Beef Kofta Kebabs

Mediterranean Beef Kofta Kebabs are juicy, tender, flavorful, and well seasoned with a blend of herbs and spices. These grilled ground beef skewers are quick and easy to make in just 30 minutes (including prep!) and can be cooked on the grill, oven, or air fryer.

The best part? You can prepare these skewers ahead of time so that you only need to spend around 10 minutes grilling them for dinner. Serve beef kofta for lunch or dinner with rice or Pita Bread for a complete meal, or serve as an appy on Game Day with a drizzle of Tzatziki Sauce. However you serve them, sit back and watch them disappear fast. They are a total crowd pleaser.

Why You'll Love Beef Kofta Kebabs

• They’re a quick and easy dinner. Although it might seem complicated, these beef kofta kebabs are incredibly simple. Think of it like a meatball, except you’re crafting it on a stick and cooking it. And yes, these beef kofta kebabs are ready in under 45 minutes — and if you prepare them ahead of time, they can be a 15-minute dinner.
• The bold herbs and spices. To make beef kofta kebabs, you’ll need fresh garlic, onion, and parsley, along with an assortment of Middle Eastern spices including paprika, cumin, sumac, and cardamom. Combined together, you’ll end up with a beef kofta kebab that’s so flavorful you can’t help but ask for seconds, and thirds, and fourths.
• You can grill, bake in the oven, or air fry them. We like to make these Mediterranean beef kebabs on a grill or grill pan because the charring and smoke add even more flavor to this already flavorful meat. You can also bake them in the oven or air fryer all year long.

Ingredient Notes

To make these delicious Beef Kofta Kebabs, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

• ground beef - we use ground beef in this recipe but traditionally, kofta is made with ground lamb. Feel free to substitute with lamb or use a combination of the two ground meats.
• onion
• garlic
• parsley
• allspice powder
• paprika
• ground cumin
• ground sumac
• ground cardamom
• salt and pepper
• tzatziki sauce - you can serve these beef skewers with Tzatziki Sauce which pairs really well with it. We made our homemade Tzatziki Sauce in minutes, but you can easily use store-bought sauce — whichever is more convenient.

You will also need measuring spoons, mixing bowl, and skewers (I used bamboo skewers).

How to Make the Best Beef Kofta Kebabs

1. Marinate the beef. In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef with onion, garlic, parsley, and all the spices including salt, pepper, allspice, paprika, cumin, sumac, cardamom). Mix well until evenly combined. Cover the bowl with plastic cling wrap and set aside to marinate for at least 20 minutes or overnight in the fridge.

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2. Shape the skewers. Take about ½ cup of the beef mixture and shape into a cylinder on each skewer. Repeat this step until all the meat is used up. Set the skewers aside on a plate.
3. Grill. Preheat a grill pan or gas grill over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes and lightly brush the grill with cooking oil. You should notice the oil shimmers and sizzles when it's hot and ready. Grill the skewers until cooked through and nicely browned on all sides, about 10-12 minutes. Use tongs to flip around a few times to achieve even cooking on all sides. The internal temperature for the beef should reach 160 F as read on a meat thermometer.

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How to Serve

I like to serve beef kofta kebabs with Tzatziki Sauce. They also pair great with any Mediterranean-inspired dishes, such as:

• A fresh salad like Greek Salad, Chickpea Greek Salad, or Quinoa Spinach Salad
• Steamed Rice or Rice Pilaf
• Hummus
• Pita Bread
• Greek Lemon Roasted Baby Potatoes

More Ground Beef Recipes

• 25 Best Ground Beef Recipes
• Juicy Hamburgers
• Classic Meatloaf
• Italian Meatballs
• Ground Beef Stuffed Peppers
• Homemade Hamburger Helper
• Mexican Ground Beef Tacos

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