Koftet Roz, or Egyptian rice meatballs, is a traditional Egyptian dish made with ground meat, finely ground rice, and a generous mix of fresh herbs. This no breadcrumbs meatballs recipe uses uncooked ground rice to give these meatballs their signature texture while keeping them naturally gluten-free.
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Rice Meatballs (Rice Kofta)
This dish takes me straight back to my mom’s kitchen. I’m still amazed at how adding simple everyday rice transforms a basic meatball into something truly special. No wonder it is such a regular on the Egyptian dinner table.
Koftet roz is a budget-friendly recipe that feeds a crowd, egg-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free. I make mine with the exact trio of fresh parsley, cilantro, and dill that I learned to use from my mom, all simmered in a rich, warmly spiced tomato sauce.
What Is Koftet Roz?
koftet roz / koftet rozz / kofta roz all translate to rice meatballs but this is not your average rice meatballs. Egyptian rice meatballs are traditionally made with minced camel meat, ground rice, chopped fresh herbs and warm spices.
The meatballs are fried until golden, then simmered briefly in a simple tomato sauce until they soak up all that delicious flavor. They’re one of those comforting Egyptian meals that are just as good for a family dinner as they are for a special occasion.
Ingredients
Pro Tip
Grind the rice twice; the rice should be as fine as possible. Do not cook the rice first. The uncooked ground rice is what gives these meatballs their characteristic texture and replaces breadcrumbs.
Egyptian Rice Meatballs (Koftet Roz)
This Egyptian style meatball recipe — known as Koftet Roz, or rice meatballs — has been a staple in Middle Eastern kitchens for generations, and once you try it you’ll understand why. Naturally gluten free, egg free, and dairy free, and bursting with fresh herbs and flavor.
Servings: 34 -36 Kofta
Instructions
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In a coffee grinder, grind the rice then run them through a fine mesh sieve.
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Place everything back in the grinder and grind again then sift through the sieve again.
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Do this for a total of three times until there are almost nothing in the sieve when you sift the rice.
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In the bowl of your food processor, add onion and garlic then pulse together until finely diced.
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Add the fresh herbs and process again.
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Place the content of the food processor into a large mixing bowl.
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Add rice, meat and spices give everything a good mix with your hands until combined.
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Working in batches process the meat in the food processor until paste like consistency is achieved.
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Oil your hands lightly and shape the mixture into1 ½ to 2 tablespoon balls or fingers. Place on a clean plate and proceed until you are done with the whole batch.
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Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes up to 24 hours.
Meanwhile make the sauce:
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In a saucepan over medium high heat add ghee and oil then sauté onions for a couple of minutes or until fragrant.
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Pour in the tomato sauce, water, and stir in the tomato paste.
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Reduce heat and simmer for about 7-10 minutes until sauce thickens. Season and set aside.
Fry the meatballs:
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Pour about 1.5 to 2 inches of frying oil in a large skillet.
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Heat the oil on medium high until shimmering, reduce heat to medium and carefully fry the kofta for 3-4 minutes turning halfway through.
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Take the kofta out and place on a plate lined with paper towels.
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Continue until you are done with the whole batch.
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Reheat the sauce on medium heat and drop some or all of the kofta fingers in. Bring to a light boil and continue to cook for 5 minutes.
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Serve with rice or crusty bread.
Nutrition
Serving: 1each | Calories: 54kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.05g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 119mg | Potassium: 99mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 0.4g | Vitamin A: 460IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg
How to make Egyptian rice meatballs
1- Start with uncooked white rice and grind it in a coffee grinder or spice grinder until very fine. I recommend grinding the rice twice for the best texture. If your grinder is small, work in batches.
Don’t skip grinding the rice twice: you want the rice as fine as possible for a smooth meatball texture.
2- Add the onion, garlic, parsley, cilantro, and dill to a food processor and process until finely chopped.
3- Add the ground beef, ground rice, herb mixture, salt, and pepper to a bowl and mix with your hands to combine and distribute everything evenly.
4- Working in batches, return the mixture to the food processor and process until everything is well combined and the mixture becomes smooth and paste-like. This step is important because you want the rice and herbs evenly distributed throughout the meat.
5- Wet your hands with some oil, take a portion of the meat and shape into balls or fingers (traditionally). Continue with the remaining mixture, placing the shaped meatballs on a parchment lined baking sheet or plate. I recommend chilling the meatballs for just 30 minutes before frying. You can also freeze meatballs at this stage to use later or continue with the recipe.
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully add the meatballs in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the pan.
6- Fry them until browned on the outside, turning them gently so they brown all over.
Gently drop some, or all, of the meatballs into the tomato sauce and let everything simmer together for a few minutes until the meatballs have absorbed some of the tomato sauce.
Amira’s Tips
- When prepping the fresh herbs get rid of the lowest part of the bunch, as it is usually thick stems without any leaves. We mainly want leaves and thin stems.
- This recipe is very forgiving, so do not freak out too much about the fresh herbs’ weight.
- Don’t worry if they crack slightly. Koftet roz can crack a little during frying, especially when made with ground beef. Traditionally, camel meat was sometimes used and its texture helps the mixture hold together more firmly.
- Meatballs are usually crunchy on the outside, but adding it to the sauce softens them.
Recipe FAQs
Short grain white rice or Jasmine rice is what I usually use. I haven’t tried it with Basmati rice or Brown rice yet.
Technically, you can. In this recipe, we use a coffee grinder to grind the rice twice, making it as fine as possible. However, I have to say that grinding the rice yourself instead of using store-bought rice flour gives these meatballs a better texture and flavor.
Yes, you can use a regular kitchen blender, but you may need to add a little water to get things moving. Keep in mind that adding water will increase the moisture in the kofta mixture, which can cause the meatballs to crack while frying.
Yes, you can bake or air fry them with a light spray of oil, but they won’t have quite the same taste and texture as the fried version. If you’re looking to use less oil, I recommend shallow-frying rather than deep-frying. You’ll still get that delicious golden exterior without using as much oil.
Absolutely! These meatballs can be shaped and frozen before cooking, which makes them great for meal prep. Arrange the uncooked meatballs on a parchment-lined baking sheet, making sure they are not touching. Freeze until solid, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container and label it with the name and date.
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First published Jun 22, 2013.