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    Home » Persian Recipes

    Kotlet (Persian Meat Patties)

    Published: Oct 10, 2018 · Modified: Jun 30, 2022 by Shadi HasanzadeNemati · This post may contain affiliate links .

    10804 shares
    • 19
    Jump to Recipe

    Kotlet aka Persian meat patties are one of a kind and an all-time favorite. They are crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside!

    Kotlet aka Persian meat patties are one of a kind and an all-time favorite. They are crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside!

    It's always great to see that you love and make our Persian recipes at home. When readers reach out and say they have made our fava beans recipe in spring as a snack, our ghormeh sabzi or zereshk polo for a gathering, and have served it with mast o khiar, it makes me so happy! Now here is a new addition to our collection: Kotlet also known as Persian meat patties.

    Table Of Contents:
    • What is Kotlet?
    • Ingredients notes and substitutions
    • How to make Kotlet
    • Serving suggestion
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • More Persian recipes
    • Step-by-Step Recipe

    What is Kotlet?

    Kotlet is a Persian dish made with ground beef and lamb mixed with spices and eggs and fried in a pan. It originates from the word "cutlet" which means a thin slice of meat or a croquette or cutlet-shaped patty made with ground meat. Kotlet is a delicious family dinner that also makes great leftovers and is perfect for school lunch.

    There are many ways to make kotlet and each Iranian family has its own method and list of ingredients to use. The recipe I'm sharing with you today is my family's and we've been making it for years.

    Kotlet is Persian meat patties pan fried in oil and served with French fries.

    Ingredients notes and substitutions

    To make these Persian meat patties, all you need are only a few ingredients:

    • Ground beef: I usually use lean ground beef for this recipe. You can also use ground lamb or a combination of ground lamb and beef.
    • Potatoes: Russet potatoes work best for this recipe. You can either use them raw or boil them in advance. Both approaches will result in delicious patties. I've shown the method using raw potatoes in this recipe.
    • Onion: You need to grate the onion and squeeze out all the excess liquid.
    • Spices: this recipe calls for turmeric, salt and pepper. Some might also add cayenne, paprika or cumin.
    • Flour: Just a few tablespoons of all purpose flour to bring the mixture together.
    • Egg: This works as a binding agent in this recipe.
    To make Kotlet, you need ground beef, potatoes, onion, egg, spices and flour.

    How to make Kotlet

    1. Mix the ground meat (lamb, beef or a combination of both) with the grated onion, grated potatoes, spices, egg and flour.
    2. Pour the oil in the pan, enough to cover the bottom of the pan and heat it over medium heat. Wet your hands with water and grab about 2 tablespoons of the mixture and shape it into a patty. Repeat with the remaining mixture.
    3. Place the patties in the oil and sear for about 5 minutes on each side until the outside is brown and crispy and the inside is fully cooked.

    Serving suggestion

    The traditional way of serving kotlet is with some bread such as lavash or barbari and pickles, tomatoes and fries. You can easily turn this into a wrap for an easy on the go meal.

    You can also serve these Persian meat patties with white rice, saffron rice or Persian rice with tahdig. I also like to have some Persian pickles on the side for more flavor.

    Serve kotlet with French fries, tomatoes and pickles.
    Kotlet is crispy and golden on the outside and juicy on the inside.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can I bake these patties?

    Persian meat patties are originally fried in a pan but I have also baked them in the oven and they turn out pretty good. To bake kotlet, preheat the oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with extra virgin olive oil. Shape the patties and place them on the baking sheet and bake in the oven for 30 minutes, flipping half way through.

    I don't eat beef or lamb, can I use other meat?

    Yes! Traditionally, kotlet is made with either ground lamb, beef or a combination of the two. But you can use ground turkey as well.

    My kotlets are raw on the inside, what went wrong?

    The reason the patties are burnt on the outside and raw on the inside could be the heat. If the heat is too high the inside will be raw.

    Can I make these ahead of time?

    Yes. You can make the mixture up to a day in advance. It's also possible to make the patties a day in advance and keep them in the refrigerator and heat when ready to eat.

    How should I store the leftovers?

    Place the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. You can also freeze them in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw them in the fridge overnight and reheat in a pan over medium heat.

    Kotlet is made with ground beef or lamb or a combination of both.

    More Persian recipes

    • Ghormeh Sabzi - Persian Herb Stew (Video)
    • Salad Shirazi (Persian Cucumber Tomato Salad)
    • Persian Love Cake Recipe
    • Persian Rice and Tahdig - A Step-by-Step Guide

    Did you make this recipe? I'd love to hear about it! Please comment and leave a 5-star🌟 rating below. You can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest or subscribe to our newsletter to get a free e-Cookbook!

