Kofta Kebab Recipe
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This kofta kebab recipe combines ground beef and lamb with fresh herbs and warm Middle Eastern spices. Shaped onto skewers and grilled until perfectly charred, kofta (or kefta) will feed a crowd!
My Childhood Recipe for Juicy Kofta Kebabs
The Middle East boasts a few signature foods: falafel, shawarma, and of course, kabobs of all sorts, including kofta!
My earliest memory of kofta kebab goes back to my elementary school days, when my family would visit Abdu Kofta, a family-owned restaurant near the boardwalk in my hometown of Port Said, Egypt. It was iconic and known for its delicious, spice-forward kofta kebabs, cooked over an open fire until perfectly charred. This recipe celebrates the flavors of my childhood and is a tribute to Abdu Kofta.
In my version, I use a mixture of ground beef and lamb, blended with onions, garlic, parsley, and a few of my favorite Middle Eastern spices, including allspice, cardamom, sumac, and nutmeg. I’m telling you, it’s a real flavor party! In fact, I use a similar spice blend to make meatballs with hummus, or marinated salmon depending on my mood.
A food processor makes quick work of the process, and the kebabs take less than 10 minutes on the grill. Kofta kebabs are a 30-minute weeknight dinner, and a fantastic addition to any Mediterranean spread.
What is Kofta or Kefta?
Kofta refers to a broad family of dishes common throughout the Middle East, North Africa, and other parts of the Mediterranean. Most people are familiar with the version made from ground meat, formed onto a skewer and grilled, like this recipe.
However, kofta comes in many forms, including patties or meatballs. It can be vegetarian, made with lamb, beef, chicken, seafood. or fish. The word kofta (also spelled kefta) comes from the Persian word kūfta, and it means ground or pounded.
Kofta Kebab Ingredients
- Ground beef and lamb: I use 1 pound of ground beef and 1/2 pound of ground lamb for a rich, savory flavor and juicy texture. You can use all beef or all lamb if you prefer.
- Yellow onion and garlic: These aromatics add moisture and savory depth. The food processor chops them finely so they blend evenly into the meat.
- Fresh parsley: One whole bunch, or about 2 packed cups of leaves, adds freshness and color.
- Bread: Soak one toasted slice of bread in water until tender, then squeeze it completely dry. It helps bind the mixture and keeps the kofta tender.
- Warm spices: Allspice, cardamom, sumac, nutmeg, paprika, and cayenne give this kofta its bold, aromatic flavor. Sumac adds tang, while cayenne provides a gentle kick.
- For serving: Warm pita, tahini sauce, tomato and onion wedges, and fresh parsley turn the kofta into a complete Mediterranean spread.
How to Make Grilled Kofta Kebabs
- Prepare the grill and skewers. Soak 10 wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes to 1 hour to help prevent burning. Meanwhile, lightly oil the grates of a gas grill and preheat to medium-high heat. If serving with pita, tahini sauce, or Mediterranean sides, prepare those before you begin grilling.
- Process the aromatics. Add 1 quartered yellow onion, 2 garlic cloves, and 1 bunch of fresh parsley (tough stems removed) to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
- Finish making the kofta mixture. To the bowl of the food processor, add the ground beef, ground lamb, the soaked and thoroughly squeezed dry bread, 1 1/2 teaspoons allspice, and 1/2 teaspoon each cayenne, cardamom, sumac, nutmeg, and paprika. Season with salt and black pepper. Process until the mixture is well combined and forms a cohesive paste, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary.
- Shape the kofta. Divide the meat mixture into equal portions. Using damp hands, firmly mold each portion around a soaked skewer, pressing gently to form an even log about 1 inch thick. Repeat with the remaining meat mixture.
- Grill the kofta. Arrange the skewers on the hot grill and cook, turning every few minutes, until lightly charred on all sides and cooked through, about 8 to 10 minutes. The internal temperature should register 160°F.
