This is a recipe for the famous Persian Kotlet. These are Turkey Kotlets ( turkey cutlets) and they are absolutely delicious. I used to use ground beef for this recipe but for the past several years I have been making them with ground turkey, and the result is lighter, crispier, and tastier kotlets! Iranians love their Kotelt and you will just have to try them to see the reason for this national affection. I never get tired of eating these and I have eaten them all my life. But eating kotlet and even watching it prepared after time, doesn’t take the place of a good recipe that works every time.
I remember years ago when I first moved to the U.S., I was dying for a Kotlet sandwich so I decided to make it. I didn’t have the recipe at the time, so I did my best to put together the ingredients that I remembered. I made the mixture and flattened it into patties. To my dismay, as soon as the patties hit the hot oil they fell apart and I ended up with browned ground beef; not exactly what I had in mind!
Kotlet tastes amazing hot right off the skillet; that is why you should always count on a few being eaten before they get to the table! It is also amazing served hot or cold by itself with sides, or as sandwiches for dinner parties and picnics. The traditional shape of kotlet is oval, but if you prefer to make it into round patties you may do just that. I promise it will taste delicious regardless of the shape.
Add the ground turkey, grated onion, grated potato and egg to a large bowl
Add salt and spices
Mix very well until all blended and resembles a thick batter.
Update NOTE: The batter may be mixed the day before and then shaped and fried the next day. Though this does not change the outcome of this recipe, it makes the batter less sticky and easier to shape.
Scoop 1/4 cup of the batter in the palm of your hand and squeeze the ingredient together
Press the batter into an oval roll or a round ball
Roll it gently in the cracker crumbs until coated on all sides
Get all of the batter rolled and coated, hold on to the remaining cracker crumbs
Set up a quick access line with: A platter covered with paper towel, 1 or 2 flat heatproof spatulas, the coated rolls, the plate of cracker crumbs, and the large nonstick skillet with hot oil
Put a roll in the cracker crumbs and press to flatten and coat on both sides
Use your hand or a spatula to gently drop the patty in hot oil
The oil should be hot but not smoking, it should sizzle when you put the first patty in
he Kotlet patties undisturbed until golden brown, then flip the other side and fry until golden brown. Transfer each browned patty to the paper towel lined platter, then make a fresh patty and place it in the skillet
Continue until all of the patties are browned. Try one right away! This is when they taste the best.
Enjoy a warm or cold Kotlet sandwich with onions, pickles, tomatoes, parsley and ketchup. Kotlet is one of the most popular picnic sandwiches in Iran!
- 1 ¼ pounds ground turkey (93% lean). You may use lean ground beef instead.
- 1 large potato, parboiled with skin
- 1 small onion grated (packed ⅓ cup)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 tsp meat spice or your favorite curry powder
- ⅛ tsp saffron (optional)
- ⅔ cup fine cracker crumbs
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil for frying
- FOR THE SANDWICH
- Sliced red onions
- Sliced ripe but firm tomatoes
- Sliced dill pickles
- Fresh parsley sprigs coarsely chopped
- Ketchup
- Italian ciabatta or French baguettes for sandwiches
- Place the unpeeled potato in a small saucepan and add about 1½ inches of cold water. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low and cook for 30 minutes. The potato will be hard in the center when poked with a fork. Remove the potato from the pan and set aside until cool enough to handle. Peel the potato and grate it into a large bowl.
- Add the rest of the ingredients, with the exception of the vegetable oil and cracker crumbs, to the bowl. Mix all the ingredients well with a spatula or use your fingers to knead the mixture as you would with bread dough, until the batter resembles a thick batter.
- Add ⅔ cup fine cracker crumbs to a flat plate.
- Use a ¼ measuring cup to scoop the batter. Place the batter in the palm of your hands and squeeze it a few times before rolling it into a 3 ½- inch long roll. You may roll it into a ball instead.
- Place the roll in the cracker crumbs and gently roll it from side to side to coat all over. Repeat this step with the rest of the batter. Arrange the coated rolls in a single layer on a shallow sheet pan or tray. Reserve the leftover crumbs, you will need it again when you make the patties.
- Line a large platter with couple of paper towels. Set aside.
- Heat ⅔ cup oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. It should be very hot but not smoking
- Place a coated roll in the reserved cracker crumbs and flatten it into a ½ -inch thick patty. Turn it over and press again to coat the other side. Gently brush off the excess crumbs with your fingertips.
