Hearty Kafta and Potato Stew

Name: Hearty kafta and Potato Stew
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Ingredients: 2 lbs ground meat; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 1 cup chopped parsley (curly or italian); 2 teaspoons seven spices; 2 teaspoons salt; ¼ cup olive oil; 1 teaspoon seven spices; 5 large potatoes (cubed); 5 medium onions, white or red (sliced or julienne ); 4 medium mixed peppers (cubed); 2 medium tomatoes (cubed); 1 cup tomato paste; 10 cups water (about)

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This Comforting Kafta and Potato Stew, or Kafta bil Sanieh, is rich, delicious and oh so hearty! Filled with perfectly seasoned Kafta meatballs, potatoes, onions, mixed peppers, and tomatoes, your whole family will be asking for more!

It’s amazing how such an easy to make dish can bring so much joy, and make you feel like home. The juiciness of the meat harmonizes well with the tenderness of the veggies, and together with vermicelli rice, they make the perfect dinner to warm your heart.

The Warmest Kafta and Potato Stew

A bowl of kafta meatballs, potato chunks, and colored peppers, all immersed in a red tomato stew served over vermicelli rice and sprinkled with parsley. — You could feel this delicious plate of hearty kafta and potato stew in your bones! That is what my husband says every time I make this stew!

Kafta bl Sanieh is a Middle Eastern, age-old traditional stew that everyone loves! My mom never made it like this for us. She would bake it in the oven all in one pan, which turns out so flavorful as well!

For some reason, I find making it this way so easy and more efficient. It’s an excellent dish for busy days!! Let me tell you, whenever I’m in a hurry and need something quick, I go for this Hearty Kafta and Potato Stew.

It makes me feel at ease, knowing that I finally get to spend some quality time with my family and less time in the kitchen. Also called yekhnet kafta and batata, this stew is so wholesome and filling!

Different Ways Of Making Kafta

Kafta Bi Tahini

A fun twist on this recipe would include the authentic tahini sauce. Season the kafta just like how you’d do following this recipe, but instead shape it into one large patty, then toss it into the oven until halfway cooked.

While in the oven, prepare the tahini sauce by mixing ½ a cup of tahini with as much hot water as you need until you reach the desired consistency- I like the sauce to be thick. Then add in a clove of minced garlic, 4 tablespoons of lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and whisk.

Take the kafta out, flip it over, pour in your sauce, and back into the oven. Once it’s done, sprinkle with parsley and some cooked, golden brown pine nuts then serve with white rice.

Kafta Glazed With Pomegranate Molasses

If you’re in the mood for something sweet, sour, and a bit tangy, here’s what you can do. Prepare the kafta meat just as this recipe says, shape into hotdog-like patties, then cook. After that wipe the excess oil from the pan and drop some pomegranate molasses.

While on medium heat, add in your kafta and gently roll it until it’s perfectly glazed with the molasses. Another option is to drizzle the long patties with the molasses after plating. You can serve with rice, tahini sauce, or enjoy on its own!

Try This If You’re Up For the Spice!

For all the spicy food lovers out there, I bring you an “eyes-watering” sauce to drizzle over your kafta and potato stew bowl. Scoop out as much as you want from the tomato stew you’ve prepared, add a little bit of minced garlic, some crushed jalapeño, and a ¼ teaspoon of dried oregano.

If the whole family is a fan of spicy food, you can mix some chili powder with the ground beef while you shape it as desired. Either way, you’ll still get the smokiness you’re looking for!

Tips and Tricks

Tip 1: You can make the seven spice seasoning yourself using allspice, black pepper, cinnamon, ground cloves, cumin, ground coriander, and white pepper. You can also purchase it from the market I purchase it from. Click Here

Tip 2: Make sure your don’t overcook the veggies so they don’t turn mushy and lose the flavor. Cooking time depends on the size of your veggies and kafta balls, hence it’s preferable to check if they’re cooked by inserting a fork or a toothpick.

Tip 3: Deep fry or air fry your potatoes for extra crispiness!

Tip 4: Try grating the onions before adding them into the beef so you don’t end up with chunks, which makes it harder to form the kafta balls. A food processor will do the job.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I bake the kafta and potato stew?

Yes of course. The healthier version is also an option. Start by laying your kafta into a baking pan with no oil, then bake for about 15 minutes until the kafta is halfway done. After that, add in your raw veggies and stew, cover with aluminum foil, then bake until cooked.

Can I prepare tomato stew without tomato paste?

If you’re short on tomato paste, you can make a tomato sauce by blending about 4 medium sized raw tomatoes, then adding salt to adjust the flavor to your preference. Use water to thin out your sauce if it’s too thick. If it turned out too loose, add more tomatoes.

What other types of meat can I use?

Ground lamb is another good alternative, and a combination of both is even better.

The List of Ingredients For Kafta Bl Sonieh

ground meat
chopped parsley curly or italian
salt
olive oil
seven spices
potatoes
onions, white or red
mixed peppers
tomatoes
tomato paste
water

Here Is How To Prep This Hearty Kafta and Potato Stew

Potato cubes fried in a pot until golden brown — Add olive oil to a large pot on medium heat. Sauté the cubed potatoes for 5 minutes or until they are golden brown

Winged onion added into the potatoes — Add olive oil to a large pot on medium heat. Sauté the cubed potatoes for 5 minutes or until they are golden brown

This Hearty Kafta and Potato Stew Feels Just Like Home!

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