Puff Pastry Topped Meatball Kebab Recipe

Puff pastry topped meatball kebab is a Turkish one-pot bake made with spiced beef meatballs, roasted vegetables, peas and a tomato pepper paste sauce, sealed under a golden puff pastry lid. A pot pie with a kebab filling.

If you do nothing else, get the sauce right. It needs to be thick enough to coat every meatball and vegetable but not so thick it turns to paste. And not so thin that the pastry goes soggy from steam. I aim for something that clings to the back of a spoon but still drips off. If you err too dry, the whole dish tastes bland and stiff. A little too wet is better than too dry because the pastry seals the moisture in and everything steams together.

I fry the meatballs and vegetables separately before combining them in the sauce. It sounds like more work, but cooking them together means the meatballs break apart, the potatoes go mushy, and the peppers disappear. Frying each one on its own lets you control the texture. The meatballs stay firm, the potatoes hold their shape, and the peppers keep a bit of bite. Everything meets in the sauce at the end.

Puff Pastry Topped Meatball Kebab Ingredients

For the Meatballs

• 350g (12oz) beef mince (with some fat)
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1.5 tsp salt
• Small handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 small onion, finely grated
• 50g (2oz) fine breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1.5 tsp ground cumin

For the Vegetables

• 2 medium potatoes, cut into medium cubes
• 1 large carrot, cut into medium chunks
• 2 green peppers, cut into medium pieces
• 1 large pointed red pepper (kapya), cut into medium pieces
• 200g (7oz) frozen peas
• Olive oil, for cooking

For the Sauce

• 1 heaped tbsp tomato and pepper paste (biber salçası)
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1-2 cloves garlic, grated
• Hot water, as needed
• Salt, to taste

For Assembly

• 4-5 sheets ready-rolled puff pastry
• A little oil, for brushing
• Grated cheese, for serving (optional)
• Fresh parsley, for serving

How To Make Puff Pastry Topped Meatball Kebab

1. Make the meatballs: Put all the meatball ingredients in a bowl and knead together well. Roll into small marble-sized balls. Place on a tray, cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours or overnight to firm up.
2. Cook the meatballs: Fry the meatballs in the oven or air fryer until browned and cooked through. In the oven, bake at 200°C (400°F/Gas Mark 6) for 15-18 minutes. In an air fryer, cook at 190°C (375°F) for 12-15 minutes, shaking halfway. Set aside.
3. Cook the vegetables: Toss the potatoes and carrot with a little olive oil and cook until just tender but still holding their shape. Cook the peppers separately with a little oil until softened. If using an air fryer, cook at 190°C (375°F) for 10-12 minutes each batch. Set aside.
4. Make the sauce: Melt the butter with the oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the tomato and pepper paste and fry for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until it darkens. Grate in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Add enough hot water to make a sauce that coats the back of a spoon but still flows. Season with salt. Don’t make it too thick or too watery.
5. Combine everything: Put the meatballs, all the cooked vegetables and the peas in a large bowl. Pour the sauce over and mix gently until everything is well coated. The sauce should cling to every piece without pooling at the bottom.
6. Fill the dishes: Divide the mixture between 4-5 individual ovenproof dishes or small güveç pots. Brush the rims lightly with oil. Lay a sheet of puff pastry over each dish, pressing the edges onto the rim to seal. Trim any excess.
7. Bake: Place in a preheated oven at 200°C (400°F/Gas Mark 6) and bake until the pastry is puffed up and deep golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. Flip onto a serving plate, scatter with grated cheese and parsley if you like, and serve hot.

Recipe Tips

Rest the meatballs in the fridge. Freshly rolled meatballs are soft and fall apart during cooking. Two to three hours in the fridge, or overnight, firms them up so they hold their shape when fried.

Cook each vegetable separately. Potatoes, carrots and peppers all cook at different speeds and release different amounts of moisture. Cooking them together means uneven textures. It takes a few extra minutes but every piece comes out right.

Get the sauce consistency right. Too thick and the dish tastes dry under the pastry. Too thin and the pastry goes soggy from steam. It should coat a spoon but still drip off. Add water gradually and stop when it looks right.

Press the pastry edges firmly. The pastry needs to seal to the rim of the dish or it slides off during baking. Press with a fork around the edges for a tight seal that puffs up properly.

Serve flipped onto the plate. Turning the dish upside down puts the pastry on the bottom and the saucy meatballs on top. This is the traditional presentation and stops the pastry from going soggy while it sits on the table.

What To Serve With Puff Pastry Topped Meatball Kebab

Plain rice pilaf is the classic pairing. The sauce from the bake soaks into the rice and stretches the meal further.

A simple salad of sliced tomatoes, onion and flat-leaf parsley with a squeeze of lemon freshens the plate. This is a rich dish so keep the sides light.

How To Store Puff Pastry Topped Meatball Kebab

Fridge

Store the filling and pastry separately. The filling keeps in a sealed container for up to 2 days. Assemble with fresh pastry and bake when ready to eat.

Reheat

If already assembled and baked, reheat in the oven at 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4) for 10-12 minutes. The pastry won’t be quite as crisp as fresh but it holds up reasonably well. Avoid microwaving, the pastry turns soft and chewy.

Freeze

Freeze the filling without pastry in sealed containers for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge, top with fresh pastry and bake as normal. Do not freeze with the pastry on top.

Puff Pastry Topped Meatball Kebab Nutrition Facts

Per serving (1 of 4): Calories: 680kcal, Protein: 28g, Fat: 38g, Carbohydrates: 56g, Sugar: 6g, Sodium: 890mg. Estimated. May vary based on ingredients and cooking methods.

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