• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Chef Dennis
  • Recipe Index
  • On the Road
  • About
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Contact
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe Index
    • About
    • Contact
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Beef Recipes

    Beef Kofta Kebabs Recipe

    Published: May 21, 2023 by Chef Dennis Littley

    61 shares
    • Facebook46
    • Email
    5 from 1 vote
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Beef Kofta kebabs are a delicious and versatile dish that has been enjoyed for centuries across the Middle East and beyond. These succulent meat skewers are made with ground beef, infused with fragrant spices, and grilled to perfection.

    Beef Kofta Kebabs with a bowl of tzatziki sauce on a white plate.

    Good ground beef is important when making Beef Kofta Kebabs. Use lean ground beef that has a good balance of fat content. The fat adds moisture and flavor to the kebabs, ensuring they remain juicy and tender when cooked.

    I’ve had Lebanese kebabs made with ground lamb that were OMG delicious, so if you’re a fan of lamb, you can use ground lamb to make these delicious kabobs.

    Beef Kofta Kebabs with a bowl of tzatziki sauce on a white plate.

    These delicious beef kababs can be made on an indoor grill pan or over the open flames of your outdoor grill. If you don’t have a grill, these Beef Kafta Kababs can be made on a baking sheet in your oven.

    One of my other favorite ground beef dishes is my Greek Pasta Bake.

    Ingredients to make Beef Kofta Kebabs

    Ingredients to make recipe.

    Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Beef Kofta Kebabs and Tzatziki Sauce. In Chef Speak, this is called the “Mise en Place,” which translates to “Everything in its Place.”

    Not only does setting up your ingredients ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

    Made with simple ingredients

    • ground beef (or ground lamb)
    • fresh garlic cloves
    • onions
    • fresh parsley
    • fresh mint
    • fresh cilantro
    • sweet paprika (or smoked paprika)
    • cumin
    • turmeric
    • salt
    • black pepper
    • red pepper flakes. (if you like heat, you can add a little cayenne pepper)

    The key to great beef kafta kabobs lies in the quality and blend of spices used. Traditional middle eastern spices can include cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, red pepper flakes, cinnamon, and cloves. Fresh herbs are also important to the blend and can include fresh parsley, fresh mint, and fresh cilantro. Combined with the richness of ground beef, these spices create an aromatic and flavorful base for the kebabs.

    But remember, these are suggestions, use the flavors you enjoy eating. Mix and match your favorite seasonings from the list to make a spice blend that your whole family will love.

    How to make Beef Kofta Kebabs

    Collage showing how to start recipe.
    • Add all the seasonings to a bowl.
    • Whisk the seasonings to blend together.
    • Place the ground beef, spice blend, chopped garlic, and chopped onions in a large bowl.
    • Mix the ingredients together to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to give the seasonings time to bloom.
    Collage showing how to make recipe.
    • Shape the seasoned beef into logs (oblong shape).
    • Skewer the kafta meat with the wooden skewers (or metal skewers), squeezing the mixture to mold it to the skewer.
    • Place the kabobs on a hot grill pan over medium-high heat and cook for 5-6 minutes.
    • Turn the beef kofta kabobs halfway through the cooking process and continue to cook for an additional 5-6 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

    You can also use a gas grill or charcoal grill to cook the kabobs. Beef Kofta Kabobs can also be cooked in a 350-degree oven for 15-18 minutes.

    How to make Tzatziki Sauce

    collage showing how to make tzatziki sauce.
    • Add the Greek yogurt, cucumber, fresh chopped mint, fresh lemon juice, and salt to a medium bowl.
    • Whisk the ingredients together to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate the sauce until ready to serve.
    Beef Kofta Kebabs on rice with a side of tzatziki sauce on a white plate.

    After one bite, I know you’re going to love my Beef Kofta Recipe. Serve them over fragrant coconut rice with warm pita bread, tzatziki sauce, and baba ganoush for a meal you won’t soon forget!

    Wouldn’t these beef kofta kebabs make a delicious weeknight dinner? You can have them on the dinner table in under an hour.

    Recipe FAQ’s

    What is the difference between beef kofta kebabs and other kebabs?

    Traditional kebabs are made with chunks of meat or seafood, while kofta kebabs are made with ground beef or ground lamb or a combination of the two mixed with seasonings and formed on a skewer.

    What are Beef Kofta Kebabs?

    Beef Kofta Kebabs is a dish made from ground beef mixed with various spices and herbs, shaped into small patties or cylinders, and then grilled or roasted on skewers. They are typically served with flatbread, rice, or salad.
    They are popular in the Indian subcontinent through Central Asia, the Middle East, the Balkans, and Northern Africa.

    Can I make Beef Kofta Kebabs without skewers?

    Yes, you can. If you don’t have skewers, you can still make Beef Kofta Kebabs by shaping the meat mixture into small patties or cylinders and then grilling them directly on a grill, grill pan, or in the oven.

    More Ground Beef Recipes

    • piece of pastitsio being taken out of pan
      Pastitsio {Greek Pasta Bake}
    • Three stuffed peppers in a white bowl with sauce.
      Classic Stuffed Peppers
    • overhead view of hamburger soup in a white bowl
      Easy Hamburger Soup Recipe
    • baked meatballs on a white plate.
      Best Baked Italian Meatballs

    Did you make this? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!

    Please SUBSCRIBE and FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST!

