Basic Hamburger Patties (or Bulgarian ‘Kufte’) that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Easy recipe with ground (minced) meat (or sausage meat), handful of spices and a baguette (or stale bread). A simple meat patties recipe that is known as Kufte in Bulgaria (the Balkans). Kid-approved.
For as long as I can remember, my granny would make these patties for dinner or lunch – not breakfast. She didn’t prepare them often, but when she did, it always felt like a special occasion. In Bulgaria, these patties are very popular and are known as Kufte. They are often served alongside a traditional vegetable salad, like SHOPSKA SALAD (the Bulgarian version of Greek Salad with Feta).
Traditionally, they are fried in sunflower oil or grilled, imparting a subtle, smoky flavor. They are usually made from a combination of ground beef and pork and can be found in most stores. The beauty of this recipe, however, is its versatility – it can be made with any minced meat you have on hand. The ones pictured here, for example, were made with lean ground turkey.
The perfect pairing: French duck fat oven fries. Simply delicious.
Behind the Bites
”Kufte” is a traditional Bulgarian dish crafted from a mixture of ground meats – typically beef and pork – seasoned with a fragrant blend of spices such as cumin, black pepper, paprika, and parsley. The meat is shaped by hand into oval or round patties and then grilled or pan-fried to a golden brown. These flavorful patties are commonly served alongside vegetables, rice, or bread, and are a beloved choice at barbecues and family gatherings.
”Kufte” and sausage patties share many similarities, as both are made from ground meat – often a combination of pork and beef – and shaped into flat, round forms for grilling or frying. Both are savory, well-seasoned dishes frequently served at breakfast or as part of a main meal. The distinction lies in the seasoning: kufte is infused with distinctive Balkan spices, while sausage patties typically feature milder flavors such as sage and black pepper.
Ingredients & Substitutions:
Preparing these sausage patties from scratch is actually pretty easy. All you need is a few ingredients:
- Ground meat of choice (usually a mix of ground beef & pork 60:40 ratio). However, these patties can be prepared with all sorts of minced meat (beef, pork, lamb or a mix thereof).
- Breadcrumbs – or an old Baguette (any stale bread), small (soaked in water, then drained and crumbled)
- Egg – binds all together
- Onions – red or white, finely minced.
- Seasoning: mint, cumin powder, fresh parsley, sea salt and black pepper to taste
- Oil for frying – if frying
HOW TO MAKE KUFTE?
1st: Combine all ingredients and mix well.
2nd: Shape patties and fry in some oil on the stove top on both sides.
VARIATIONS
HOW TO MAKE PATTIES IN AIR FRYER:
- Spray the bottom of your frying basked with some vegetable oil. Or use air fryer sheet liners if you can find them, here in Europe, I cannot find them in mainstream grocery stores yet. That prevents patties from sticking to basket while cooking.
- Preheat your air fryer if needed, depending on machine instructions. Mine does not require preheating.
- Spray sausage patties with some oil (optional) when you place them in the frying basket. In my experience that gives them extra crisp and moist.
- Air fry according to instructions or for about 20 minutes on 200C/400F (in my air fryer).
HOW TO BAKE PATTIES IN THE OVEN:
Prepare the patties as described, then place each onto baking paper, leaving some space between the patties. Spray with olive oil (or brush with kitchen brush) and bake in preheated oven (180C/360F) with fan until golden. Yup, it’s that easy.
Basic Hamburger Patties (Bulgarian Kufte)
Ingredients
- 500 g ground meat, a mix of beef/pork/lamb/turkey
- 1 medium egg
- 1 onion, finely minced
- 1 small baguette
- 1 tbsp. mint leaves, dried
- 1 tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
- 1 tsp. cumin powder
- sea salt and black pepper to taste
- oil for frying
- 2 tbsp. all purpose flour for rolling patties in
Instructions
- First, in a small bowl add the baguette and cover with water. Leave to sit for 5-10 minutes until baguette becomes wet. Then, squeeze well any excess water out of the baguette. Crumble with your hands.
- Next, in a large mixing bowl add ground meat, chopped onion, egg, mint leaves, parsley, cumin, salt, black pepper and breadcrumbs. Mix well.
- Then, with wet hands start forming the patties, then dip each in flour to cover both sides. Fry in peanut oil (or any vegetable oil with high smoke point) on both sides until golden brown.
- AIR FRYER: Alternatively, prepare in air fryer according to instructions (but omit the rolling in flour part). Also, spray patties with some oil to make them juicier. In my air fryer patties are cooked in about 20 minutes on 200C/400F.
- OVEN BAKED: Another option is to bake the patties in the oven. Lay all patties onto non-stick tray, covered with baking paper. Spray patties with oil before baking. Bake in preheated oven for about 20-25 min on 200C/400F or until golden.
Notes
Nutrition
This post may contain affiliate links. See full disclosure here
yummy and delicious