That’s what my own kofta recipe is all about. It may look like an unassuming burger on a stick, but it tastes like so much more than that. Make it with me for your own taste of the Middle East at home!
How To Make Lamb Kofta
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
Ground Lamb – The star of the dish! Technically you can use ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken, but I think lamb makes the best kofta kebab. I recommend meats with a higher fat content (around 20%), so they stay juicy. Onion – I borrowed the little trick of adding grated onions from my mom, who always adds them to her ground meats. They keep the meat extra juicy and add flavor. Just grate with a box grater. I usually use a white onion here, but yellow or red onions would also work great. Garlic – I highly recommend freshly minced cloves of garlic. But, I once made this kofta recipe using a teaspoon of jarred garlic and it was still amazing. Fresh Herbs – Including fresh parsley and fresh dill. Fresh mint would also make a nice addition. Cumin – In my opinion, this is the most important seasoning for kofta kebab. You can also experiment with other classic spices, like paprika, coriander, allspice, cinnamon, or cardamom — I recommend about 1/2 teaspoon of each if you want to add any of these. Sea Salt & Black Pepper – If you like a kick, add a pinch of cayenne pepper, too.
More Lamb Recipes
I’m a big fan of lamb! Whether you love it too or are just dipping your toes in, my other easy lamb recipes will win you over:
Do not over-mix the meat. Overmixing can cause the proteins in the meat to bind tightly together, resulting in a tougher kofta kebab. In fact, this is so important that I stir all the other ingredients together first, before adding the lamb. This minimizes the amount of mixing needed to get everything incorporated. Having trouble working with the meat mixture? It can be a little wet and sticky. I find it helpful to wet my hands with water or oil before forming around the skewers. If you still have trouble, you can refrigerate the mixture for 30 minutes to make it easier to work with. Be careful not to overcook. Some people think lamb tastes gamey when overcooked. I find this is less of an issue with ground lamb, but it can still get dry! Although I have cook times on the recipe card below, I highly recommend using a meat thermometer (I love this one) and going by the internal temperature if you can. Aim for 120 degrees F for rare, 130 degrees F for medium rare, 140 degrees F for medium, 150 degrees F for medium well, or 160 degrees F for well done. Time can vary depending on thickness. I form the meat to be about 1 inch thick for quick cooking. Don’t have a grill or having a rainy day? You can make this recipe on a cast iron grill pan on the stove instead. I don’t recommend nonstick pans — they won’t get you the same results. You can also bake in the oven, but you’ll miss out on the nice browning. Rest before serving. Like virtually all my meat recipes, I recommend letting your kofta kebab rest. This lets the juices redistribute and improves the final texture.
Dipping Sauce – My favorite sauce is a cool and creamy tzatziki sauce, pictured near the top of this post. This dish is also amazing with tahini sauce, plain Greek yogurt, or hummus (I even like it with cauliflower hummus). Vegetables – While the grill is still going, you might as well cook up some grilled eggplant or grilled zucchini. They work really well with the flavors of the kofta. Salad – Try my classic Greek salad with cucumbers and tomatoes (simple version of this shown above), or add chickpeas for my upgraded Mediterranean salad. Starches – I usually skip these if I’m being honest, but rice and pita bread were certainly always included in every authentic place I’ve eaten kofta kebab. You can even make my almond flour pita bread or Greek lemon potatoes for grain-free options.
Please enter your first name for your account. Your saved recipe will also be sent to your email. Another part I loved is, of course, the food. We could pop into any hole-in-the-wall of a place and it would still be amazing. I vividly remember one such spot that had incredible lamb kofta kebab, gyro meat, and hummus. Years later, it inspired me to create this recipe. What are your favorite Middle Eastern foods? Let me know in the comments below!
