- Form the meat and potato mixture into oval-shaped patties approximately ½-inch thick and 6-inches long.
- Cook them 7-10 minutes per side until brown.
- You can serve these hot, warm, or cold. Everyone has their own preference.
Leyla Salmassi
Love your modern approach to Persian cuisine. Delightful
Candice
I appreciate the kindness, Leyla... thank you and enjoy!