Hamsi köftesi are Turkish anchovy meatballs from the Black Sea coast: finely chopped anchovies mixed with bread, cornmeal, onion, parsley, and spices, then shaped into small oval patties and pan-fried. They are crisp at the edges, tender inside, and much faster to make than a fish pie or baked casserole.

This recipe follows the anchovy-patty method documented by Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism. It takes about 30 minutes once the fish is cleaned. Serve the patties hot with lemon and a sharp vegetable salad.

Key Takeaways

  • Use fresh anchovies and remove the heads, entrails, and backbones before chopping.
  • Cornmeal does two jobs: half binds the mixture and the rest creates the crisp coating.
  • Squeeze the soaked bread and grated onion dry so the patties hold together.
  • Cook fish to at least 145 F in the center, following FoodSafety.gov guidance.
  • Hamsi köftesi and hamsi kuşu can refer to related anchovy preparations, and regional names and methods vary.

How to Make Hamsi Köftesi

  1. Clean the anchovies by removing the heads, entrails, and backbones. Rinse the fillets, let them drain thoroughly, and finely chop them. The pieces should be small enough to distribute through the mixture but not puréed.

  2. Tear 3 thin slices of stale bread into a bowl. Cover with water and let them soak 3 minutes until soft. Press out the water firmly and crumble the bread.

  3. Grate 1 medium onion and squeeze dry in a clean towel. Add it to a bowl with the chopped anchovies, squeezed bread, 1/2 cup cornmeal, 1 egg, parsley, salt, black pepper, and allspice. Mix with your hands until evenly combined.

  4. Divide the mixture into 15 to 20 portions. Shape each into an egg-sized oval patty about 1/2 inch thick. If the mixture feels too wet to shape, chill it for 10 minutes before continuing.

  5. Roll each patty in the remaining 1/2 cup cornmeal to coat both sides lightly. Shake off excess cornmeal so the crust stays thin and even.

  6. Heat 2 tbsp neutral oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Fry the patties in a single layer for 4 to 5 minutes per side, adding a little more oil between batches if needed. They should be golden brown and reach 145 F at the center.

  7. Move the cooked patties to a paper towel-lined plate. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and a vegetable salad.

Ingredients

For the anchovy köfte:

  • 1 kg fresh anchovies, cleaned, filleted, and finely chopped
  • 3 thin slices stale bread, crusts removed
  • 1 cup cornmeal, divided
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 medium onion, grated and squeezed dry
  • 1 generous handful fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp ground allspice
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil, plus more as needed

For serving:

  • Lemon wedges
  • A crisp vegetable salad

What Is Hamsi Köftesi?

In Turkish, hamsi means anchovy and köfte means a shaped patty or meatball. In this Black Sea preparation, the anchovies are chopped rather than left whole. Stale bread and cornmeal bind the fish, while parsley, onion, pepper, and allspice season the mixture.

The Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism lists hamsi köftesi under the English name “Anchovy Burger.” Its recipe uses anchovy, stale bread, cornflour, egg, parsley, salt, black pepper, and allspice. The patties are shaped into egg-sized ovals, coated in cornmeal, and pan-fried.

The name is not completely uniform across the Black Sea region. Turkish Style Cooking notes that the anchovy dish called hamsi kuşu in some places may be made by mixing chopped anchovies with cornmeal and frying them, while other cooks use the name for two whole anchovy fillets joined and fried. This recipe uses the chopped-fish patty style and calls it hamsi köftesi.

How to Clean Anchovies for Köfte

Fresh anchovies are small, so cleaning a kilogram takes some patience but not much knife work. Pinch off the head and pull down to remove the entrails. Split the fish along the belly, lift out the backbone, and rinse away any remaining bits.

Let the fillets drain well before chopping. Water left on the fish loosens the mixture, so this is one of the few steps that directly affects whether the patties stay together. If your fishmonger sells cleaned fillets, use them and begin by checking for any small bones.

If fresh anchovies are unavailable, do not substitute jarred anchovies. They are already salted and cured, so they behave very differently from the fresh fish used in this recipe.

Tips for Crisp, Tender Hamsi Köftesi

Keep the fish finely chopped, not blended. A food processor can turn the anchovies into a paste too quickly. Chopping by hand leaves small pieces that give the patties a better texture.

Squeeze the bread and onion. Wet bread helps keep fish patties tender, but free water makes them fall apart. Press both ingredients firmly before they go into the bowl.

Use a nonstick skillet. The cornmeal coating browns quickly and can stick to a bare pan. A thin film of oil and medium heat gives the patties time to set before the crust darkens.

Fry in batches. Crowding lowers the pan temperature and makes the coating soft. Leave space around each patty and wipe out loose dark cornmeal between batches if it starts to burn.

What to Serve with Anchovy Köfte

Lemon is the simplest finish. Its acidity cuts through the fried coating and the rich flavor of the anchovies. A crunchy vegetable salad gives the meal the same contrast without adding another heavy side.

For a broader Turkish meal, serve hamsi köftesi with Akçaabat köfte only as a regional comparison, not on the same plate. The Black Sea grilled beef style shows how much Turkish köfte changes from one local recipe to another. For a soup-based meal, sulu köfte uses bulgur and a lemon-egg broth instead of fish.

You can also browse the site’s Turkish meatball recipes for more regional köfte dishes, including grilled, sauced, and soup preparations.

Storage and Reheating

Hamsi köftesi is best immediately after frying, while the cornmeal crust is crisp. If you have leftovers, cool them quickly and refrigerate them in a covered container for up to 2 days.

Reheat in a skillet over medium heat or in a 400 F oven until hot. Avoid the microwave if possible because it softens the coating. Do not freeze the cooked patties unless necessary: the fish remains safe when handled correctly, but the fried crust loses much of its texture.

FAQ

Are hamsi köftesi made with meat?

No. Hamsi köftesi are fish patties made primarily from fresh anchovies. In Turkish, köfte describes the shaped preparation, not only a beef or lamb meatball. Bread, cornmeal, egg, onion, parsley, and spices bind and season the chopped fish.

What does hamsi mean in Turkish?

Hamsi is the Turkish word for anchovy. Anchovies are especially associated with the Black Sea region, where they appear in several home-style dishes. In hamsi köftesi, the fish is cleaned, finely chopped, mixed with binders and seasonings, shaped into oval patties, and fried.

What is the difference between hamsi köftesi and hamsi kuşu?

The names vary by region and household. Some cooks use hamsi köftesi for chopped anchovy patties and hamsi kuşu for whole anchovy fillets joined around a filling. Turkish Style Cooking notes that the distinction is not consistent across the Black Sea region, so the preparation matters more than the label.

Can I bake hamsi köftesi instead of frying them?

The traditional method is pan-frying, which sets the cornmeal coating and gives the patties their crisp exterior. You can test a baked version on a lightly oiled sheet at 425 F, turning once, but the crust will be less browned. Cook until the center reaches 145 F.

How do I keep fish patties from falling apart?

Drain the anchovies well, squeeze the soaked bread and grated onion dry, and use enough cornmeal to bind the mixture. Shape compact patties and let them sit for a few minutes before frying. Medium heat gives the outside time to set before you turn them.

Sources

Recipe first published 2026-08-14. Recipe method checked against the sources listed above.