Kofta Kebab recipe. The classic Eastern Mediterranean kebab of ground meat and spices on a skewer, grilled and delicious.
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The other day, I was a little harsh about my oldest in that New York Times interview. It's true that a few years ago, he was all carbs all the time, but he has branched out. Kofta Kebabs are his new favorite food; he asks me to make them about once a week.
What is a Kofta Kebab
Kofta is ground meat mixed with onion and spices, popular across Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. The Kebab version is popular in the Eastern Mediterranean, especially in Turkey, where kofta is wrapped around a long skewer and grilled. Who doesn't love the idea of Meatloaf on a stick?
Kofta Kebab won't stick to the skewer
This was a tough recipe to get right. I loved the taste, and everything worked fine if I made hamburger-style patties. But I wanted to cook them on kebabs—it felt more authentic, and there's something about food on a skewer that makes it taste better.
Use fresh ground meat, not frozen: The ground meat mix wouldn't hold together during my first try. I think it was the frozen ground lamb I bought at the farmer's market. After thawing out, it was always kind of wet. I couldn't get the resulting kebabs to stick. The moment I let go, they would drop off the skewer onto the counter. I'd re-form them as hamburgers, and they would hold together just enough for cooking. I switched to fresh ground lamb, and the recipe started to work. It also helps to have extra wide skewers, like these ⅜-inch wide skewers from Steven Raichlen.
Or, skip the skewers and make patties: That said, getting the meat to stick on the skewers is a little tricky. I won't judge you if you take the easy way out and form the kofta into hamburger patties. I do it when I'm in a hurry and tell the kids they are pita burgers.
Adapted From: Steven Raichlen Planet Barbecue
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh ground lamb
- 1 pound fresh 80/20 ground beef
- 1 small onion, grated or finely minced
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt (or 1 tablespoon kosher salt)
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
How to make Kofta Kebabs
Mix the kofta
Put all the ingredients in a large bowl and knead until completely mixed. Divide the mix into eight egg-shaped portions.
Set the grill up for direct medium heat (350°F)
Prepare the grill for cooking with direct medium heat, about 350°F, then clean the grates with a grill brush. For my Weber Summit, I pre-heat the grill with all burners on high for 15 minutes, then turn the burners down to medium and brush the grate clean. For my Weber kettle, I light a charcoal chimney full of charcoal, wait for it to be covered with white ash, then spread it out in a loose single layer across the bottom of my grill.
Mold the kofta on the kebab skewers
While the grill is pre-heating, make the kebabs. Take one of the portions of kofta and wrap it around the bottom of a skewer. Squeezing from the bottom, work the kofta up the skewer until it is spread out into a tube about 1 ½ inches thick. Then, using your fingers like scissors, dimple the cylinder about every inch or so. (This adds nooks and crannies to the kebab.) Repeat until all the kebabs are formed.
Cook the kebabs
Put the kebabs on the grill over direct medium heat and cook until firm and browned on the bottom, about five minutes. Flip the kebabs and cook the other side until browned, about five more minutes. Remove from the grill, and be careful—the skewers are hot. Let rest for ten minutes, serve, and enjoy!
Equipment
- Grill: I love my Weber Summit or Weber kettle for this recipe
- Extra wide skewers, ⅜-inch wide Kabob skewers.
Notes
- Why 80% fat ground beef and lamb shoulder? Kebabs are like burgers - they need fat to remain juicy. If you cook with lean meat, the kebabs will come out a little dry and crumbly. (Crumbly is a word, right?)
Don't like lamb or have a hard time finding it? Go with all-beef kebabs. Or use a meatloaf mix,⅔ beef and ⅓ pork. I know, it's not very Middle Eastern, but it still tastes delicious.
What to serve with Kofta Kebabs
I love to serve this with a yogurt dipping sauce (like tzatziki) and pita bread. Hummusand baba ghanoush are also good dips to serve alongside the kofta kebabs.
Print
Kofta Kebab
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 kebabs 1x
Description
Kofta Kebab recipe. The classic Eastern Mediterranean kebab of ground meat and spices on a skewer, grilled and delicious.
