Kafta bil sanieh – Baked kafta kebabs with potatoes
Last Updated on May 9, 2025 by Jacqueline Rafidi
If there’s one dish that always feels like home, it’s kafta bil sanieh—an Arab classic and a favorite for all ages! This meal combines tender kafta kebabs, golden potato slices, and rounds of fresh tomatoes in a rich, flavorful tomato sauce – all of course eaten with a fluffy rice pilaf.
What is Kafta Bil Sanieh?
Whether you call it “suniyet kifta” like my family always has, “kofta bil bandora” or “kafta bil sanieh” which it seems is more common, this meal satisfies palates of all ages. It is a staple on the Palestinian table and really a favorite across the Levant. It’s essentially a baked, flavorful kafta potato bake with kofta kebabs layered with potato slices and tomato slices, enrobed in a rich tomato sauce and cooked until bubbling and fragrant. Each bite delivers the warm spices of the kebabs balanced with the natural sweetness of tomatoes and the creamy texture of the potatoes. Eaten with Arab vermicelli rice pilaf (ruz bil sariyeh) and a simple lemon and olive oil dressed salad, it’s comfort food at its best!
Ingredients You’ll Need
This dish relies on simple ingredients you probably already have on hand.
For the Kafta
- Ground meat: I typically use 85/15 ground beef, but you can also use a mix of lean ground beef and ground lamb
- Yellow onion: To make a tender and flavorful kafta
- Fresh parsley: To add color and flavor to the kafta
- Garlic cloves: Of course
- Red bell pepper: Adds a bit of red color, some sweetness and flavor.
- Tomato paste: Tenderizes and gives the meat
- Spices: Allspice, 7 spice, nutmeg, salt and pepper
For the rest of the dish
- Yukon gold potatoes: These are ideal for their creamy texture, and they bake much faster than russet potatoes
- Tomato slices: To add some juiciness and color to the tray
- Marinara sauce: My touch instead of plain tomato sauce
- Traditional spices: A mix of black pepper, teaspoon salt, allspice and 7 spice to have the same flavor profile as the kafta
How to Make This Easy Baked Kafta with Potatoes and Tomatoes
Prepare the Kafta Patties
Preheat your oven to 400F. Roughly chop the onion into 8 pieces and add it to a food processor with the fresh parsley. Pulse it together so they start to condense in volume, then add in the garlic, bell pepper and tomato paste. Pulse until blended together well. Start by combining your ground meat with the contents of the food processor in a large mixing bowl. Add in the allspice, 7spice and nutmeg, salt and pepper. Combine the meat mixture well, then shape into oval kafta kebabs. I usually get 22-25 kebabs.
Prep the Dish
Peel the potatoes, slice them lengthwise and cut into 1/4 inch slices. Place them in a small bowl and add a touch of neutral oil, salt and pepper. Arrange the kafta patties down the length of the baking dish. In between each kofta disc, I add take 3-4 slices of potatoes, put them together and squeeze them between each kebab. It may fit in tightly at first, but the kifta cooks down and shrinks in size as it bakes. Place any leftover slices in the center or edges of the baking dish. Slice a vine ripe tomato in half and cut into 1/4 inch slices and arrange the half rounds of tomatoes on the baking dish as well. Place in your preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes.
- Make the Sauce
While the kafta bakes, work on the sauce. Marinara sauce is my personal touch here. I started using it when I had a portion of a jar of pasta sauce left in the fridge and used that in place of a can of tomato sauce. I ended up preferring the taste of the prepared marinara over the plain tomato sauce, so that became my go-to. Combine marinara sauce, half cup of water, salt, allspice and 7 spice. Mix well and set aside.
Finish it off
Remove the baking dish from the oven. Remove some of the rendered off fat if you wish (leave some) then pour over the sauce being sure to hit all sides of the baking dish. Put it back in the oven for another 30-35 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender and the baked kofta is soft and cooked through. Sprinkle the final dish with some chopped fresh parsley for a burst of color and fresh flavor, serve it up with some vermicelli rice pilaf, Greek yogurt and a simple salad, or even enjoy with some fresh and warm pita bread!
Storing and Reheating
This dish is a lifesaver for busy days because it tastes even better the next day! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat in the oven at low heat until warmed through, or on a pot covered on the stove. Add a couple Tablespoons of water (depending on how much you’re heating up) to keep everything moist and enjoy!
Switch things up!
– Add different veggies to the baking dish like sliced onion, sliced Italian eggplants, green bell peppers for more variety.
– Don’t eat beef? Try this with ground chicken for a different option. reduce the cooking time by about 10 minutes and check for doneness.
This easy baked kafta with potatoes and tomatoes is a dish you’ll come back to time and again. It’s hearty, family-friendly, and layered with tons of flavor. It’s also not very difficult to make and satisfies everyone which makes it even better, especially for a weeknight dinner or even a special occasion where you’re serving multiple people. Trust me, your family will thank you for this one!
When you make this Kafta bil sanieh, comment down below and rate this recipe to let me know your thoughts! Also, share a picture or tag me on Instagram @thebitewithjackie, I love seeing your remakes!
Kafta bil sanieh – Baked kafta kebabs with potatoes
Ingredients
For the kafta:
- 1 small bunch parsley bottom of stems removed & leaves chopped fine
- 1 small medium onion roughly cut into 8 pieces
- 1 small red bell pepper or half of medium one
- 4-5 garlic cloves
- 1 ½ Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 ½ lb ground beef I use 85/15, but you could do 90/10
- 1 ½ teaspoons allspice
- 1 ½ teaspoons 7 spice
- 1 ½ – 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ -1 teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
For the potatoes:
- 2 vine ripe tomatoes halved and cut into slices
- 4-5 Yukon golden potatoes peeled, halved lengthwise and cut into ¼ inch slices
- 1 Tablespoon avocado or neutral oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the sauce:
- 1 cup marinara sauce
- ½ cup water
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon 7 spice
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Start by preparing your meat mixture. To a food processor, add the parsley and onion, pulse together until finely chopped. Add in the bell pepper, garlic and tomato paste and pulse until everything forms a cohesive paste.
- Place the ground meat in a large bowl and add the contents of the food processor. Mix halfway, then add the allspice, 7 spice, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Mix everything very well until fully combined.
- Preheat your oven to 400F. While the oven preheats, this is a good time to peel and slice your potatoes and tomatoes. Add just the potatoes to a small bowl and mix together with the oil, salt and pepper.
- Grab a 9×13 baking dish, form the meat into about ¼ cup size kafta ovals. I like to make them into oval shape, you can make them flat as well. I get 22-25 kaftas for this amount of meat. Arrange them on the baking dish. Take about 3 slices of potatoes and squeeze it between each kafta. It may fit in tightly at first, but the kifta cooks down and shrinks in size as it bakes. Place any leftover potato slices in the center or edges. Arrange the sliced tomatoes between the kafta however you like.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are about halfway cooked. While it bakes, make your sauce by combining all the sauce ingredients. Once the kafta has baked for 30 minutes, remove some of the excess fat it rendered (leave some for flavor) it from the oven, pour the sauce over the tray being sure it covers all the open crevices.
- Bake for another 35 minutes or until the potatoes are soft, the sauce has thickened and the kafta, tomatoes and potatoes have browned a bit on top. Remove from oven and enjoy with some Arab rice pilaf, Greek yogurt and Arabic salad (both recipes on the blog.) Sahtein!