- Use your hand or a flat spatula to carefully slip the patty into the hot oil.
- Keep making more patties and adding them to the skillet. Do not overcrowd, leave some room between the patties so you can easily flip them when browned.
- Brown each patty undisturbed on one side for 7-10 minutes. Do not move the patty too soon after you have placed it in hot oil; this will make it stick to the skillet and fall apart. After about 7 minutes you will see the edges starting to brown. Lift the patty slightly on one side, if browned, use the spatula to flip the other side and brown it for another 7-10 minutes. You want the patties to brown uniformly.
- Use the spatula to transfer the browned patties onto the paper towel lined platter to absorb the excess oil.
- For every patty that you remove from the skillet add an uncooked one to prevent the oil from getting too hot and splattering.
- Continue until all the patties are browned.
- Prepare a platter with thinly sliced red onions, dill pickles, tomatoes, and coarsely chopped fresh parsley sprigs. Serve the patties on Italian ciabatta or French baguettes. Top each kotlet with some ketchup and your choice of the toppings.
Make ahead tip: The batter may be mixed the day before and refrigerated, then the next day it's shaped and fried. The refrigerated batter will be firmer, less sticky, and easier to shape.
I use Premium saltine crackers to make the fine crumbs for this recipe. This box is the ‘Original’ crackers with sea salt on top, but these crackers also come in ‘Unsalted Tops’ with a lower sodium option.
If you’re unable to find saltine crackers in your area, make your own bread crumbs: Cut a loaf or two of French baguette or a similar white bread to small chunks and arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a 200 F oven for an hour or so until very dry; cool and process in a food processor until you have fine crumbs.
Ah, I love them in any shape they come too! I have a good friend who makes ground turkey kotlet too, and everyone asks her to make double the amount, so they can take some home. I have never seen cracker crumbs in the market. Do you make your own? If you do, what kind of crackers do you use?
Oh you must be like me, I love these Kotlets. I have made them with ground turkey for so many years and love them more than ground beef, they are much lighter. I have used plain saltine crackers that come in several brands: Premium, Zesta, Sunshine, Great Value. I have actually used every one of these brands and they all work fine. I simply process them until very fine.
Oh my Gosh , I love this taste delicius ???? Kotelet , my dear late Mum alwsys made I remember as a kid I stand beside her in the kitchen and watch during preparation, I am intending to make it this weekend ???
Assi Ashtiani Copenhagen- Denmark ??
Hello Assi; It’s terrific to hear from you, all the way from Copenhagen! Such a lovely and familiar visual it is, to imagine you and your dear mum in the kitchen! This is a very good recipe and I hope you will like it as much as I do. Please keep in touch and let me know how your kotlet turns out. Have a great weekend and enjoy your kotlet 🙂
Love your turkey kotlet.. I had totally forgotten about how delicious & light turkey kotlet’s really are. If you have more Persian recipe please let me know Thank you and God Bless
Hi Yve; glad you like this recipe. You will find all of my Persian recipes here: https://persianmama.com/recipe-index/
Please keep in touch and let me know if you have any questions
خيلي عالي و حرفه اي
مرسي
خواهش میکنم لیلی جان ممنون از لطف شما
I love that you suggest cracker crumbs instead of homemade bread crumbs or commercial bread crumbs. Very easy and with fewer additives than the commercial bread crumbs. I bought a package of turkey earlier this week to make your version of kotlet, but it is only 1lb. What changes would you suggest in the amounts of the other ingredients? Also, will these freeze well?
Hi Brisa, thank you! Yes, the cracker crumbs work very well. A quarter of a pound should not make that much difference in the recipe, so go ahead and use the recipe as is. Cooked kotlets freeze very well. Then simply defrost them in the refrigerator and heat them up in a skillet over low heat, without adding any oil.
So excited to try this! I love Kotlet but rarely cook with beef, so this version is great for our family!! Woohoo!
Hello Maria, I’m equally excited that you’re going to try this recipe. I like using ground turkey instead of the traditional ground beef; it is much crispier and lighter. I can tell you with confidence that you’re going to love it! I have made the tutorial very comprehensive to eliminate any mishaps 😉 So, happy cooking!
