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a few beef koftas on a plate with some pitas garnished with parsley next to tzatziki sauce.
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5 from 4 votes

Kofta (Beef Or Lamb)

Made with ground meat, either beef or lamb, that is seasoned with the most fragrant herbs and spices and then grilled to perfection, Kofta Kebabs are a famous Middle Eastern street food! They are so delicious, juicy, and full of intense layered flavor that will take your tastebuds on a culinary adventure! 
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time7 minutes
Chilling Time30 minutes
Total Time57 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Keyword: beef kofta, kofta, kofta kebabs, kofta recipe, lamb kofta
Servings: 12
Calories: 141kcal

Ingredients

Kofta

  • 2 pounds ground beef or ground lamb
  • 1 small onion shredded or finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh mint finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon sumac
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper ground
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon allspice
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For serving

Instructions

Prepare The Kofta Kebabs

  • Season the kofta meat: Add the meat, diced onion, minced garlic, chopped fresh herbs, and spices to a large bowl and mix until combined well. 
  • Chill the kofta mixture: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and then place it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
  • Form the kofta kebabs: Measure out about ½ cup of the kofta mixture. Now, with damp hands form it into the shape of a cylinder and then skewer it making sure to fit the ground meat cylinder tightly around the skewer. Then repeat this process until there is no remaining kofta mixture. The ground meat really needs to be molded to the skewer for the best results.   

Grilling Option

  • Preheat the grill: Oil the grates of your grill and then heat it to around 450°F (230°C). If you are using a grill pan instead, you will want to add about a tablespoon of oil to it and heat it to medium-high.
  • Grill the kofta kebabs: Place the skewered kofta kebabs on the grill to cook for about 5 minutes turning them from time to time so that they evenly brown on all sides. If necessary you will want to cook the kebabs in batches rather than crowd your grill or grill pan.

Air Fryer Option

  • Preheat air fryer: Preheat your air fryer to 380°F (195°C).
  • Air fry the kofta kebabs: Place a few kofta kebabs in the air fryer basket, do not over-crowd, and air fry for 7 to 8 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through.

Serve

  • Serve the kofta kebabs: For a delicious authentic Middle Eastern meal serve the kofta on warm pita bread with the tzatziki sauce, hummus, Greed salad, and feta cheese.

Video

Notes

  1. Use all the spices. For the best flavor, use all the spices in the recipe! The sumac is especially important and the kofta just won't be quite the same without them. If you can’t find sumac in your local grocery store you can easily find it online. It’s a wonderful spice that is amazing in hummus too.
  2. Fresh herbs elevate. Fresh mint and Italian parsley are going to be so much better over dried herbs. They add an extra layer of flavor that should not be left out.
  3. Chill the meat mixture. You really want to chill the meat for at least 30 minutes! If not longer if possible. It gives the meat time to firm up a bit and easier to form onto the skewer, but also gives the spices time to infuse into the fresh ground meat.
  4. Flip as you grill. When cooking the kofta kebabs, watch them closely and flip them a few times so that they brown evenly. The char-grill flavor adds to the yumminess.
  5. You can store Kofta kebabs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months! To reheat, you can put them in the microwave for about 4 minutes on medium or put them in the oven at 380°F (176°C) for about 10 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1kofta | Calories: 141kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 149mg | Potassium: 283mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 231IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 2mg