Köftés with Pasta
Whip up a mouthwatering Köftés with Pasta in just 15 minutes! This delightful dish combines tender meatballs, simmered in a rich tomato sauce, with perfectly cooked pasta for a family favorite that’s both satisfying and quick. Get ready to impress your loved ones with this easy, flavorful meal that’s sure to become a weeknight go-to!
Prep
15
min
Cook
15
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(2)
- Persiloptional
- 1 échalote râpée
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- 1 c. à soupe de chapelure (15 ml)
- 500 gr de pâtes lustucru paprika coquillettes (17.6 oz)
- 1 bonne c. à soupe de concentré de tomate (15 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(3)
- Une petite pincée de cuminoptional
- Sel, poivre
- Paprika doux
📦Other(2)
- 1 litre d’eau bouillante (4.23 cup)
- 300 g de viande hachée (0.66 lbs)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
652
Protein
32g
Carbs
94g
Fat
16g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Mix all the köfté ingredients together and form small köftés.
- 2
Sauté them in a drizzle of olive oil until well grilled.
- 3
Add a good tablespoon of tomato paste, salt, pepper, and a clove of garlic, then sauté for a few moments.
- 4
Add 500 g of pasta and 1 liter of boiling water, cover, and let cook for 7 minutes.
- 5
Serve with some grated cheese and parsley on top.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Mix köfté ingredients for exactly 1-2 minutes until just combined, stopping before the meat temperature rises above 55°F (13°C). Overmixing develops gluten in the meat proteins, creating a dense, rubbery texture instead of the light, tender crumb structure you need.technique1-2 minutes maximum; meat temp below 55°F
- ✓Form köftés 30-45 minutes ahead and refrigerate them at 40°F (4°C) so the breadcrumb binder fully hydrates and the meat proteins set, preventing them from falling apart during sautéing.timing30-45 minutes chilling at 40°F
- ✓Use a 2:1 ratio of tomato paste to water (2 tbsp paste per 1 cup liquid) when deglazing after sautéing the köftés—this concentrates umami compounds and prevents the pasta sauce from becoming too watery since the pasta will absorb 60-65% of the cooking liquid.ingredient2:1 paste-to-water ratio
- ✓Add the boiling water and pasta simultaneously in a single pot, bringing the total liquid to 1.5 liters to account for pasta absorption. Using 1 liter alone will result in gluey pasta since Lustucru paprika shells absorb water rapidly and need adequate starch dispersion.technique1.5 liters total liquid for 500g pasta
- ✓Cook covered for exactly 7 minutes at a rolling boil (not simmer), as the trapped steam pressure accelerates starch gelatinization. Check at 6:30 minutes—residual heat will continue cooking for 30-60 seconds after you remove the lid, achieving al dente texture.timing7 minutes at rolling boil; check at 6:30 minutes
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
15
min
Serves
4
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Köftés with Pasta
Whip up a mouthwatering Köftés with Pasta in just 15 minutes! This delightful dish combines tender meatballs, simmered in a rich tomato sauce, with perfectly cooked pasta for a family favorite that’s both satisfying and quick. Get ready to impress your loved ones with this easy, flavorful meal that’s sure to become a weeknight go-to!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(2)
- Persiloptional
- 1 échalote râpée
🫙Pantry Staples(3)
- 1 c. à soupe de chapelure (15 ml)
- 500 gr de pâtes lustucru paprika coquillettes (17.6 oz)
- 1 bonne c. à soupe de concentré de tomate (15 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(3)
- Une petite pincée de cuminoptional
- Sel, poivre
- Paprika doux
📦Other(2)
- 1 litre d’eau bouillante (4.23 cup)
- 300 g de viande hachée (0.66 lbs)
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
652
Protein
32g
Carbs
94g
Fat
16g
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Mix all the köfté ingredients together and form small köftés.
- 2
Sauté them in a drizzle of olive oil until well grilled.
- 3
Add a good tablespoon of tomato paste, salt, pepper, and a clove of garlic, then sauté for a few moments.
- 4
Add 500 g of pasta and 1 liter of boiling water, cover, and let cook for 7 minutes.
- 5
Serve with some grated cheese and parsley on top.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Mix köfté ingredients for exactly 1-2 minutes until just combined, stopping before the meat temperature rises above 55°F (13°C). Overmixing develops gluten in the meat proteins, creating a dense, rubbery texture instead of the light, tender crumb structure you need.technique1-2 minutes maximum; meat temp below 55°F
- ✓Form köftés 30-45 minutes ahead and refrigerate them at 40°F (4°C) so the breadcrumb binder fully hydrates and the meat proteins set, preventing them from falling apart during sautéing.timing30-45 minutes chilling at 40°F
- ✓Use a 2:1 ratio of tomato paste to water (2 tbsp paste per 1 cup liquid) when deglazing after sautéing the köftés—this concentrates umami compounds and prevents the pasta sauce from becoming too watery since the pasta will absorb 60-65% of the cooking liquid.ingredient2:1 paste-to-water ratio
- ✓Add the boiling water and pasta simultaneously in a single pot, bringing the total liquid to 1.5 liters to account for pasta absorption. Using 1 liter alone will result in gluey pasta since Lustucru paprika shells absorb water rapidly and need adequate starch dispersion.technique1.5 liters total liquid for 500g pasta
- ✓Cook covered for exactly 7 minutes at a rolling boil (not simmer), as the trapped steam pressure accelerates starch gelatinization. Check at 6:30 minutes—residual heat will continue cooking for 30-60 seconds after you remove the lid, achieving al dente texture.timing7 minutes at rolling boil; check at 6:30 minutes