Turkish Köfte: Meatballs from İnegöl to Urfa

Every Turkish town seems to have its own köfte. For example, in Bursa they are small and seasoned only with salt, in Trabzon they come from Akçaabat, in Urfa they are kneaded from bulgur and spice, and at home they float in a tomato broth with potatoes. So this is Turkish köfte, the meatballs and patties that turn up at every family gathering, street stall and lunch counter in the country.

What Is Turkish Köfte?

To begin with, köfte is the Turkish member of a huge family of meatball dishes, known as kofta from India to the Balkans. Usually, cooks mix minced meat with onion, spices and sometimes rice, bulgur or egg, then shape it into balls, patties or fingers. After that, they grill it, fry it, bake it or cook it in a sauce or soup. In Turkey köfte is a favorite offering at communal gatherings of every kind.

Regional Turkish Köfte

İnegöl köfte, Bursa

First, there is İnegöl, a town in the province of Bursa. In the late 19th century, a man named Mustafa Efendi from Pazarcık in Ottoman Bulgaria settled there and began to sell meatballs from his shop in the bazaar on the Ankara–Bursa road, and his family still runs the business. Strikingly, the only seasoning in İnegöl köfte is salt, and each one is small.

Akçaabat köfte, Trabzon

Next, on the Black Sea coast west of Trabzon, the town of Akçaabat is known for its own köfte, a registered geographical indication since 2010, along with its football team and its horon dance. In Thrace, west of Istanbul, Tekirdağ köftesi is made from the beef of young bulls raised in the province, and the mixture rests in the cold for 18 to 24 hours before it is shaped. It has been a registered geographical indication since 2020.

Çiğ köfte, Urfa

Then, in the southeast, Şanlıurfa is the home of çiğ köfte, kneaded by hand from fine bulgur and hot pepper. Traditionally, it also contained raw meat. Later, however, Turkey banned the sale of the raw-meat version for health reasons. Since then, shops and restaurants sell only meatless versions, wrapped in lettuce with lemon.

Turkish Köfte at Home

Mercimek köftesi

Surprisingly, mercimek köftesi has no meat at all. Instead, cooks make it from red lentils, fine bulgur, tomato paste, onion and parsley, pressed into shape in the palm. Usually, it is a cold dish, often served at afternoon tea and special meals, and Adana is especially fond of it.

Sulu köfte and ekşili köfte

On a cold day, by contrast, Turkish families make sulu köfte, small meatballs with rice or bulgur, boiled in a tomato and pepper broth. With an egg and lemon sauce instead, the same dish becomes ekşili köfte, sour köfte.

İçli köfte

Finally, look for içli köfte, which means köfte with a filling. Here, a shell of bulgur wraps spiced minced meat, and the whole thing is fried until crisp. As such, it is the Turkish cousin of the kibbeh of the Levant.

Tips for eating Turkish köfte

Finally, compare köfte with the many Turkish kebabs, warm up with Turkish soups, or start with our Turkish food guide. To eat your way through the city, join our Istanbul food tour.