- Serve. Transfer the kofta kebabs to a serving platter and enjoy immediately with warm pita, tahini sauce, and your favorite Mediterranean salads and sides.
Tips, Tricks, and Troubleshooting
After making this recipe for decades, I’ve learned a thing or two. Here are a few suggestions to make sure this recipe works for you every time.
- Use a grill pan. If you don’t have an outdoor grill, feel free to make kofta kebabs on an indoor grill pan. Just make sure you oil the pan well.
- Chill the mixture. If you’re having a difficult time forming the kofta to the skewer, chill the mixture in the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes to make it easier to shape.
- Damp hands. Wet your hands before shaping, so the ground meat sticks to the skewer and not you! This same trick works for shaping meatballs too.
- To make gluten-free kofta, just leave the bread out. I have made this recipe both with the bread and without for my gluten-free friends, and the kebabs are still juicy without the bread thanks to the other ingredients.
- Make Ahead Kofta Kebabs up to 2 days in advance: Make the kofta recipe mixture, and shape it to the skewers. Layer the skewers between sheets of parchment paper so they don’t stick together, then cover and place in the refrigerator. Grill directly from the fridge.
What to Serve with Kofta (Kefta)?
These kofta kebabs are a crowd-pleaser, and you can easily turn them into a big Mediterranean feast by adding a few sides and salads. Here are a few of my favorite additions:
- Salads: Fattoush, Tabouli, Tomato Cucumber Mediterranean Salad, or this Fresh Tomato Salad.
- Sauces and Dips: Ezme (Spicy Turkish Salsa), Tahini Sauce, Creamy Hummus, or Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
- Sides: Mediterranean Grilled Vegetables, Spicy Skillet Potatoes (Batata Harra), Lebanese Rice; Roasted Eggplant, Persian Rice With Potato Tahdig
How to Store and Reheat Kofta
This recipe makes 10 skewers, and we don’t usually have much leftover, but they make excellent lunches the next day.
- Remove the skewers and zap in the microwave just until warmed through.
- Place the skewers in a skillet set over medium heat. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water. Cover and cook until warmed through, about 6 minutes.
Try These Kofta Recipes Next!
Kofta Kebab Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 medium yellow onion quartered
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 bunch parsley, stems removed (about 2 packed cups parsley leaves)
- 1 pound ground beef, 85/15
- 1/2 pound ground lamb
- 1 slice bread, toasted until browned and soaked in water until fully tender
- kosher salt
- ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground green cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon ground sumac
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- Pita to serve
For the Fixings:
- Tahini Sauce
- Tomato wedges
- Onion wedges
- More parsley
Instructions
- Prepare the skewers and the grill. Soak 10 wooden skewers in water for about 30 minutes to 1 hour. If using metal skewers, skip the soaking step. Lightly oil the grates of a gas grill and preheat it to medium-high for about 20 minutes. Line a tray with parchment paper.
- Prepare the fixings. Prepare pita bread, tomato, onion, and tahini sauce, and any other sides so they are ready when the kebabs come off the grill.
- Make the kofta mixture. To the bowl of a food processor, add the onions, garlic, and parsley. Pulse until finely chopped. Add the beef, lamb, bread (be sure to squeeze out the water completely), and the spices. Run the processor until all is well combined forming a pasty meat mixture.
- Shape the kofta. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and divide it into 10 equal portions. Press each portion securely around a skewer, shaping it into an even log about 1-inch thick. Place each skewer on a parchment-lined tray.
- Grill. Place the kofta kebabs on the lightly oiled grill. Grill on medium-high heat for 4 minutes on one side, then turn over and grill for another 3-4 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
- Enjoy. Serve the kofta kebabs immediately with pita bread, tahini, and the fixings you prepared.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Can I make a double batch and freeze some before I cook them?