I have made this twice according to your recipe and it was delicious both times. I have made it many times in the past with ground beef but I like this one the best.
Dear Pat, Nooshe jan! That is wonderful to hear; I also prefer ground turkey in this recipe
Hi Homa Jaan,
What kind of crackers did you use please?
Ferryal jan, I use saltine crackers such as Premium or other similar brands.
Dear Homa,
I am a beginner at cooking Persian food, I’ve been cooking it for three weeks now and so far I’ve been very successful, I cook it for my daughters husband who is Iranian, and my grandchildren they are loving everything I’m cooking, I am going to try your Kotlet today, but the crackers you use are not available here in England, or the part I live in, would Jacobs crackers be OK to use?
Thank you.
From June
Hello June, lovely to have you here and good to hear that you’ve successfully been trying your hand at Persian cooking. I’m not familiar with Jacobs crackers and as long as you can process them into fine crumbs it should work. However, from what I’ve found online they are not salted, so I would suggest mixing about 1/8 teaspoon fine salt with the crumbs. I also found an Italian cracker called “Delser” that is salted and seems to be available in England. I hope these suggestion work for you, and your grand children are in for a real treat. I would love to hear back from you, have a great weekend!
Good morning Homa,
Thank you for your prompt reply, I did as you suggested with the crackers and salt, the Kotlets turned out so good and tasty, my family are looking for more, so I’m about to make a double batch, as they freeze well and that will keep everyone happy, once again, many many thanks for taking the trouble to reply, I wish you a wonderfully happy life.
Kind regards
June
Good morning June, I’m so happy that worked out for you! Thank you for letting me know. Yes, that is very true, they freeze beautifully and it is always convenient to have some delicious meals in the freezer. Please keep in touch and share your cooking experience whenever you try my other recipes. Take care!
Hi Homa! Made this last year and it was delicious. I would like to make it again but I am thinking about baking instead. Have you tried baking them? Any tips? Thanks!
Hi Janice; I have never tried baking these and honestly don’t think that you will get the same crispiness and the golden color with baking. However, I will give you some suggestions and hope this works for you: Preheat oven to 350 F, center rack. Arrange the prepared patties on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees; this is very important when cooking poultry.
Dear Homa khanom, can I freeze them after cooking?
Yes Nili jan, they freeze very well in airtight freezer containers. Then defrost in the refrigerator and reheat in a skillet, or toaster oven.
Thank you!!
Homa khanom,
One last question! How do you prevent the batter from sticking to your hand?
Thank you.
Nili jan, there is no avoiding it; some batter does stick to my hands 🙂 After I roll all of the meat in the cracker crumbs and set them on a tray, I wash my hands and then start making them into patties and fry them; this part there is less sticking. You could leave a damp paper towel close by and wipe your hands on it every now and then.
I love Kotlet. I also add chopped Italian Parsley to the mix. it gives it a great aroma.
Thanks for this website 🙂
Thank you my dear Shahnaz for a very delicious idea; will try it for sure.
Instead of cracker crumbs, could I use panko if I add a little salt to the meat before combining the main ingredients?
Hi Carol; panko should work but it is slightly coarser than the crumbs that I use for this recipe. I would suggest pulsing it just one or two on/off cycle in a food processor to make it a bit finer (not powder). You could add 1/8 teaspoon salt at the same time to the crumbs; the meat mixture already has 1 teaspoon of salt. Let me know how this works for you.
I used Panko as is and turned out great!
Tried your Cotlet recipe yesterday. Turned out Absolutely perfect! I have tried to make Cotlet like my beloved grandma did, trying out different recipes and always failing…. too dry or undercooked or no flavor or falls apart etc. used Panko instead of the breadcrumbs… made the outer shell nice and crispy. Finally got thumbs up from the picky family for my Cotlets. Thanks;)
Hello Clera; so nice of you to let me know, thank you! This is one of our favorite recipes and it makes me happy that it has earned your family’s approval 😉 Please keep in touch and have a great weekend!
Hi Homa. What would you say is the approximate weight of the potato you use?
Thanks
Hello Susan; about 8 ounces
Could you also use the small round potatoes?
Hi Homa joon,
Have you ever tried baking the kotlets in the oven instead of frying? Thanks so much!
