My Turkey Kofta Pita Wraps are a simple and tasty way to bring Eastern Mediterranean flavors to your dinner table. The recipe is easy to prepare, customizable and delicious. Best of all, it all comes together in under 45 minutes.
Serve with Pickled Turnips, Sumac Onions and homemade Lebanese Pita. More serving suggestions and ideas below!
Turkey Kofta Wraps: Recipe at a Glance
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
45 mins
Servings
4 People
Calories*
494 kcal
Difficulty
Easy
Main Ingredients
Ground turkey, onion, spices, herbs, cucumber, tomato, and tahini.
Technique
Mixing the kofta meat mixture, grilling/panfrying, preparing the sauce and toppings.
*Calories are estimated
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Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
- Easy & approachable: Simple ingredients and straightforward steps mean even weeknight cooks can nail flavorful kofta without fuss. You can also use my Beef Kofta or Chicken Kofta recipes as the base here.
- Fresh & balanced: The crisp cucumber‑tomato salad and creamy tahini sauce balance the savory turkey perfectly.
- Great for gatherings: These wraps are ideal for serving a crowd. Build‑your‑own style makes dinner fun and interactive.
Ingredients
This recipe comes together with a few simple fresh and pantry ingredients. Feel free to play around with the garnishes and toppings. Here is what you will need:
- Ground Meat: This recipe uses ground turkey meat (turkey mince), which is both accessible and lean. But you can totally make this recipe using my Beef Kofta or Chicken Kofta base recipes, too.
- Spices: Some of my favorite Eastern Mediterranean spices (ground cumin, ground coriander and smoked paprika) give these koftas a great flavor profile.
- Fresh Herbs: Finely chopped fresh parsley is also a pretty standard kofta ingredient. It adds freshness. I also like including fresh mint in the chopped salad topping.
- Tahini: This Middle Eastern sesame paste is a pantry staple for me. If you’re out of tahini, try sunflower seed butter or cashew butter for a similar texture. But really, try to get your hands on Tahini. It’s available at most grocery stores, and you can use it in many of my Mediterranean recipes like Mutabal (Roasted Eggplant Dip), Musabaha (Warm Chickpeas in Tahini Sauce), Kale Chickpea Salad, and Tahini Salad.
- Pita Bread: Store-bought pita is perfectly fine, of course. Try to find fresh or soft pita. They will be more pliable and easier to form wraps with. You can also make your pitas if you wish. Try my Greek-Style Pita and Lebanese-Style Pita recipes. You can also use thicker pitas and slice them open to create pita pockets.
- Toppings: Shredded lettuce, pickled onions, sumac onions, pickled turnips (see more pairing ideas below)
Refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make this Turkey Kofta Wraps Recipe
Step 1. Make the Kofta Base. In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, grated onion, minced garlic, parsley, cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Mix gently with your hands until just incorporated. Avoid overmixing so the kofta stays tender.
Step 2. Shape the Kofta. Lightly oil your hands and form the mixture into small logs or oblong patties. You should get about 8–10 koftas, depending on how large you make them.
Step 3. Cook the Kofta. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add a thin layer of olive oil. Cook the kofta for 3–4 minutes per side, turning until browned and cooked through (internal temperature should reach 165°F / 74°C – use an instant-read thermometer to check). Alternatively, grill them over medium heat or bake in a 400°F (200°C) oven for about 15–18 minutes, flipping halfway.
Step 4. Make the Salad. In a bowl, combine the chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, herbs, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat evenly and set aside.
Step 5. Make the Tahini Sauce. Whisk together tahini, lemon juice, grated garlic, and salt in a small bowl. Add cold water, one tablespoon at a time, until the sauce reaches a smooth, pourable consistency.
Step 6. Assemble the Pitas. Warm your pita breads. Fill each with a handful of the salad, add 1–2 turkey koftas, and drizzle generously with tahini sauce. Top with pickled turnips or onions and shredded lettuce if you like.
Pairing and Menu Ideas
This recipe is complete as it is, but for added topping variations and options, try my Pickled Turnips, Sumac Onions, and Pickled Cauliflower. You can also top with crumbled feta cheese.
As for sauces, the Tahini sauce listed is quite good, but you can also use my Mint Yogurt Sauce, Tzatziki Sauce or Mint Chimichurri Sauce. Or use some Greek yogurt.
Don’t forget to add some Shatta or Fermented Hot Sauce if you like some heat.
For a larger spread, include my Muhammara (Roasted Red Pepper Dip), Ezme (Turkish Chopped Salad), or Mutabal (Roasted Eggplant Dip).
Expert Tips
- Keep it juicy: Use dark turkey meat if you can and avoid overcooking. Using a meat thermometer is helpful here (turkey is fully cooked when it reaches 165F).
- Consistency is key: Ground turkey can have more or less moisture in it depending on where you buy it from, if it’s made with white or dark meat. So you may need to make some adjustments on the fly. If your mix is too wet, add bread crumbs into the mix slowly until you’re able to shape it into logs.
