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This is such a simple and filling Grilled Beef Kafta recipe that’s ideal for entertaining or for a weeknight dinner. It’s full of flavor and can be enjoyed on its own or paired with rice pilaf, served with pita bread, tzatziki, or homemade Hummus. It is so easy to make and your whole family will love it.
This homemade beef kofta recipe is so good! I love making this dish because it is packed with flavor. Made with ground beef, minced onions, and some seasoning, they come together so quickly. Shaped into an oblong shape and placed in skewers for grilling, you’ll be enjoying this recipe in no time.
If you want some delicious side dishes to go with this grilled kofta, you should try my Vermicelli Rice and my Baba Ghanouj. They’re super easy to make and are so delicious!
Why You’ll Love This Beef Kofta Kebab Recipe
- Super easy to make. There aren’t any complicated steps with this beef kofta recipe. All you have to do is mix the ingredients together and place them onto a skewer and then grill!
- Made with healthy ingredients. This kofta is made with healthy wholesome ingredients! These ingredients can also be found at all grocery stores and you might already have them in your kitchen.
- It’s delicious! Trust me, everyone will be reaching for seconds because these are so delicious.
Kofta Ingredients
- Ground beef: I use 85/15 ground beef. You don’t want to use super lean ground beef as you don’t want these koftas to come out dry.
- White onion: feel free to use yellow or sweet onion too.
- Italian parsley leaves: you need fresh parsley leaves for the best flavor!
- Seasoning: I season my beef kofta with salt, black pepper, and 7 spice. If you don’t have 7 spice, use premade kafta spices or simple use black pepper only.
How To Make Kofta
- Mince the onion and parsley: In a food processor, add in the cubed onion. Pulse a couple of times until finely chopped but not pureed. Then add in the parsley leaves and pulse a couple more times to finely chop everything together.
- Combine and shape: Combine the onion, parsley, and ground beef. Add the spices and salt into the bowl and mix everything together very well then shape into oblong shape meatball.
- Skewer: Using a thick flat surfaced skewer, skew the meat onto the skewer, as shown in photos. If you don’t want to skew them, you can just form the same shape and grill them without a skewer.
- Grill the kofta: Preheat the grill. Spray the grill’s surface with some oil spray and grill the kofta pieces for about 3-4 minutes on each side or until cooked to your desired level of doneness.
Tips and Notes to making the Best Beef Kofta Kebabs
- Kofta need some fat to keep the kebabs moist. Always use no less than 15% of fat in your ground. I use 80/20 or 85/15 always.
- You can use only black pepper or premade kafta spices if you cannot find 7 spice.
- If using wooden skewers, soak skewers 30 minutes before grilling. Also use the widest skewers you can find to hold up well.
- You can use grated or finely chop the onion and chopped parsley by hand if you prefer.
- Use other kinds of ground meat if you don’t like beef, you can substitute for ground chicken, or lamb.
- Be sure to not overmix the meat mixture when you are combining all of the ingredients together or the kofta mixture will become too soft and wont hold up.
- If the meat mixture is sticking too much to your hands, try wetting your hands with water before shaping the meat.
Frequently Asked Questions
kofta is one of the most popular dishes in the Middle East, It’ a mixture of ground beef or lamb beef, blended with onions, parsley and a couple of Middle Eastern spices.
If your beef koftas are falling apart, you may have over minced the kafta (while mixing the beef with other ingredients). Chill the meat mixture for 10 minutes to help it firm up before shaping the mixture into balls. You can also add a little bit of bread crumbs to help it hold up.
You can make the kofta a few days ahead of time and reheat it when ready to eat or you can prepare the kofta beforehand and freeze them. The beef kofta can be frozen before or after cooking! I personally like serving them fresh.
Y Preheat oven to 350°F and then place the beef koftas on a lined sheet pan. Switch to low broil and grill for 10 minutes, turning halfway through. Keep a keen eye on them, as some ovens are different than others. If you don’t have a broiler, you can simple bake them at 350F for 10-15 minutes, flipping half way through.
If you have extra kofta skewers, remove them from the skewers and place the koftas into an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave, oven, or stovetop.
I love serving mine with some sort of salad or sides dishes like Fattoush, Tabbouleh, Hummus, Vermicelli Rice, Baba Ghanouj and many more of my Lebanese Recipes.
More Recipes You’ll Love
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Grilled Beef Kafta
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef, 85/15
- 1 small white onion, cubed
- ¼ cup packed Italian parsley leaves
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- ¾ tsp. 7 spice, or kafta spice
- 1 tsp. salt, or more to taste
Instructions
- If using wooden skewers, soak skewers 30 minute before grilling.
- Remove the meat from the package and add into a bowl.
- In a food processor, add in the cubed onion. Pulse a couple of times until finely chopped but not pureed. Then add in the parsley leaves and pulse a couple more times to finely chop everything together.
- Remove the content from the processor and transfer it into the bowl that has the meat.
- Add in the spices and salt into the bowl and mix everything together very well.
- Using a thick flat surfaced skewer, skew the meat onto the skewer, as show in photos. If you don’t want to skew them, you can just form the same shape and grill them without a skewer.
- Preheat the grill.
- Spray the grill’s surface with some oil spray and grill the kofta pieces for about 3-4 minutes on each side or until cooked to your desired level of doneness.
- Serve immediately while hot with side of your choice.
Notes
- Kofta need some fat to keep the kebabs moist. Always use no less than 15% of fat in your ground. I use 80/20 or 85/15 always.
- You can use only black pepper or premade kafta spices if you cannot find 7 spice.
- If using wooden skewers, soak skewers 30 minutes before grilling. Also use the widest skewers you can find to hold up well.
- You can use grated or finely chop the onion and chopped parsley by hand if you prefer.
- Use other kinds of ground meat if you don’t like beef, you can substitute for ground chicken, or lamb.
- Be sure to not overmix the meat mixture when you are combining all of the ingredients together or the kofta mixture will become too soft and wont hold up.
- If the meat mixture is sticking too much to your hands, try wetting your hands with water before shaping the meat.
Thank you for the recipe. The only change I made is to reduce the salt because my cousin is on three blood pressure medications. Here is my recipe for the Lebanese 7 spice. I don’t remember where I got the recipe years ago but because of the cost in spices I usually buy mine at the store.
LEBANESE SEVEN SPICE*
2 tablespoons Allspice, Ground
2 tablespoons Black Pepper, Ground
1 tablespoon White Pepper, Ground
1 1/2 teaspoons Ceylon Cinnamon, Ground
1 1/2 teaspoons Cloves, Ground
1 1/2 teaspoons Nutmeg, Grated
1 1/2 teaspoons Coriander, Ground
Mix together. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 year. Makes
about 1/2 cup.
Hi Fanica!
Thanks for sharing that and thanks for the review!