Hello Sheida joon, I’ve always fried my kotlet because I like how crispy it gets on the outside, but you could try baking them on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a preheated 350 F oven (center rack) for 30-35 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Please let me know how this baked method works for you. Have a great weekend!
Hi Homa,
Have you ever tried cooking Kotlet outside on the BBQ grill? My husband is Persian and I like to try cooking for him.
Hi Patti; I have never tried cooking them on a grill; please let me know how they turn out.
Hello there, thank you for posting this recipe. It looks amazing! I was wondering if I should squeeze off the excess juice in the onion.
Hello Fadilah; you’re very welcome! You may grate the onion right into the mix, no need to squeeze the juice out.
Hi Homa Jaan, I just finished making this recipe of yours and it turned out awesome. The only thing I did different is to roll the Kotlets in seasoned bread crumbs, as that is all I had in my pantry. Thank you so much for sharing your yummy recipes with us all. Your blog is my to go site for the authentic Persian recipes that has been passed down from generation to generation for centuries in our beloved land of Persia.
Hi Ferryal jan, thank you so much for your continued support and participation by making my recipes and sharing your comments; I really do appreciate you my friend 🙂 I’m so glad you liked the kotlet recipe, and please do share your comments in the future when you try any of my recipes.
Hi and thank you for your great recipes. I love Kotlet but I hate frying. Have you ever tried these in an air fryer? It would be an interesting experiment I think.
Thank you for making persian cooking accessible for all
Thank you so much Shirin jan, so glad you’re enjoying my recipes! I have never tried these in an air fryer; if you do experiment with it, please let me know how it turns out. I really appreciate your kindness and support 🙂
Hello Homa Joon,
I wanted to thank you for your great recipe I tried it last night and it turned out perfect. My picky kids loved it too. I tried to make kotlets several times using other recipes and it failed every time as the kotkets wouldn’t hold. But following your recipe was a huge success and I will make it again.
Thanks again
Shiva
Hello Shiva jan, it’s a pleasure to read that your kotlet was a success, and that your children enjoyed it too 😉 Thanks so much for writing to me and please keep in touch!
Hello Persian Mama! I love your blog! I always come to check your recipes when I cook Iranian food. I would like to ask for your advice and help, do you know the reason sometimes the kotlet patties fall apart? I would love your input so I can avoid mistakes or improve something. I have been wondering whether it is the quantities, the quality of the meat or the oil not being hot enough? Thank you very much Persian mama! Please post Shomi kabob recipe!
Hello and thank you Haydee; it’s wonderful to know that this is your go-to blog for Iranian food 🙂
The type of meat and the temperature of oil are definitely important factors, but the ratio of egg and onion to meat is also very important. Too many eggs or too much grated onions will add moisture to the mixture and will not allow to make a stable batter. I recommend that you follow this recipe exactly, and see how it works for you. The batter must be sticky and firm enough to form, before you place it in the hot oil. The oil must be hot enough to sizzle when you drop a small piece of batter in it. If you’re still having trouble with the patties, try chilling the batter overnight and form and fry it the next day. Good luck
Hi. I used to work for an Iranian couple whose wife used to make so.ething like this. I loved it but never knew what it was.. Hers had a hint of green in the meat like possibly used cilantro or something…?? they ate this faithfully for breakfast with sliced tomatoes….
Hi Stacy; there is a possibility that she had used parsley or cilantro in the mix. There is also a possibility that someone might eat their leftover kotlet for breakfast now and then; as Iranians do love their kotlet 😉 but I have never heard of kotlet as a regular breakfast meal. I think you should give this recipe a try and see if it is the same dish; it’s incredibly delish 🙂
Thanks for writing to me; have a great evening and keep in touch!
Hi
I love these but was wondering if instead of frying they could be made healthier and cooked in the oven?
I’d love to make the turkey kotlets in this manner, less oil. Not sure if it’s been done before.
Hi Sepideh; I know some of my readers have baked these in the oven. I have personally not tried it since I believe that fried kotelts are much tastier 😉
Preheat oven to 400 F. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly grease the parchment paper with cooking spray. Place the prepared kotlets on the baking sheet and spray the tops with more cooking spray. Bake until the tops are a rich golden brown (about 20-30 min), then flip them and bake the other side until browned. Please be mindful that poultry should be cooked through with an internal temp of 160 F.
These Kotelet recipe was excellent. Turned out so good . My favorite. Thank you.
