Persian Pistachio Meatballs (Koofteh Pesteh)

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Koofteh Pesteh is a unique Persian meatball dish that blends tender, spiced ground meat with the subtle crunch and natural sweetness of pistachios.

Prep Time20

Cook Time40

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Persian

Servings:

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 9x13 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.

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.