Kafta Tray Bake with Tahini

Name: Kafta Tray Bake with Tahini
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 55 min
Yield: 6-8
Cuisine: Middle Eastern

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roubashahin.com.au

Mains

potatoes, kafta and tahini all on one tray—slide it in the oven, pour yourself tea, dinner’s done.

PREP TIME

30 minutes

COOK TIME

55 minutes

SERVES

6-8

About this recipe

I love a good Kafta Tray Bake with Tahini because it turns simple mince and vegetables into a show-stopping dinner with almost no fuss. Inspired by my mum’s kafta bel sanieh, this version adds a tangy tahini drizzle—because we Arabs can never resist tahini’s nutty kick.

Even better, everything cooks on one tray. The kafta patties roast alongside tender potatoes, sweet onion and juicy tomato, soaking up spices and olive oil. As the tray bakes, those juices become the base of the creamy sauce, so nothing is wasted.

If you enjoy effortless oven meals, save my cauliflower and beef bake and my easy chicken risoni bake. Until then, make this Kafta Tray Bake with Tahini your new mid-week hero.

Ingredients

For the vegetables

3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
2 medium onion, sliced into wedges
3 red tomatoes, cut into wedges
1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the kafta

350 grams lamb mince
150 grams beef mince
1⁄3 cup fresh basil leaves, firmly packed
1⁄4 cup fresh mint leaves, firmly packed
1⁄4 cup chopped parsley with stems, firmly packed
1 small onion, roughly chopped (approximately 80 grams)
1 whole fresh chilli (optional)
1⁄4 teaspoon Bharat (or allspice)
1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin
1⁄2 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon capsicum paste
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the tahini sauce

1⁄2 cup tahini paste
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Juice of 1 lemon (3-4 tablespoons)
1⁄2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground coriander
salt to season
up to 1 cup reserved tray juices (from the roasted kafta and vegetables)

For the topping

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Sumac, to garnish

Notes from Rouba

Slice potatoes thin not too thick so they soften with the kafta
Swap capsicum paste for a wedge of capsicum if it’s unavailable
Toasting pine nuts in oil —they burn quickly, so keep them moving them

Method

Step 1. Make the kafta

Finely chop the herbs, onion, and chilli by hand or in a food processor. Combine with the lamb and beef mince, spices, capsicum paste, and salt. Mix until well combined, then form into small oval patties.

Step 2. Prepare the vegetables

Preheat your oven to 180°C fan-forced.

Drizzle about 2 tablespoons of olive oil onto a large baking tray to coat the base. Arrange the potato wedges, onion and tomato wedges in a single layer. Season with salt and pepper, then drizzle the remaining olive oil evenly over the top. nestle the kafta among the vegetables on the tray.

Step 3. Roast the tray

Cover the tray with a lid or tightly with foil and place it in the oven. Bake for 35 minutes to allow the vegetables to soften and the kafta to gently cook. Remove the tray from the oven, carefully lift off the foil, and strain about 1 cup of the hot juices into a bowl — you’ll use this for the tahini sauce. Return the tray to the oven uncovered and bake for a further 15–20 minutes, or until the kafta is browned, and the vegetables are golden and tender.

Step 4. Make the tahini sauce

In a bowl, whisk together the tahini, garlic, lemon juice, paprika, ground coriander, and a salt. Slowly pour in the reserved tray juices while whisking constantly — the sauce will begin to loosen and turn smooth. You’ll notice the colour change to a pale pinkish hue, If needed, adjust the consistency with a splash of water or more lemon juice. The final sauce should be creamy, silky, and pourable.

Step 5. Assemble and serve

Remove Kafta bake from the oven, drizzle the tahini sauce generously over the baked kafta and vegetables while still in the tray. Top with toasted pine nuts, a sprinkle of chopped parsley, and a generous pinch of sumac.

Serve with warm flatbread or rice to soak up all the delicious sauce.

A FEW THINGS YOU’LL WANT TO KNOW

Can I freeze the kafta?
Yes. I personally don’t love freezing kafta, but you can — especially since this dish gets roasted in the oven again, which helps keep the texture and flavour.

Can I make the tahini without the kafta juices?
Absolutely. You can use water instead — but the tray juices are where all the flavour is, so I always use them if I can.

How thick should I cut the potatoes?
Stick to about 1.5 cm slices. Any thicker and they may not soften enough during baking.

Do I need to cover the tray?
Yes. Covering traps the steam so everything softens beautifully before we uncover it to brown.

Why might my cooking time differ?
Ovens vary in temperature and heat distribution, so keep an eye on your dish towards the end and adjust as needed.

Can this be reheated?
Yes. I love serving it straight from the oven, but it reheats well — my kids happily eat it the next day, and so do I.

Why might my tahini sauce turn out too thick or too thin?
Tahini brands vary in thickness, so the amount of tray juices you’ll need can change. Add the liquid slowly while whisking so you can control the consistency — you’re aiming for a creamy, pourable sauce.