Beef koftas with pita bread and minted yoghurt

These flavour-packed meatballs will have everyone coming back for more. And no one will guess what’s missing.

Chrissy Glentis

August 15, 2025

Serve bite-sized versions of the beef koftas as an appetiser with minted yoghurt.Armelle Habib / Murdoch Books

I’ve made this dish as an appetiser for countless parties, and it never fails to steal the show. The tender, perfectly spiced koftas pair so beautifully with the cool, creamy minted yoghurt that each bite tastes like a burst of flavour. It’s one of those dishes that has everyone coming back for seconds. And the best part? No one ever realises it’s low FODMAP! So let’s keep this secret between us.

Ingredients

lemon wedges, to serve

KOFTAS

500g minced beef
1 tsp sweet paprika
15g (¼ cup) chopped fresh mint
15g (¼ cup) chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tbsp tomato paste
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground allspice
1 egg

PITA BREADS

250g plain flour of your choice (see Tips)
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 tsp xanthan gum (omit if using regular flour)
2½ tbsp canola oil

MINTED YOGHURT

2 tbsp chopped fresh mint, plus extra shredded mint to serve
130g (½ cup) yoghurt of your choice (see Tips)
1-2 tsp sugar (optional)

Method

Preheat the oven to 160C fan-forced (180C conventional.

FOR THE KOFTAS

In a large bowl, mix all the kofta ingredients and mix until well combined. You can do this by hand or using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment – just be sure to use low speed to avoid over-mixing. Form the mixture into large balls of about 1 heaped tablespoon per ball (see Tips). Place the koftas on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake for 15-20 minutes until cooked through.

FOR THE PITA BREADs

Combine all the ingredients, except the oil, in a bowl. Add the oil with 185ml (¾ cup) water and mix until combined. Divide the dough into four equal portions and roll into balls. If you’re using regular wheat flour, rest the dough for about 30 minutes before rolling the balls out into discs about 1cm thick. Heat a dry, non-stick frying pan over medium heat and fry the pita breads, one by one, for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden brown.

fOR THE MINTED YOGHURT

To make the minted yoghurt, add the mint to the yoghurt with the sugar (if using) and mix well to combine.

TO SERVE

Serve the koftas inside the warm bread, topped with some minted yoghurt, extra shredded mint and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Tips

I have made these pita breads using both gluten-free and regular flour, and they work well either way, so use whatever you have on hand or can tolerate.

Use whatever yoghurt you like, but this recipe works best with dairy as non-dairy yoghurts have a different and often stronger flavour. If you aren’t dairy-free, I recommend using regular or lactose-free yoghurt.

You can make the koftas into smaller, bite-sized balls and take them to parties as an appetiser with the minted yoghurt as a dipping sauce.