published Mar 19, 2021, updated Mar 22, 2024 In coastal Middle Eastern towns, many make their living bringing in plump, tasty fish from the sparkling Mediterranean. One of my absolute favorite Middle Eastern-style fish, or samak, recipes are these Palestinian fish meatballs. This koftet samak puts all of the rich, warm, and earthy Palestinian seasonings on display: sumac, cumin, cardamom, and other essential Middle Eastern herbs and spices. Blended together in baharat samak, they turn the otherwise mild cod in this fish meatball recipe into something remarkable. Koftet samak makes a great appetizer or light main course. Serve with some cooling, plain Greek yogurt or labneh (which is basically a rich Middle Eastern cream cheese) and eat your fill! It’s also nice to serve with smooth, silky hummus. If you’re familiar with other kafta recipes made with beef, lamb, or chicken, you’ll pick this one up in a flash.
Recommended Tools
Stainless Steel Scoop – A 3-tablespoon scoop is the perfect size to get 16 meatballs (a good four servings) out of this fish meatball recipe! Food Processor – Quickly chop and combine the batter for Palestinian fish meatballs with a food processor or blender.
Storing, Freezing, and Reheating
Uncooked fish meatballs can be refrigerated up to 24 hours in advance. And, if you’d like to freeze them (they can be frozen for up to 3 months), arrange the uncooked fish balls on a baking sheet, freeze for a few hours, and then transfer to a plastic baggie or other airtight container.
Cod – Use boneless, skinless fillets of any white or other mild-tasting fish. Onions – One white onion and one red for a good mix of juicy, sweet, and sharp oniony flavor and texture. Lemon – Let’s make the most of our produce — zest the rind and then slice into 6 wedges for serving. Red Chiles – Red chiles are very popular in Palestinian cooking. For this fish meatball recipe, I recommend either fresnos or red jalapeño. Thai chili would be another good choice — but it is hot, so proceed with caution! Fresh Dill & Parsley – These herbs add so much brightness and depth of flavor. Egg – Fish is much drier than the proteins we usually make meatballs with (lamb, beef, etc.). We don’t need any extra breadcrumbs or anything like that to hold them together. Just an egg! Fish Seasoning (Baharat Samak) – The perfect spice blend for white fish, shellfish… red fish, blue fish, everything! It contains cardamom, cumin, turmeric, paprika, cayenne, and a pinch of salt. Sumac – This is a lemony spice that’s very popular in Middle Eastern cooking — and great with seafood!
Once cooked, leftover koftet samak should be eaten within a week. Eat your leftovers cold or reheated in the oven, microwave, or air fryer. Love this recipe? Share it with the world on Pinterest.