Dear Naz, thanks so much for your feedback. It is great to hear that you like this recipe. I also love the pictures that you’ve sent me 🙂
I had a reading fail and put the cracker crumbs in the mix! To salvage things, I browned the patties in a few tablespoons of oil and then finished them in the oven (not big on frying). They were delicious, even with all my changes. Kids and husband gobbled them down.
All together now, crumbs in mix for koofteh and crumbs on outside for kotlet. Will try to be more authentic next time!
Hi Allison, you have created your own technique and it has worked, and that is perfect! I must tell you though, I don’t put crumbs in my koofteh 😉 Thanks so much for writing to me. My regards to your family who enjoy my recipes 🙂 Take care and keep in touch!
You call for cracker crumbs in your koofteh rizeh recipe, right? That’s what I was thinking about when I made the kotlets. I just dumped the crumbs right in and then was like ?. I am going to roll properly next time even though everyone loved the salvaged version!
Hi Allison, you’re right koofteh rizeh recipe has the crumbs. When I saw “koofteh” in your last comment, The Tabrizi in me immediately thought of koofteh Tabrizi 😉 which does not have the crumbs!
I’m sure your kotlet was delicious and the more you make it the better it will get! Have a great weekend and take care 🙂
Hello Homa. Thank you for recipes. Regarding the potatoes. My mother fully cooks the potatoes. What’s the reason for parboiling instead of cooking the potatoes through? Thank you!
Hi Sasan, the grated parboiled potatoes add some texture to the batter, as opposed to a smooth batter, and the kotlets turn out lighter and crisper. I hope you will try both methods and decide for yourself. But please let me know what you think 😉
Take care and keep in touch!!
Salam Homa khanoom,
Wanted to ask if the kotlets come out crunchier or tastier with the saltine cracker crumbs?
Why do you not use plain bread crumbs sold under many brands?
Merci.
Negar
Hi Negar, I prefer the taste of cracker crumbs to bread crumbs, most of them tend to taste stale in my opinion
Hi Homa Jon,
I have tried your recipe several times with turkey and they had turned out incredible, even though I’m new at this and was never a big fan of kotlet. Now my daughter has become a vegetarian and was wondering if you had a vegetarian version. Also, for the rest of the family, I wanted to try it with beef and small round potatoes that I have and wanted to know if you had any advice. Mercy!
Merci Arezou jon, so happy that you like this recipe. I do not have a vegetarian version at this time. Yes, ground beef will be just fine and the small potatoes will work as long as they are only half cooked when you grate them. Take care, Happy Nowruz
Thanks so much for your quick response! Good to know ?
🙂 x
Fantastic recipe, thank you for posting! My mama is Azeri Iranian and by the time I went to university she and my grandma had taught me all of the Persian foods they cooked at home growing up. Over the years I’ve forgotten some of the ingredients and techniques, and your website is always my go-to in these situations.
Dear Sara, I really appreciate your thoughtful comment! It feels good to know that my recipes have made it easier to recreate your favorite childhood dishes. Please take care and write me back when you cook my other recipes
Thank you for the lovely recipe. Can I use chicken thigh mince instead of ground turkey? We’re staying away from beef and not a big fan of turkey but love the recipe and want to know if I have to do anything differently if I sub chicken.
Thank you Farah, I don’t see why ground chicken thigh should not work in this recipe, though I have not used it myself. I would just follow the recipe as is without any changes. Would love to read your feedback. Take care and happy cooking.
I made kotlet tonight based on your receipe, I used ground veal mixed with a bit of ground beef. Also, I used plain store bought bread crumbs. It was out of this world, delicious and mouth watering!!! Thank you so much for sharing it! I live in California and I Love all your receipes so much, I do share them with my family in Iran! Thank you Homa jan ☀️?
Maryam jan, thanks so much for writing to me and I apologize for the late response! I have been traveling with limited access to my computer. I also thank you for cooking my recipes and sharing them with your family, you’re awesome!
Take care and please keep in touch
Thank you so much for the most delicious recipe from my childhood. I used to make Kotlet however they turned out dry and not the one I used to have them in past. Now, I see the tricks to make it delightful as it supposed to be.
Dear Garineh, I am so happy you like this recipe and that it brings back good memories. Take care and have a great weekend 🙂