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    Home » Recipes » Levantine Recipes

    Beef Kofta (Spiced Ground Beef Kebabs)

    5 from 3 votes
    By Luay Ghafari | Updated: Apr 29, 2025 | May contain affiliate links.

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    This beef kofta recipe combines ground beef with aromatic Middle Eastern spices and fresh herbs. It’s a perfect recipe for a quick and easy lunch or weeknight dinner.

    I like to serve it with vermicelli rice, Lebanese pita or Taboon flatbread, and traditional tomato and cucumber salad.

    Beef kofta on a plate with a side of vegetables and drizzled with yogurt sauce.

    What is Kofta?

    Kofta, also spelled kafta, is a popular Middle-Eastern ground meat dish made from ground meat, usually beef or lamb, that is combined with various spices, herbs, and onions. The mixture is shaped into small cylindrical or round patties and then grilled, baked, or even pan-fried with a little oil.

    The mixture can also be formed onto metal or bamboo skewers before grilling. When formed on a skewer, the kafta is also technically called a kebab (or kebob depending on the dialect).

    You can serve it with eggplant hummus or mutabal (roasted eggplant dip). Try it with my Fiesta Salad recipe or my Mast-o Khiar (Persian cucumber yogurt dip) too. Also, try serving it with Turkish Ezme (a condiment made of finely chopped vegetables).

    For a really lighter meal, make “rice bowls” using brown rice or cauliflower rice as the base and layer with the grilled kafta, Jerusalem salad, pickled red onion, pickled cauliflower, feta cheese, fresh mint and some mint yogurt sauce or garlic sauce (Toum).

    Don’t forget to add some shatta or fermented hot sauce. You can even use Chipotle hot sauce. This recipe is the basis for other Levantine recipes such as Arayes, Kofta Meatball Soup and Kafta Tray Bake.

    Ingredients

    This recipe uses simple ingredients from your pantry and fridge. It comes together in very little time. For substitutions, check the next section.

    The recipe ingredients laid out on a board and individually labeled.
    • Ground Beef: You can certainly use ground lamb, or a combination of lamb and beef. Extra lean or lean ground beef works well. Make sure to also try my Persian Kabob Koobideh too! You can also use ground turkey or ground chicken and make Chicken kafta instead. You can also make this recipe vegan by using a vegan minced meat substitute.
    • Baharat: I know that most folks probably don’t have Baharat (Levantine 7-Spice Blend) in their pantries, but don’t let that stop you. You can use a combination of equal parts cumin, coriander and cinnamon to achieve a similar flavor profile. If you love to prepare Middle Eastern, Lebanese or Levantine food, I suggest you pick up some Baharat from your local Middle Eastern store or online.
    • Chili flake: I personally like to use Aleppo pepper flakes, but you can use any red pepper flakes you like or leave it out altogether.
    • Garlic Powder: I like using garlic powder in this recipe because it’s easier to incorporate in the mix, but you can totally use fresh grated garlic too.
    • Fresh Parsley: This is quite traditional. I recommend using flat-leaf Italian parsley but you can use the curly variety too if that’s what you have on hand. You can include other fresh herbs like cilantro, thyme or even oregano.

    See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

    How to make this Easy Beef Kofta Recipe

    Preparing the herb and onion mix in a food processor.

    Step 1. Process: In a small food processor, pulse the chopped onion and parsley until fine.

    Bowl with ground beef, spices and aromatics ready to be turned into beef kofta.

    Step 2. Mix: In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, onion and parsley mixture, spices, salt and pepper. Mix really well.

    Beef kofta patties formed into logs on a baking sheet.

    Step 3. Form: Form the meat mixture into oblong shapes. Don’t make them too thick. 1 inch (2cm) thickness works well. You can freeform them, or form them onto a skewer.

    Beef kofta getting grilled on an indoor grill pan.

    Step 4. Grill: Preheat your BBQ or grill pan on medium heat. Spray or brush on some neutral oil and grill the beef kebabs for 4-6 minutes on each side until cooked through. The internal temperature should be at least 165F.

    Serving Suggestions

    Serve the grilled kafta as a main with some side dishes like Lebanese rice, saffron rice, pita bread, flatbread, Lebanese potatoes, sumac marinated onions, and/or chopped salad.

    A drizzle of lemon tahini sauce is also traditional and so is a sprinkling of sumac. For extra heat, add some shatta (Middle Eastern chili paste).

    Beef kofta on a plate with a side of vegetables.