    Step-by-Step Recipe

    Persian Meat Patties- Kotlet

    Shadi HasanzadeNemati
    Persian meat patties aka Kotlet are tasty patties that are crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. They are easy to make and so delicious to eat!
    4.75 from 51 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 25 mins
    Cook Time 35 mins
    Total Time 1 hr
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Persian
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 287 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 pound ground beef
    • 2 russet potato
    • 1 onion
    • 1 egg
    • 3 tbsp. flour
    • ½ teaspoon turmeric
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 4 tablespoon vegetable oil

    To serve:

    • 1 tomatoes sliced
    • 1 cup pickles sliced
    • fries

    Instructions
     

    • Grate the onion. Squeeze it very hard and dispose all the juice. (The juice will make the patties fall apart). Peel and grate the potato as well.
    • Mix the grated onion with ground beef.
    • Add the egg, flour and spices, using your hand, mix everything until well combined. The mixture is going to be very sticky.
    • Heat the oil in a shallow pan over medium heat.
    • Place a bowl of water near yourself, wet your hands, take about 2 tablespoons of the patty mixture, form into oval and fry it in the oil, about 5 minutes on each side until brown and cooked inside.
    • Serve warm with tomatoes, fries and pickled cucumber.

    Notes

    1. You can boil the potatoes in advance, mash them and add them to the rest of the ingredients. 
    2. To fry the patties, you can use vegetable oil, canola oil or avocado oil. 
    3. To bake kotlet, preheat the oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with extra virgin olive oil. Shape the patties and place them on the baking sheet and bake in the oven for 30 minutes, flipping half way through. 
    4. Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 287kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 16gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 76mgSodium: 640mgPotassium: 558mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 316IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 28mgIron: 3mg
    Did you make this recipe? Let us know how it was by leaving a comment and a 5-star review!
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    • 19

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Laressa

      July 19, 2022 at 5:04 pm

      5 stars
      love these! my kid thinks they're chicken nuggets so I'm make them often 🙂

      Reply
    2. Irena

      July 19, 2022 at 5:02 pm

      5 stars
      I have made meatballs with potatoes before so I know what a great secret ingredient it is. Loved the texture and flavour of these patties, they are great cold out of the fridge too.

      Reply
    3. Jamie

      July 19, 2022 at 4:39 pm

      5 stars
      These meat patties were so flavorful and easy to make! I served it with some side salad and it made a delicious dinner. Thank you!

      Reply
    4. Caitlin

      July 19, 2022 at 2:57 pm

      5 stars
      These meat patties are super delicious and perfect for a weeknight meal - thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
    5. Kathleen

      July 19, 2022 at 2:15 pm

      5 stars
      These meat patties sound marvelous. Can't wait to make them for my family.

      Reply
    6. Sharon

      May 25, 2022 at 6:03 pm

      5 stars
      These meat patties are so easy and full of flavor. Just the hearty meal you need for those busy weeknights.

      Reply
    7. Jamie

      May 25, 2022 at 6:00 pm

      5 stars
      These kotlets are so juicy and flavorful! I love how the outside gets that crispy texture. My family loved this for dinner!

      Reply
    8. Andrea

      May 25, 2022 at 5:12 pm

      5 stars
      This is the first time we've eaten these. They're a hit!

      Reply
    9. Liza

      May 25, 2022 at 5:04 pm

      5 stars
      What a terrific recipe! I love learning new recipes from your blog, and these meat patties are so tasty. It's great that these can be frozen, too. Thanks for another winner from Unicorns in the Kitchen!

      Reply
    10. Vanessa

      May 25, 2022 at 4:32 pm

      5 stars
      This was a winner in my house! My kids gobbled them up in record time.

      Reply
    11. Denise

      April 10, 2022 at 3:51 pm

      What kind of flour do you use? And can I use coconut flour?

      Reply
      • Shadi HasanzadeNemati

        April 12, 2022 at 2:34 pm

        I used all purpose flour. Coconut flour might change the flavor. You can use almond flour.

        Reply
    12. Lise

      March 28, 2022 at 6:25 pm

      I’m confused! What potatoes are you frying in the second pan? I thought you grated the cooked potato and added it all to the meat mixture.

      Reply
      • Shadi HasanzadeNemati

        July 29, 2022 at 1:24 pm

        Hi Lise, could you explain what you're referring to? This recipe calls for raw potatoes grated into the ground beef. You can also boil the potatoes before adding them to the ground beef. This dish is usually served with fries.

        Reply
    13. yak

      March 10, 2022 at 6:17 am

      5 stars
      Hi Shadi, is it possible that the kotlet name originated from Polish dish with same name? There were over 100k polish refugees in Persia during 2nd world war and i feel there must be some connection, as this spelling is very unusual and same as in Polish language, also dish looks like our kotlet mielony.

      Reply
      • Shadi HasanzadeNemati

        March 15, 2022 at 12:31 am

        Hi Yak! That's a big possibility! How interesting it is that food connects us like this!

        Reply
    14. Kathy

      September 04, 2021 at 12:10 pm

      5 stars
      Hi Shadi,
      to squeeze the grated onion, is there a special tool or cloth we can use?
      Thanks for this great recipe! We love cotlet.

      Reply
      • Shadi HasanzadeNemati

        December 02, 2021 at 4:02 am

        Hi Kathy, I usually just use my hands or a few layers of cheese cloth!

        Reply
    15. Chrissy

      April 16, 2020 at 3:47 pm

      5 stars
      Made these because I was looking for something new to do with ground beef I had defrosted. These were so good! Love the meat and potato combo.

      Reply
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