Koufteh - Persian Meat & Rice Dumpling Soup

5 from 4 votes

Koufteh - Persian Meat & Rice Dumpling Soup

This mouthwatering koufteh, a Persian meat & rice dumpling soup, is filled with fresh herbs & spices. It's a heartwarming recipe you'll love!

Prep Time20

Cook Time45

Total Time1 5

Course: Main

Cuisine: Persian

Diet: Gluten Free, Kosher

Servings:

Calories: 582kcal

Author: Candice Walker

Ingredients

The Broth

1 yellow onion quartered
2 carrots chopped into 3-inch long pieces
1 tomato quartered
1 beef bouillon or use 1-2 cups beef broth in place of 1-2 cups water
2-3 quarts water
3 stalks celery chopped into 3-inch long pieces
½ teaspoon salt or more, to taste
½ teaspoon pepper or more, to taste

Koufteh Meatballs

1 lb. ground beef lamb, turkey, or chicken
1 yellow onion grated
5 cloves garlic minced
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ cup basmati rice
½ cup parsley finely chopped
¼ cup cilantro finely chopped
2 bay leaves
¼ cup oil canola or other flavorless oil
½ teaspoon salt or more, to taste
¼ teaspoon pepper or more, to taste

Instructions

Bring 2-3 quarts of water to boil with the quartered onion, tomato, celery, carrots, bay leaves, beef bouillon*, salt, and pepper
1 yellow onion, 2 carrots, 1 tomato, 1 beef bouillon, 2-3 quarts water, 3 stalks celery, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Mix the ground meat, grated onion, garlic, turmeric, basmati rice, parsley, cilantro, oil, salt, & pepper in a bowl. Set aside.
1 lb. ground beef, 1 yellow onion, 5 cloves garlic, 1/2 tsp ground turmeric, 1/2 cup basmati rice, 1/2 cup parsley, 1/4 cup cilantro, 2 bay leaves, 1/4 cup oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Once the water is boiling, roll the beef mixture into 2-inch diameter balls and drop into the boiling soup. Bring back to boil, reduce to simmer, cover, and cook for 45 minutes.

Video

Notes

My mom would also make this recipe in tomato sauce instead of broth. Simply add a can of tomato paste and a can of tomato sauce. Remove 1.5-2 cups of water from the recipe. It yields another delicious version of a great dish. Give both a try to see which you prefer.

You can use any combination of parsley, cilantro, tarragon, and basil. A great shortcut is to purchase sabzi koufteh, a dried herb mix made especially for this dish.

* You can either use 1 beef bouillon cube or or use 1-2 cups beef broth in place of 1-2 cups water. I have made this recipe many times using neither, and loading it up with veggies instead - it is watery, but still delicious if the soup is seasoned properly with salt & pepper. I have had mixed reviews about serving it this way, so choose your own adventure.

Adding mixed greens - I often add leftover sauteed greens to the recipe just before serving and they compliment the dish wonderfully. Serving the dish with fresh herbs and lemon/lime wedges for everyone to add in themselves is also a delicious addition.

Nutrition