Name: Middle Eastern Grilled Kofta Kebabs
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 18 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Oil for the grill; 2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 tsp garlic powder); 1 pound 80% lean ground beef; 1 tbsp ground coriander seed; 1 tsp ground cumin seed; 1 tsp cinnamon; 1/2 tsp allspice; 1/4 tsp ground ginger; 1/4 tsp black pepper; 1/8 tsp of cayenne or other hot pepper (or a little Harissa paste); 3 tbsp onion, finely minced (or 2 teaspoons onion powder); 3 tbsp parsley, chopped; 1 1/2 tsp salt

Middle Eastern Grilled Kofta Kebabs

Team Verywell Fit

Updated on January 28, 2022

Medically reviewed by

Kristy Del Coro, MS, RDN, LDN

(63 ratings)

Total Time: 18 min

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 8 min

Servings: 4

Nutrition Highlights (per serving)

197 calories

12g fat

3g carbs

18g protein

Show Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	197
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g	15%
Saturated Fat 5g	25%
Cholesterol 63mg	21%
Sodium 1178mg	51%
Total Carbohydrate 3g	1%
Dietary Fiber 1g	4%
Total Sugars 0g
Includes 0g Added Sugars	0%
Protein 18g
Vitamin D 0mcg	0%
Calcium 51mg	4%
Iron 3mg	17%
Potassium 314mg	7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Kofta kebabs are a popular dish originating from Turkish cuisine. They are made from ground meat, including beef, lamb, mutton, or veal, and are highly spiced with traditional seasonings. This easy recipe has a nice amount of heat that you can adjust to your tastes.

These kebabs contain many herbs and spices that contain studied beneficial properties including antioxidants and anti-inflammatory effects.

Ingredients

Oil for the grill
2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 tsp garlic powder)
1 pound 80% lean ground beef
1 tbsp ground coriander seed
1 tsp ground cumin seed
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp of cayenne or other hot pepper (or a little Harissa paste)
3 tbsp onion, finely minced (or 2 teaspoons onion powder)
3 tbsp parsley, chopped
1 1/2 tsp salt

Preparation

If you plan to use wooden skewers, soak them in water for about 1 hour and remove them when you're ready to use them.
Lightly oil the grates on your grill and preheat for about 20 minutes on medium-high.
Mash the garlic into a paste with the flat side of your knife or with a mortar and pestle.
Squeeze any water out of the meat.
In a large bowl, mix the garlic in with the meat, coriander seed, cumin seed, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, black pepper, cayenne, onion, parsley, and salt. Mix until well-blended.
Mold into long meatballs, about 3 to 4 inches long and 1-1/2 inches in diameter, and put on skewers to grill. (Skewers are totally optional.)
Grill the kebabs on medium high for about 4 minutes.
Turn over and grill for another 3 to 4 minutes.

Variations and Substitutions

These kebabs can be made with any ground meat or ground meat blend, including the traditional lamb, though the nutrition information will be different.
If you don't have kabob sticks, you can simply form the meat into oblong patties instead.
You can adjust the cayenne or hot pepper to taste for more or less heat.

Cooking and Serving Tips

Try mincing your onion and garlic in a food processor and then adding everything else into the processor and mixing well.
Go ahead and make the kebabs ahead of time. When you're finished, put them on a baking sheet and cover. Refrigerate for up to 12 hours before grilling.
To save money, buy your spices in bulk at a health food store, Middle Eastern, or Asian market.
It's easiest to mix all the ingredients together, but you might find that the flavors come out a little more if you warm the spices in about a tablespoon of olive oil until they sizzle.
Try serving with tzatziki with mint, a yogurt-cucumber side dish, and a salad.
These kebabs are also delicious served with pita bread or flatbread, lettuce, tomato, and yogurt.
Another tasty option is to serve the kebabs over rice with a variety of dipping sauces.

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