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh ground lamb
- 1 pound fresh 80/20 ground beef
- 1 small onion, grated or finely minced
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt (or 1 tablespoon kosher salt)
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Mix the kofta: Put all the ingredients in a large bowl and knead until completely mixed. Divide the mix into eight egg-shaped portions.
- Set the grill up for direct medium heat (350°F): Prepare the grill for cooking with direct medium heat, about 350°F, then clean the grates with a grill brush. For my Weber Summit, I pre-heat the grill with all burners on high for 15 minutes, then turn the burners down to medium and brush the grate clean. For my Weber kettle, I light a charcoal chimney full of charcoal, wait for it to be covered with white ash, then spread it out in a loose single layer across the bottom of my grill.
- Mold the kofta on the kebab skewers: While the grill is pre-heating, make the kebabs. Take one of the portions of kofta and wrap it around the bottom of a skewer. Squeezing from the bottom, work the kofta up the skewer until it is spread out into a tube about 1 ½ inches thick. Then, using your fingers like scissors, dimple the cylinder about every inch or so. (This adds nooks and crannies to the kebab.) Repeat until all the kebabs are formed.
- Grill the kebabs: Put the kebabs on the grill over direct medium heat and cook until firm and browned on the bottom, about five minutes. Flip the kebabs and cook the other side until browned, about five more minutes. Remove from the grill, and be careful—the skewers are hot. Let rest for ten minutes, serve, and enjoy!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Sunday Dinner
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Eastern Mediterranean
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Mike Vrobel says
I love a grilled steak.
Andrew says
Fantastic recipe that I have made many times. Even better with a little added chopped cilantro in the meat.
Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says
Great! Enjoy it.
Silverstar says
Kofti for dinner tonight! I love this recipe but, I've always done it with very little heat because my kids won't eat spicy foods. Tonight they get hot dogs and we get Kofti the way it should be. Thanks!!
Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says
Jon,
Thanks for the tips on refrigerating - I'll try that next time. (And the Garam Masala short cut...)
Jon says
What your eating there is honest to god Shish Kabob. Been over to the middle east many times as a Marine. Usually the spice blend is similar to what you put in or just use Garam Masala which includes those spices in the blend and a couple others.
If that was made in the middle east rather then using ground meat it most likely would be finely minced meat. It gives it a different texture. It also would be molded to the shape put in the refrigerator and skewered after chilling. You can also substitute chicken for the beef.
As a side item 99% of the time simple Basmati rice and grilled whole tomato, grilled onion on the side. If you think about it you can see how western Shish-kebab evolved. We simply leave the meat whole and put the veggies on a skewer.
All of that would be served with a cucumber sauce and some sort of flat bread.
You would find all of that on street carts, malls, and even fine dining over there.
If you mold then refrig you will that the thin commonly found skewers will fit very nicely once there very cold.
Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says
I did have Persian kebabs,not long ago, at Maykedah in San Francisco... And they're on my list of recipes I need to get right. But first I need to duplicate their lamb shanks...
Kelli Oliver George says
Eek! I should also point out that I did not mean to imply that Iran is part of the Middle East. I should have hit "enter" done a separate paragraph break. Because yeah, Persians are not Middle Easterns, either. 🙂
Kelli Oliver George says
Actually, making kabobs "patty-style" is NOT an easy way out. It's just another type of kabob called "chappli kabob" (the joke being that the vendor slaps them flat with his chappals (aka sandals 🙂 One of the best meals of my life was having these kabobs in a grimy roadside stand just outside of Nowshera in NWFP, Pakistan. YUM.
Also, as the wife of an Indian, I have to politely point out that kabobs aren't necessarily Middle Eastern, although the Middle East does have their versions. And OH MY GOD, have you ever had the chance to sample some Persian kabobs? Don't tell my husband, I prefer Persian barg kabobs. Shhhh!
Mike V @ DadCooksDinner says
Me too!
Patrick says
Loooovveee anything Middle Eastern!