Persian Beef Cutlets (Kotlet)

These Persian beef cutlets (kotlet) are made with potatoes, coated in bread crumbs and pan fried to make a very family friendly dish.

Every family has a different definition for comfort food, depending on their ethnic background, geography and general personal preferences. Both my husband and I grew up with Persian food, so it is not surprising that many of our comfort meals are Persian meals.

From our favorite Persian stew (hello gormeh sabzi) to our favorite kabob (mmmm… kabob koobideh), we just love Persian food. Today I am sharing another big family favorite: Persian Beef Cutlets, kotlet.

Laura’s tips

Why this recipe works

• Simple: Similar to Spanish croquette, ground meat is mixed with onions, potatoes and seasonings then coated with bread crumbs and pan fried.
• Family Friendly: These crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside patties are always a hit with the kids. They’re perfect for school lunches, quick dinners, or even meal prep.
• Serve: Serve them with flatbread and pickles, stuff them into sandwiches, or pair with rice and Shirazi salad for a full Persian-style meal. They go with just about everything!
• Versatile: I have also made kotlet with mashed cooked cauliflower instead of potatoes, lightening up the patties. They can also be made with ground turkey or ground chicken.

Ingredients you need

• Potatoes: Traditional kotlet is made with potatoes, specifically russet potatoes. You want the starchy potatoes and not waxy ones. I have also made kotlet with just cauliflower, cauliflower and potatoes and just potatoes. All versions taste great!
• Onion: Regular brown onions work perfectly in this recipe. They are grated so they melt into the meat mixture. You can get away with finely dicing the onions, but grated is preferred.
• Ground Meat: Traditionally, cutlet is made with ground beef. You can use 80/20 or 90/10 ground beef. You can also use ground chicken or ground turkey.
• Egg: In this recipe, the egg is used as a binder.
• Spices: Turmeric, cumin, salt, pepper
• Oil: The kotlet are pan fried in shallow oil. I use extra virgin olive oil. Despite what you hear you CAN fry with extra virgin olive oil. You can also use vegetable oil.
• Pantry Staples: Baking soda, flour, bread crumbs

Step-by-step directions

1. Mash the potatoes. Boil the potatoes until fork tender. Drain water and mash with a potato masher. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and allow it to cool to room temperature.
2. Grate the onion. Grate onion by hand or use a food processor with a grating attachment. Grated onion makes a smoother kotlet mixture than just chopping or mincing.
3. Combine the meat mix. Add onions with the potatoes along with ground beef, baking soda, flour, egg and seasonings. Mix until thoroughly combined.
4. Form the patties. Grab a 2 inch-ball of meat mixture and flatten to an oval shape about the size of your hand up to ½-inch thick. Press both sides of cutlets into bread crumbs and reserve on a large platter or baking sheet.
5. Fry the patties. Pan fry 4-6 cutlets in hot oil until both sides are browned and cutlet is cooked through. Transfer to a plate covered with paper towels or a cooling rack over a baking sheet and let cutlets drain excess oil

Expert Tips and Recipe FAQS

You don’t usually see a platter of kotlet at a fancy Persian dinner, but that doesn’t mean that this dish isn’t beloved by Iranians. It is typically a home cooked meal, perfect for weeknight dinners.

I have served beef cutlets at parties and potlucks, offering these up as an appetizer. My kids enjoy them as leftovers for lunch or an afternoon snack.

• Serve warm alongside your favorite rice dish or part of a full dinner spread.
• You can also wrap them up in lavash or pita bread, stuffed pickles, radishes and fresh herbs or sabzi khordan to make sandwiches.
• Kotlet can be served warm or cold

Kotlet can be prepared in the air fryer, too. I have made air fryer turkey cutlet with both ground turkey and ground beef (pictured below). Whichever meat you use, whichever cooking method you choose, this is a delicious and family friend meal.

Persian Beef Cutlets (Kotlet)

Laura Bashar | Family Spice

These Persian beef cutlets (kotlet) with potatoes and cauliflower is updated to include some healthy cauliflower into this family friendly dish.

5 from 4 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Additional Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Persian

Servings 8

Calories 318 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 lb potatoes peeled and quartered
• 1 medium onion
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon dried turmeric
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

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Instructions

 

• In a medium-sized pot, add potatoes and cauliflower and cover with water.
• Bring to boil and cook until vegetables are fork tender, about 20 minutes.
• Drain water out and mash soft vegetables in hot pot with a potato masher until mixed thoroughly.
• Transfer to a large mixing bowl and allow to cool to room temperature, about 10-15 minutes.
• Grate onion by hand or use a food processor with a grating attachment.
• Squeeze out excess juice and place grated onions with mashed potatoes.
• In the same mixing bowl, add ground beef, baking soda, flour, egg and seasonings.
• Mix by hand until fully incorporated.
• Pour breadcrumbs on a plate.
• Grab a 2 inch-ball of meat mixture and flatten to an oval shape about the size of your hand up to ½-inch thick.
• Press both sides of cutlets into bread crumbs and reserve on a large platter or baking sheet.
• Heat a large non-stick skillet, over medium-high heat add 2 TBS olive oil.
• Pan fry 4-6 cutlets for 3 minutes on one side, flip over and then brown the other side for 3 minutes.
• Remove cutlets to plate covered with paper towels to soak up excess oil, then transfer to serving dish and cover with foil. You can also place a cooling rack over a baking sheet and let cutlets drain on that.
• Continue pan frying remaining cutlets, adding more oil, as needed.
• Serve warm or room temperature.

Notes

Serving Suggestions: Serve with fresh herbs, radishes, pickles, tomatoes and lavash or pita bread.

Cooking Tips: You can also make this dish using ground chicken or turkey. If you prefer the original recipe, omit the cauliflower and use 1 lb of potatoes. You can also use 1 lb of cauliflower.

To bake kotlet, lightly coat a baking sheet with extra virgin olive oil. Place the breaded patties on the baking and bake in the oven at 375ºF for 30 minutes. Be sure to flip them over half way through the baking so they brown evenly.

TO STORE: Store any leftover kotlet in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

TO FREEZE: You can also freeze leftovers. Transfer to a resealable bag or freezer safe container and freeze for up to 4 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cutletCalories: 318kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 19gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 74mgSodium: 614mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2g

Keyword beef cutlet, kotlet, Persian cutlet

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Nutrition Disclaimer

Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.

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