Moroccan Kefta Tagine with Eggs

Name: Moroccan Kefta Tagine with Eggs
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Moroccan
Ingredients: 1 lb (450 g) ground beef (80% lean), cold; ½ medium (75 g) yellow onion, grated on the large holes of a box grater, excess liquid squeezed out; ¼ cup (12 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; ¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, finely chopped; 1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin; 1 tsp (2½ g) sweet paprika; ¾ tsp (4 g) kosher salt; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil; 1 medium (150 g) yellow onion, finely diced; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic, minced; 1½ tsp (3 g) ground cumin; 1½ tsp (4 g) sweet paprika; ½ tsp (1 g) ground ginger; ¼ tsp (½ g) cayenne pepper, or to taste (optional); 28 oz can (794 g) whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand, juices included; ½ cup (120 ml) water; ½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt; 1 tsp (4 g) granulated sugar, to balance the tomato acidity; 6 whole (300 g) large eggs, cold from the fridge, each cracked into a small cup; 2 tbsp (6 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped; 1 loaf (300 g) crusty bread, sliced or torn, for serving

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Spiced beef meatballs simmered in a cumin-paprika tomato sauce, finished with eggs poached right in the pan. Serve it straight from the skillet with crusty bread for scooping.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 35 min
Total: 1 hr
Makes: 4 servings (about 24 small meatballs and 4–8 eggs)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the kefta
1 lb (450 g) ground beef (80% lean), cold
½ medium (75 g) yellow onion, grated on the large holes of a box grater, excess liquid squeezed out
¼ cup (12 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
¼ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin
1 tsp (2.5 g) sweet paprika
¾ tsp (4 g) kosher salt
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
For the sauce
3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil
1 medium (150 g) yellow onion, finely diced
4 cloves (12 g) garlic, minced
1½ tsp (3 g) ground cumin
1½ tsp (4 g) sweet paprika
½ tsp (1 g) ground ginger
¼ tsp (0.5 g) cayenne pepper, or to taste (optional)
28 oz can (794 g) whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand, juices included
½ cup (120 ml) water
½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt
1 tsp (4 g) granulated sugar, to balance the tomato acidity
To finish
6 whole (300 g) large eggs, cold from the fridge, each cracked into a small cup
2 tbsp (6 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1 loaf (300 g) crusty bread, sliced or torn, for serving

Equipment (6)

12-inch (30 cm) deep skillet or sauté pan with a lid, or a flameproof tagine base
Large mixing bowl
Box grater
Wooden spoon
Instant-read thermometer
Spoon or small ladle

Steps

Before you start

Read the recipe through: the meatballs cook in the sauce, so the sauce must be simmering before they go in.
Use a wide, lidded 12-inch skillet or a tagine base that can go on the stove so the eggs have room to sit in the sauce.
Chop the onion, garlic, and herbs before you start so you can move quickly once the pan is hot.
Wash your hands after handling the raw beef and before touching other ingredients.

1
Mix the kefta
- In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, grated onion (squeezed dry), parsley, 1/4 cup cilantro, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp paprika, 3/4 tsp salt, and the black pepper.
- Mix with your hands for about 1 minute, just until evenly combined and slightly sticky.
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Ready when: Mixture looks uniform with flecks of herbs and holds together when pressed.
Tip: Do not overmix or the meatballs turn dense and rubbery.
2
Shape the meatballs
- Roll the mixture into about 24 balls, each roughly 1 inch (2.5 cm) across, using about 1 tablespoon of meat each.
- Place them on a plate.
- Wet your hands lightly if the meat sticks.
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Ready when: Balls are smooth and similar in size so they cook evenly.
3
Soften the onion
- Heat the olive oil in the 12-inch skillet over medium heat.
- Add the diced onion and a pinch of the sauce salt.
- Cook, stirring often, for 5 to 6 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion is soft, translucent, and just starting to turn pale gold.
4
Bloom the spices
- Add the garlic, 1 1/2 tsp cumin, 1 1/2 tsp paprika, ginger, and cayenne if using.
- Stir constantly for 45 to 60 seconds.
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Ready when: The mixture smells strongly fragrant and looks like a thick, brick-red paste.
Tip: Don't let the garlic brown or the sauce will taste bitter; add a splash of water if it sticks.
5
Build the sauce
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes with their juices and the water.
- Stir in the remaining salt (about 1/2 tsp) and the sugar.
- Raise the heat to bring it to a bubble, then reduce so it simmers gently for 8 minutes.
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Ready when: Sauce is slightly thickened and no longer smells raw or sharp.
6
Simmer the meatballs
- Nestle the meatballs into the sauce in a single layer, spooning a little sauce over the tops.
- Cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes, gently turning the meatballs once halfway through.
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Ready when: Meatballs are firm and an instant-read thermometer in the center of one reads 160°F (71°C).
Tip: Keep the simmer gentle, with small bubbles only, so the meatballs don't break apart.
7
Make egg wells
- Uncover and check the sauce.
- It should be thick enough to mound on a spoon; if it's thin, simmer uncovered 3 to 5 minutes.
- Use the back of a spoon to make 6 small hollows between the meatballs.
- Season the sauce with salt if needed.
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Ready when: Sauce is thick and holds the hollows without flooding.
8
Poach the eggs
- Slide one egg into each hollow and sprinkle each with a pinch of salt.
- Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until the whites are completely opaque and set.
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Ready when: Whites are opaque and firm; yolks are still glossy and jiggle slightly for runny (cook 8 to 9 minutes for firm yolks).
Tip: Check at 5 minutes; the eggs keep cooking from residual heat after you turn off the stove.
9
Garnish and serve
- Scatter the 2 tbsp cilantro over the top.
- Bring the skillet to the table and serve right away with crusty bread for scooping the sauce and breaking the yolks.

Good to know

Tips

Squeeze the grated onion in a clean towel or by hand so the meatballs aren't wet and don't fall apart.
Keep the simmer gentle; a hard boil toughens the meatballs and breaks them up.
Crack each egg into a small cup first so you can slide it in without breaking the yolk or dropping shell in the sauce.
Serve in the pan: the sauce keeps hot and the eggs stay warm.

Make ahead

"Make the meatballs and sauce (through step 6) up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate. Reheat gently in the skillet until simmering, then add the eggs and finish as written."

Storage & reheating

"Best eaten fresh. Refrigerate leftover meatballs and sauce (without eggs) in an airtight container up to 3 days; cooked eggs keep up to 2 days but get firmer. Freeze meatballs and sauce without eggs up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently over medium-low heat until steaming hot, adding a splash of water if thick."

Substitutions

ground beef (80% lean) → ground lamb or a half-beef, half-lamb mix. Lamb is traditional and gives a richer flavor; cook to the same 160°F (71°C).
whole peeled tomatoes → 2 lb (900 g) ripe tomatoes, grated or chopped. Simmer an extra 5 to 10 minutes to reduce the sauce.
fresh cilantro → additional flat-leaf parsley. Use if you dislike cilantro; flavor will be milder.
cayenne pepper → 1/2 tsp harissa paste. Stir in with the spices for heat with extra depth.