    Expert Tips

    • Check the seasoning. Fry up a small coin sized portion of the mixture and taste it. Adjust the seasoning as needed.
    • Bake. If you don’t have a BBQ or grill pan, you can bake your kafta kebabs on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Just give them a good spray or brush with oil (neural or olive oil is fine here).
    • Don’t overcook. It’s really easy to overcook ground beef which will make it really dry. Invest in a meat thermometer so you know exactly when to remove the kofta from the grill.
    • You can skip the food processor and just chop the onion and parsley by hand.
    • Mixture too wet? Depending on the moisture level in your mixture, it might be a little too wet and difficult to form into patties. Feel free to use a tablespoon or two of bread crumbs to help it come together.
    • Make kebabs: If you plan to grill the kafta on skewers on a coal or gas grill, I recommend you soak the wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes before forming the kebab to help reduce the chance of burning the skewers.
    • This recipe is featured in my what to serve with shish kabobs post.

    Recipe FAQs

    Can beef kafta be made for meal prep?

    Yes, you can choose to make the mixture and book it on the fly when you need it or cook it in advance and reheat it as needed.

    Can beef kofta be made ahead of time?

    You can definitely make the beef kofta mixture 1 day ahead of time. Another possibility is to make the mixture and freeze it in freezer bags for future use. The uncooked mixture will last in the freezer for 6 months. All you’ll need to do then is defrost, form, and grill, which saves you time, especially on a busy weeknight.

    How should you store cooked kofta?

    Store leftover cooked beef kofta kebabs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can reheat them quickly in the microwave or a toaster oven. Note that when reheated they will be dryer so make sure to serve with them with a nice sauce.

    Other Levantine Recipes You Will Enjoy

    • Middle Eastern Beef Shish Kebabs with yellow bell peppers, red onions, and zucchini on skewers, garnished with fresh mint and parsley. Served on a white platter with a lemon wedge and a small bowl of sauce.
      Middle Eastern Beef Shish Kebabs (with Sides)
    • Middle Eastern Style Chicken broth ingredients in a large Dutch oven with seared chicken, water, and aromatics.
      Middle Eastern Style Chicken Broth (Using Whole Chicken)
    • Platter with hashweh spiced rice with ground beef garnished with parsley and toasted nuts with a side of plain yogurt.
      Hashweh (Spiced Rice with Ground Beef)
    • Mediterranean yellow rice in a pot garnished with pine nuts and fresh parsley.
      Mediterranean Yellow Rice Recipe (with Turmeric)

    If you make this homemade Beef Kofta Kebab Recipe or any other main dishes on Urban Farm and Kitchen, please take a moment to rate the recipe ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe.

    For more Urban Farm and Kitchen, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, visit the Urban Farm Shop, or subscribe for new posts via email.

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    Beef kofta on a plate with a side of vegetables.

    Beef Kofta (Easy Kafta Kebabs)

    Luay Ghafari
    This beef kofta recipe combines accessible ground beef with aromatic Middle Eastern spices and fresh herbs. It’s a perfect recipe for a quick and easy lunch or weeknight dinner.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print (Email Required) Pin Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Levantine, Middle Eastern
    Servings 3 people
    Calories 404 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 Medium onion - Chopped
    • ¼ cup Fresh parsley
    • 1 lb Ground beef - Use lean or medium lean. Don't use extra lean.
    • 1 tablespoon Baharat spice mix  - or 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon coriander, 1 teaspoon cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon Chili flakes - Optional
    • Kosher salt and black pepper  - start with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. You may need more.

    Instructions
     

    • Process. In a small food processor, pulse the chopped onion and parsley until fine.
    • Mix. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, onion and parsley mixture, spices, salt and pepper. Mix really well. See the note below on how to check the seasoning level.
    • Form. Form the meat mixture into oblong shapes. Don’t make them too thick. 1 inch (2cm) thickness works well. You can freeform them, or form them onto a skewer.
    • Grill. Preheat your BBQ or grill pan on medium-high heat. Spray or brush the hot grill with some neutral oil and cook the beef kebabs for 6-8 minutes on each side until cooked through. The internal temperature should be at least 165F.

    Notes

    Refer to the blog post above for detailed step-by-step photos.
    To check the seasoning level, fry up a small coin-sized portion of the mixture and taste it. Adjust the seasoning as needed.
    Serve the grilled kafta with some Lebanese rice, pita bread, Taboon (flatbread), and/or salad of choice. A drizzle of tahini sauce is also traditional and so is a sprinkling of sumac. A squeeze of lemon juice knocks it out of the park!
    Save this recipe by emailing it to yourself!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 404kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 27gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 107mgSodium: 114mgPotassium: 487mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 198IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 39mgIron: 3mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was! Or Pin it!

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    Hi! I'm Luay, a cook, recipe developer, gardener, educator and photographer and this is my little slice of the web! I launched Urban Farm and Kitchen as an ode to seasonal, local, garden-to-table recipes and I look forward to continue sharing my passions with you all! More about me>


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