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These Persian Pistachio Meatballs with pomegranate sauce are delicious and easy to make. Tender meatballs with nutty pistachios cooked in a tasty pomegranate sauce makes for a delicious meal that pleases the entire family!
Persian cuisine is known for its rich flavors and creative use of nuts, herbs, and spices. These Persian Pistachio Meatballs (Koofteh Pesteh) are perfect for the Persian New Year (Nowruz), combining tender meat with the nutty crunch of Wonderful Pistachios for a truly unique dish. Serve these Persian Pistachio Meatballs with saffron rice and salad shirazi for a complete Persian meal.
Thank you Wonderful Pistachios for sponsoring this post.
Table of Contents
Thank you Wonderful Pistachios for sponsoring this post.
What Makes Koofteh Pesteh Special?
Koofteh Pesteh (Persian Pistachio Meatballs) takes inspiration from classic Persian meatball recipes but introduces crushed pistachios for a delicate crunch. Pistachios are a staple in Persian cooking, used in sweet and savory meals, and they add a luxurious element to this dish. The meatballs are lightly spiced with warm Persian flavors, creating a balance of savory and aromatic notes.
Wonderful Pistachios just introduced their No Shells Unsalted variety, and it’s a total game-changer in the kitchen. To celebrate, I’m sharing one of my favorite Nowruz dishes to enjoy with your family. Wonderful Pistachios No Shells Unsalted come in 6-ounce bags and are available online and at U.S. retailers nationwide.
Ingredients
- Ground beef: I use lean ground beef, however, you can also use a combination of ground beef and lamb.
- Onion and garlic: Yellow onion works best for this recipe. Use 1 or 2 garlic cloves so the flavor is not overwhelming.
- Pistachios: I used Wonderful Pistachios No Shells Unsalted, which saves so much time. The pistachios are unsalted, meaning they can be used in both sweet and savory dishes.Wonderful Pistachios No shells Unsalted are the perfect snack that everyone can enjoy any time of the day without guilt. These are perfect to explore new ways to use pistachios in cooking and baking.
- Fresh herbs: A combination of parsley, tarragon and dill add a lot of flavor to the meatballs.
- Spices: You’ll need paprika, turmeric, dried mint and salt.
- Egg: to help hold everything together.
- Pomegranate molasses: Used both in the meatballs and the sauce, pomegranate molasses adds a slight sourness that complements the pistachios very well.
How to Make Persian Pistachio Meatballs
Prepare the Meat Mixture – In a bowl, mix the ground meat with grated onion, crushed pistachios, herbs, spices and egg. Combine until well incorporated but avoid overmixing.
Shape the Meatballs – Form the mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs, ensuring they hold their shape.
Cook the Meatballs – Bake the meatballs in the oven for 20 minutes, meanwhile, prepare the sauce by mixing the pomegranate molasses, salt, olive oil and water in a measuring cup. Once the meatballs are partially baked, pour the sauce over and bake for another 15 minutes.
Serve – Top the meatballs with pomegranate arils, chopped Wonderful Pistachios and fresh mint if desired. Serve warm.
Serving Suggestions
Koofteh Pesteh can be served in multiple ways, depending on your preference:
- With Persian Rice – Serve alongside saffron-infused basmati rice or tahdig for an authentic Persian meal.
- With Lavash or Flatbread – Wrap the meatballs in lavash with fresh herbs, pickled vegetables, and a drizzle of yogurt.
- As an Appetizer – Serve with a yogurt-based dipping sauce or pomegranate molasses glaze for a unique starter.
Storage and Reheating
Koofteh Pesteh stores very well, making it a great meal prep option.
- Refrigeration: Store cooked meatballs in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: Freeze uncooked or cooked meatballs in a single layer on a tray, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Warm the pistachio meatballs in the oven at 300°F (150°C) for about 10 minutes, or reheat gently on the stovetop with a little broth to maintain moisture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely. You can prepare and refrigerate the meatball mixture up to a day in advance or freeze the shaped meatballs for later use.
Yes! Simply sear the meatballs in some olive oil until brown and cooked, this should take about 10 minutes. Then drizzle the sauce, cover with a lid and cook for another 15 minutes on medium heat.
While these are traditionally made with ground beef or lamb, you can use ground chicken or turkey as well.
More Persian Recipes
Persian Recipes
Kotlet (Persian Meat Patties)
Persian Recipes
Persian Jeweled Rice Recipe
Persian Recipes
Makaroni (Persian Spaghetti)
Persian Recipes
Joojeh Kabab (Persian Saffron Chicken Kebab)
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Persian Pistachio Meatballs (Koofteh Pesteh)
Ingredients
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 1 onion, grated
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 1 ½ cup Wonderful Pistachios No Shells Unsalted
- 1 egg
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 tbsp dried mint
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ cup parsley, chopped
- ¼ cup tarragon, chopped
- ¼ cup dill, chopped
- 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
Garnish
- 2 tbsp pomegranate arils
- 3 tbsp Wonderful Pistachios No Shells Unsalted , chopped
- 2 sprigs fresh mint
Instructions
- Place the pistachios in a food processor and blitz until they are finely ground. Avoid over mixing otherwise they will turn into pistachio paste.
- Place the beef in a bowl, add in the onion, garlic, ground pistachios, egg, turmeric, dried mint, paprika and salt. Add in the parsley, tarragon and dill followed by the pomegranate molasses.
- Mix everything well using your hands. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes while the oven is preheating.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. After 30 minutes, take the meatball mixture out of the fridge, measure out about 1 1/2 tablespoon of the mixture and roll it into a ball. Place it in a 9×13 baking dish. Repeat with the remaining mixture.
- Bake the meatballs in the oven for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce by mixing the pomegranate molasses, salt, olive oil and water in a measuring cup. After 20 minutes, drizzle the sauce over the meatballs, then bake for 15 more minutes.
- Garnish with chopped pistachios, pomegranate arils and fresh mint.
Video
Notes
- These meatballs are traditionally made with beef or lamb, but you can also use ground chicken or turkey.
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
