Vegan Kofta Plates with Roasted Vegetables and Couscous
Welcome to one of my favorite dinners of late—vegan kofta meatballs with roasted vegetables, couscous, and a delicious lemon sauce on top.
These vegan kofta plates are a delicious and unique dinner. If you love the flavors of kofta as much as I do, then you’ve gotta try this meal.
Have you made my vegan kofta meatballs yet? We can’t get enough of them. Uniquely spiced, with a savory, warm flavor, they are tucked into pita bread and topped with tomato cucumber salad.
They are so good, and they are one of my favorite recipes to come out of my kitchen lately.
These plates are similar, but different. Same kofta meatballs, this time served as a plate with roasted vegetables, couscous, and a lemon yogurt drizzle on top.
If you like the flavor of kofta, then you are going to love this plant-based version in my vegan kofta plates.
Why I love this recipe
As a dietitian and plant-based chef, I’m always looking for ways to show people just how delicious plant-based food can be.
You don’t need to fear plant-based meats. I know there is a lot of chatter online about the health benefits of foods like Impossible and Beyond Meat, but after reviewing the studies that have been done so far, the results are clear. Replacing red meat with plant-based meat products is shown to have cardiovascular and metabolic benefits.
Here is a good paper that discusses the research if you’d like to learn more.
While I love plants– like lentils, black beans, tofu, tempeh– I also like the taste of these alternative meat products. I recently had a vegan kofta plate when I was in NYC (at the incredible Anixi) and wanted to recreate that meal here.
Ingredient Notes
These vegan kofta plates are easily adaptable — you can change the vegetables depending on what you have in the fridge. I’m partial to zucchini, squash, and tomatoes, my favorite roasting vegetables, but others work.
I also like couscous here as the texture and flavor naturally pair with the kofta meatballs. Israeli-style couscous, wheat berries, and farro would also work.
For the vegan ground beef, I recommend using Impossible brand or Beyond Beef. I’ve tried this recipe with both brands and prefer the Impossible, but both will work.
I know the ingredient list looks long, but it’s mostly spices that you likely have in your pantry already. Kofta typically boasts a rich, savory flavor profile thanks to a blend of aromatic spices like cumin, coriander, allspice, ginger, and cinnamon.
Because of the unique flavor in these vegan kofta meatballs, I don’t recommend substituting one spice for another.
How to Make These Vegan Kofta Plates
Step 1: Toss the Vegetables
Toss the vegetables with olive oil, salt, and seasonings. I use a large bowl to mix to ensure that all the vegetables are well coated in both the oil and the spices.
Step 2: Roast
Roast the vegetables until tender and caramelized on the outside, about 30-40 minutes, stirring halfway through. Make sure to use a baking sheet big enough to handle all of the vegetables. Depending on the size of your sheet pans, you may need to split the vegetables into two sheets.
Step 3: Make the Meatballs
While the vegetables are cooking, make the kofta meatballs. Mix together the herbs, spices, grated onion until well combined, then add the plant-based meat. I use my hands to mix together the mixture as I find this easier than using a spoon! You want to make sure that the herbs and spices are well mixed into the meatballs.
Step 4: Bake
Roll into uniform balls, then bake until tender, about 15-18 minutes. I use a scoop to ensure that my meatballs are the same size. You want them to be fairly uniform so they bake evenly.
Step 5: Make the Couscous
While the meatballs and vegetables are cooking, prepare the couscous. Bring water to a boil, along with a pinch of salt and a drizzle of olive oil. Add the couscous, then cover and turn off the heat for 5 minutes—fluff with a fork and then set aside until the rest of the meal is ready.
Step 6: Make the Lemon Dresssing
Whisk together all the ingredients for the lemon sauce, taste it, and adjust it to flavor preference as desired. The kofta meatballs will be fairly salty, so you want the lemon dressing to be nice and bright to help balance the flavors.
Serve
Now you are ready to assemble your vegan kofta plates! Layer the couscous on a plate, then top with the roasted vegetables, meatballs and drizzle with lemon yogurt sauce. I like serving with extra lemon sauce at the table.
Tips for Success
For well-spiced meatballs, I call for mixing all of the ingredients except for the vegan meat first, then adding the meat and using your hands to incorporate the meatball mixture together. This helps not to overwork the vegan meat and ensure that every bite of the meatball contains enough spices.
I like using a scoop to portion these vegan kofta meatballs easily. This makes for uniform meatballs and allows them to cook evenly in the oven. This is the scoop I use. If you make your meatballs larger, then watch the cooking time to make sure they are still tender inside and not overcooked.
For a crispier texture, I drizzle a little olive oil over the shaped meatballs before baking.
You can double the meatballs, which I highly recommend doing! Freeze leftovers or enjoy them in my kofta pita recipe.
More Vegan Recipes
- Air Fryer Cauliflower Wings
- Spicy Arrabbiata Sauce
- Vegan Lentil Tacos
- Peanut Tofu Buddha Bowl
- Easy 20 Minute Vegan Pasta
If you try these vegan kofta plates, make sure to come back to leave a comment and a rating. Your feedback helps other readers, and seeing you make my recipes makes my day!
Vegan Kofta Plates with Roasted Vegetables
Equipment
Ingredients
Roasted Vegetables:
- 2 medium zucchini, chopped
- 2 medium yellow squash, chopped
- 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 large red onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the Kofta Meatballs:
- 1 tablespoon fresh mint, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon1
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 cup grated onion2
- 1 12-16 ounce package plant-based ground meat, like Impossible
Lemon Dressing:
- 1 cup plain yogurt, dairy-free as desired
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper
- pinch cayenne
For Serving
- 2 cups cooked couscous
Instructions
Make the vegetables
- Add the zucchini, squash, tomatoes, and red onion to a large sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil, garlic powder, and oregano. Using your hands, rub the oil and spices all over the vegetables, then spread them in a single layer. Roast for 30-40 minutes, tossing halfway through until tender.
Make the meatballs
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix together all of the meatball ingredients except for the plant-based meat. Add the plant-based meat and stir together, then roll into 1 tablespoon balls (I use this scoop) and place on a baking sheet. Cook for 15-18 minutes or until cooked through.
Make the Lemon Sauce
- Mix together all of the ingredients, then taste, adjusting to preference– adding more salt, lemon, and olive oil as desired.
Serve
- Divide the cooked couscous into 4 bowls, then top with the vegetables and meatballs. Drizzle with the sauce.
Notes
- I think this is a personal preference. If you want just a hint, do 1/4 teaspoon. If you want a little more pronounced cinnamon flavor, do 1/2 teaspoon.
- I like the flavor of white or yellow onion for these meatballs however since I am already using red onion in the pita, then I usually just use red onion for this. I grate my onion using a box grater.