- Spice balance: Feel free to add a pinch of chili flakes, chili powder or Aleppo pepper for gentle heat to the mix.
- Fry up a bit of kofta: To make sure your seasoning is spot on, fry up a small amount of the kofta mixture and taste it. You’ll know if you need to make personal adjustments to the mix flavor profile.
- Warm your pita: Warming makes pitas more pliable and helps them hold all the filling without tearing. But don’t warm them too long. You may end up drying them out, which will cause them to crack. When it comes to the pita, my Taboon Flatbread is easy to make and will be perfect in this recipe.
- Fresh herbs matter: Extra parsley or mint elevates the brightness of the salad and balances savory kofta.
Recipe FAQs
You can mix and shape the kofta up to a day ahead and keep them covered in the fridge. The salad and tahini sauce can also be prepped a few hours in advance.
Store cooked turkey kofta and salad separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep the tahini sauce chilled as well.
Yes. Place shaped but uncooked kofta on a baking tray or baking sheet, freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw before cooking.
Other Main Dishes
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Turkey Kofta Pita Wraps (with Salad and Sauce)
Ingredients
Turkey Kofta
- 1 lb Ground turkey
- ½ Onion (grated)
- 2-3 Garlic cloves (minced)
- ¼ cup Fresh parsley (finely chopped)
- 1 teaspoon Ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon Ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon Smoked paprika
- ¾ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil – For shaping and cooking
Salad
- 1 cup Tomatoes (chopped)
- 1 cup Cucumber (chopped)
- ¼ Red onion (thinly sliced)
- 2 tablespoon Fresh parsley (chopped)
- 2 tablespoon Fresh mint (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon Olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
- Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Tahini Sauce
- ⅓ cup Tahini
- 2 tablespoon Lemon juice
- 1 Garlic clove (minced)
- 3-5 tablespoon Cold water – to thin the sauce
- Kosher salt to taste
To Serve
- 4 Pita breads or flatbreads
- Pickled turnips – Optional
- Sumac Onions – Optional
- Shredded lettuce – Optional
Instructions
- Make the Kofta Base. In a large bowl, combine 1 lb Ground turkey, ½ Onion (grated), 2-3 Garlic cloves (minced), ¼ cup Fresh parsley (finely chopped), 1 teaspoon Ground cumin, 1 teaspoon Ground coriander, 1 teaspoon Smoked paprika, ¾ teaspoon Kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon Black pepper. Mix gently with your hands until just incorporated. Avoid overmixing so the kofta stays tender. NOTE: You can fry up a small amount of meat mixture, taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Shape the Kofta. Lightly oil your hands and form the mixture into small logs or oblong patties. You should get about 8–10 koftas, depending on how large you make them.
- Cook the Kofta. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add a thin layer of olive oil. Cook the kofta for 3–4 minutes per side, turning until browned and cooked through (internal temperature should reach 165°F / 74°C – use an instant-read thermometer to check). Alternatively, grill them over medium heat or bake in a 400°F (200°C) oven for about 15–18 minutes, flipping halfway.
- Make the Salad. In a bowl, combine 1 cup Tomatoes (chopped), 1 cup Cucumber (chopped), ¼ Red onion (thinly sliced), 2 tablespoon Fresh parsley (chopped), 2 tablespoon Fresh mint (chopped), 1 tablespoon Olive oil, 1 tablespoon Lemon juice, and Kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Toss to coat evenly and set aside.
- Make the Tahini Sauce. Whisk together ⅓ cup Tahini, 2 tablespoon Lemon juice, 1 Garlic clove (minced) and 3-5 tablespoon Cold water until the sauce reaches a smooth, pourable consistency. Season with Kosher salt to taste.
- Assemble the Pitas. Warm 4 Pita breads or flatbreads. Fill each with a handful of the salad, add 1–2 turkey koftas, and drizzle generously with tahini sauce. Top with Pickled turnips or Sumac Onions and Shredded lettuce if you like.
Notes
- Ground Meat: This recipe uses ground turkey meat, which is both accessible and lean. But you can totally make this recipe using my Beef Kofta or Chicken Kofta base recipes.
- Fresh Herbs: Finely chopped fresh parsley is also a pretty standard kofta ingredient. I also like including fresh mint in the chopped salad topping.
- Tahini: This Middle Eastern sesame paste is a pantry staple for me. If you’re out of tahini, try sunflower seed butter or cashew butter for a similar texture. But really, try to get your hands on Tahini. It’s available at most grocery stores.
- Pita Bread: Store-bought pita is perfectly fine, of course. Try to find fresh or soft pita. They will be more pliable and easier to form wraps with. You can also make your pitas if you wish. Try my Greek-Style Pita and Lebanese-Style Pita recipes. You can also use thicker pitas and slice them open to create pita pockets.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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