Description
Kofta Kebab is a classic Eastern Mediterranean dish featuring ground lamb and beef blended with aromatic spices, shaped onto skewers, and grilled to perfection. This flavorful and juicy kebab combines tender meat with a subtle hint of cinnamon and cumin, ideal for a delicious main course.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Meat Mixture
- 1 pound fresh ground lamb
- 1 pound fresh 80/20 ground beef
- 1 small onion, grated or finely minced
- 2 large cloves garlic, minced
Spices and Seasonings
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt (or 1 tablespoon kosher salt)
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Mix Ingredients: Put all the ingredients in a large bowl and knead until completely mixed, ensuring the meat and spices are evenly combined.
- Prepare Grill: Set the grill up for direct medium heat around 350°F. Clean the grates thoroughly with a grill brush to prevent sticking. For gas grills, preheat with all burners on high for 15 minutes, then lower to medium. For charcoal grills, light a chimney full of charcoal, wait until covered with white ash, and spread coals evenly.
- Form Kofta Skewers: While the grill heats, divide the meat mixture into eight equal portions. Take one portion and mold it onto the bottom of a skewer, squeezing and shaping it into a tube about 1½ inches thick. Create dimples about every inch along the tube with your fingers to create texture. Repeat for all portions.
- Grill Kofta Kebabs: Place the kebabs on the grill over direct medium heat. Cook for about 5 minutes until browned and firm on the bottom. Flip and grill the other side for an additional 5 minutes. Once cooked, carefully remove the skewers and let the kebabs rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Use a mix of lamb and beef for authentic flavor and juiciness.
- Grating the onion helps to keep the kofta moist without large onion pieces.
- Dimples along the kebabs help them cook evenly and hold onto seasoning.
- Letting the cooked kebabs rest allows juices to redistribute for more tender bites.
- If you don’t have a grill, you can also cook the kofta under a broiler or in a hot cast-iron skillet on the stovetop.
- For milder flavor, omit the red pepper flakes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 skewer
- Calories: 311 kcal
- Sugar: 0.4 g
- Sodium: 537 mg
- Fat: 24.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 10.1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 1.5 g
- Fiber: 0.4 g
- Protein: 19.4 g
- Cholesterol: 81.7 mg