Hi, Susan. Sure! That will work. You can freeze the mixture by forming the kabobs and placing them in a vacuumed freezer bag or freezer-safe container and freeze. When you’re ready to cook them, thaw the meat out in the fridge the night before and skewer it.
They tasted amazing. I had some issues with the grilling they fell apart and became very soft. What would bind them better?
You could try using an egg to help bind the mixture. We do that with our chicken kofta recipe and find it helpful. Also, be sure not to overmix.
Hi Suzy, thanks for this recipe. I’ve made it a couple of times using only ground beef 80/20 and the flavor is amazing. The problem I’ve been having is with texture. I blend the ingredients until well combined but the texture of the meat comes out almost string like. Not sure if it’s the quality of the ground meat to begin with. Could it be over mixing or under mixing in the food processor?
Hi, Sharon. Yes, it could be over/under mixing using the food processor. You could try mixing the kofta meat by hand in a large bowl. This might give you more control over the texture.
Hilda try using just plain dry bread crumbs instead of soaking the toasted bread…this worked for me the second time around 🙂 Fabulous recipe Suzy !
Thanks for the tip, Joyce!
Another great recipe. So tasty & easy to make. Everyone loved it. I didnt have any Sumac, so I’ll need to get some the next time I make this. Thank you!
Hi these look lovely and going to make them this weekend. What does this part of the instructions mean though please: 1 slice of bread, toasted until browned and soaked in water until fully tender. When you say until fully tender how long is this and how much water please.
Hi, Colin. The amount of water is not super important. Just enough to fully soak the bread until it is softened (about 10 minutes or so).
Just had these for dinner and they were absolutely delicious, better than the ones I get from my local Turkish restaurant. Thanks for another delicious recipe!
Awesome! Thanks, Phyllis!
Great recipe. Instead of the lamb/beef mix, I used a mix of Lean and Fatty beef. Still lovely!
this is another fabulous recipe! i was unsure of blending it so much in the food processor (too many failed overworked meatballs…) but it was absolutely tender, and so delicious. thanks so much for sharing. I can’t wait to make more!
Awesome! Thanks, Jessica!
Make these regularly now. My boys devour them! Yum yum yum 😋 sometimes I don’t even bother with the skewers and just make mini sausages and they hold up really well on a cast iron griddle. Today they’re on the barbecue on Cherry wood. I have made them with fresh coriander when I don’t have parsley and just as delicious. My hand usually slips in an extra smidge of cardamom cos I just can’t help myself. Delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks for taking time to share, Helen!
Mine meat past was very sticky, what happened?
Hi, Hilda! Hard to say from my vantage point… but perhaps there was too much moisture? Not sure. I’ve not had that issue with this recipe.
We made these kabobs for Mother’s day following the recipe to the letter. Our meat paste was on the sticky side too, but we placed them on parchment paper and put them in the freezer for about 15 minutes. They firmed up nicely and we cooked them on the grill. Everyone loved the results. We plan to do this again soon. Thank you for sharing!!
Thanks for the tip!! So glad you enjoyed them!
very aromatic and smells great, we followed the recipe to the letter , but bland in taste.
Couldn’t find the video link, but going to give it a shot anyways.
Hi, Greg. So sorry about that. Sometimes web browsers prevent popups, which affects our videos, unfortunately.
Do you use curly parsley?
I typically use Italian/Flat Leaf Parsley
S good. I used lemon juice instead of sumac because I didn’t have any.
Thanks for sharing, Misha!
Hi Suzy, I have made a handful of your recipes and loved them all so far. Regarding making these a day ahead of time I see in previous posts you said the kofta can be shaped and refrigerated. Will they wooden skewers still be OK since they will likely have dried by the the next day or will the refrigerator keep the wood moist enough?
Thanks you!
Hi, Karin! In my experience, as long as they were well-covered, they were okay. Another great option would be to form the kofta kebabs the day before, and wait to skewered them with freshly soaked skewers just before cooking.