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–+ servings
Beef kofta on a plate with a side of vegetables.
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5 from 3 votes

Beef Kofta (Easy Kafta Kebabs)

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.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Levantine, Middle Eastern
Servings: 3 people
Author: Luay Ghafari
Cost: $15

Ingredients

  • 1 Medium onion - Chopped
  • ¼ cup Fresh parsley
  • 1 lb Ground beef - Use lean or medium lean. Don't use extra lean.
  • 1 tbsp Baharat spice mix  - or 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon coriander, 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 tsp Garlic powder
  • 1 tsp 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, Lebanese 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!
You can certainly cook these kofta patties in an oven or even an air fryer. The time will vary, but the key is to cook the patties to an internal temperature of 165F. 

Nutrition

Calories: 404kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 114mg | Potassium: 487mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 198IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 3mg