    Beef kofta kebabs on a white plate with bowl of tzatziki sauce
    Print Recipe Save Saved!
    5 from 1 vote

    Beef Kofta Kebabs

    Beef Kofta kebabs are a delicious and versatile dish that has been enjoyed for centuries across the Middle East and beyond. These succulent meat skewers are made with ground beef, infused with fragrant spices, and grilled to perfection.
    Prep Time10 minutes mins
    Cook Time12 minutes mins
    Total Time22 minutes mins
    Course: Entree
    Cuisine: Middle Eastern, Moroccan
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 347kcal
    Author: Chef Dennis Littley

    Equipment

    • Grill Pan or Outdoor Grill

    Ingredients

    Beef Kebabs

    • 4 wooden skewers or metal skewers
    • 1 pound ground beef you need some fat in the meat, use 85/15 or 80/20 for the best results.
    • 1 cup onion finely minced
    • 1 tsp garlic finely minced
    • 2 tsp sweet paprika or smoked paprika
    • 1 tsp cumin
    • 1 tsp turmeric
    • 1 tsp sea salt
    • ¼ tsp black pepper
    • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes more or less to taste
    • ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
    • ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
    • 1 tbsp fresh mint leaves chopped

    Tzatziki Sauce

    • 1 cup Greek yogurt
    • ½ cup grated peeled cucumber squeeze dry
    • 1 tsp garlic finely minced
    • 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
    • 1 tsp fresh mint finely chopped
    • ¼ tsp salt to taste
    US Customary – Metric
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    Beef Kebabs

    • Add the spices to a small bowl and whisk to blend together.
    • Place the ground beef, spice blend, chopped garlic, and chopped onions in a large bowl.
    • Mix the ingredients together to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to give the seasonings time to bloom.
    • Form the seasoned beef into a log shape (long cylinder shapes).
    • Skewer the kafta meat with the wooden skewers (or metal skewers), squeezing the mixture to mold it to the skewer.
    • Place the kabobs on a hot grill pan over medium-high heat and cook for 5-6 minutes.
    • Turn the beef kofta kabobs halfway through the cooking process and continue to cook for an additional 5-6 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
      You can also cook these on a gas or charcoal grill to cook the kabobs. Kabobs can also be cooked in a 350-degree oven for 15-18 minutes.

    Tzatziki Sauce

    • Add all of the ingredients to a bowl and whisk together to combine. Refrigerate the sauce until ready to serve.
    • Serve the Beef Kebabs with coconut rice and tzatziki sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley.

    Notes

    If you use wooden skewers and cook over an outdoor grill with an open flame, make sure to soak the wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes to prevent them from burning.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 347kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 829mg | Potassium: 524mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 977IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 106mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @askChefDennis or tag #askChefDennis!

    More Beef Recipes

    • sloppy joes on bun on a white plate.
      Best Sloppy Joes Recipe
    • Slice of spaghetti pie on a spatula being taken out of the whole pie.
      Spaghetti Pie
    • Beef stroganoff over egg noodles in white bowl.
      Beef Stroganoff Recipe
    • Beef barley soup in white bowl.
      Hearty Beef Barley Soup Recipe

    About Chef Dennis

    Picture of Chef Dennis

    Chef Dennis Littley is a classically trained chef with over 40 years of experience working in the food service industry. In his second career as a food blogger he has made it his mission to demistify cooking by sharing his time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen. Let Chef Dennis help you bring the joy of cooking into your home. For more details, check out his About page.

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Comment Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar


    My name is Dennis Littley or “Chef Dennis” as I’m known both at work and across the blogosphere. As a classically trained chef with 40+ years of experience in the kitchen, I share my time-tested recipes, knowledge, and chef tips to help you create easy-to-make restaurant-quality meals in your home kitchen.

    More about me →

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Fan Favorites

    • loaf of homemade artisan bread on a wooden cutting board
      Almost No-Knead Artisan Bread Recipe
    • 2 Maryland crab cakes on a white plate
      Baked Maryland Crab Cakes Recipe
    • chicken parm with pasta on a white plate
      Chicken Parmesan Recipe
    • seasoned crispy chicken legs on a foil wrapped tray
      Best Baked Chicken Legs {Drumsticks}
    • side view of slice of bee sting cake being taken out of full cake
      German Bee Sting Cake (Bienenstich) Recipe
    • Tiramisu with a fork on a white plate
      Best Tiramisu Recipe {step by step}
    • overhead view of barbecued half racks of baby back ribs on a white platter
      Easy Oven Baked Baby Back Ribs
    • overhead view of veal parm and linguine on a white plate
      Restaurant Style Veal Parm Recipe

    Featured In

    logos of all the places chef dennis has been featured

    Popular Posts

    • crispy seasoned chicken leg quarters on a white platter
      Best Baked Chicken Leg Quarters
    • cropped-Gunniess-Beef-Stew-13.jpg
      Authentic Guinness Beef Stew Recipe
    • overhead shot of baked crab imperial on a white plate with sauteed greens and roasted potatoes
      Maryland Style Jumbo Lump Crab Imperial
    • close up of half a chicken salad sandwich on a white plate
      Best Chicken Salad – Deli Style
    • oysters rockefeller with a slice of lemon on a bed of rock salt on a white platter
      How to Make Restaurant Style Oysters Rockefeller
    • sliced dry rub roasted brisket with cilantro and tomatoes on on a white platter
      Easy Oven Baked Beef Brisket Recipe
    • rack of pork with end cut off
      Oven Roasted Rack of Pork {Pork Rib Roast}
    • sliced meatloaf with the rest of meatloaf on a white platter
      Classic Meatloaf Recipe with Zesty Glaze

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    INFO

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure Policy
    • Cookie Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    SUBSCRIBE

    Sign Up Today and start getting my easy-to-make restaurant-quality recipes!

    CONTACT

    • About
    • Contact
    © 2009-2023 · Ask Chef Dennis ·

    Proud Member of:
    Mediavine Publisher Network