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    Home » Recipes » Main Dish

    Lebanese Kafta Kabobs

    By Mariam・Published:Nov 1, 2021・Updated: Oct 29, 2021・Post may have affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    kafta skewers

    Lebanese kafta kabobs are known as a quintessential part of any Lebanese barbecue. Made up of minced meat mixed with aromatic herbs and spices, kafta is skewered on a stick then grilled to perfection. These kabobs need a few simple ingredients to be put together but they are versatile: they can be grilled indoors or outdoors, roasted, and even pan-fried. And if you love kafta, check out the chicken kafta patties and baked kafta and potatoes.

    What I Love About This Recipe

    I love how fast this recipe comes together and how with a few ingredients you get an incredibly filling and good meal. It's also super flexible when it comes to serving: wrap kafta in pita bread, eat it with a bowl of fattoush, or alongside other Lebanese mezze platters.

    Ingredient Notes

    ingredients needed to make kafta
    • Minced meat: Use beef or lamb or a mix of both with about an 85% to 90% fat content.
    • Onion: Use white, yellow, sweet, or red onion.
    • Parsley: I recommend using fresh parsley, either curly leaf or Italian type.
    • Garlic: Use fresh minced garlic cloves. Some people prefer to skip this ingredient but I never make kafta kabobs without some garlic.
    • Seven spice: This adds a touch of Lebanese flavor and gives kafta a brilliant uplift. Here's our recipe for homemade seven spice. I am never without a jar of it!
    • Additional spices: Lebanese kafta needs some ground allspice, ground cinnamon, and salt.
    • Ghee or butter: Ghee or butter add flavor to the kafta kabobs.

    See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for quantities.

    How To Make Kafta

    Wash and chop the parsley. Mince the garlic either with a garlic press or mortar and pestle. Place the minced meat in a deep mixing bowl (make sure it's large enough to mix in all the other ingredients). Then add in the minced garlic and chopped parsley.

    add the ground meat to a bowl
    add the chopped parsley to the ground meat

    Next, add all of the spices and finely minced onion. Mix them in really well. Knead everything together so that the ingredients are evenly spread out.

    add the spices, mashed garlic, and onion to the ground meat
    kafta meat mixed together in a bowl

    Now it's time to make our kafta kabobs. Have a cup of cold water next to you before starting this step. This is to help you shape the kabobs on the skewers. Take a handful of the meat mixture and start shaping it on a wooden skewer. Repeat until the meat mixture is all done. Place the kabobs in a hot grill pan greased with butter or ghee. Cook for a few minutes on each side until your meat reaches the desired wellness.

    kafta kabob on an indoor grill

    Tips and Tricks

    • Don't over-grill your kafta: Make sure you're always around the grill as you cook the meat skewers. Overcooking kafta results in the meat drying out so make sure you check on your skewers as they cook.
    • Add melted ghee to the grill pan: I cook these on the stovetop using a grill pan that has some melted ghee melted all over it. This gives the kafta a brilliant flavor and prevents and binds all the flavor together. Butter also works here but it's not as good as some high-quality organic ghee.
    • Space the skewers out: Make sure your skewers are spaced out in the pan and not overcrowded because that affects the cooking process. I cook these in batches and recommend that you do that too.

    Variations and Substitutions

    • BBQ kafta kabobs: I grilled these on the stovetop but you can also opt to cook them on an actual outdoor barbecue. They'll taste just as good but make sure you brush a little bit of ghee on each meat skewer before grilling.
    • Pita kafta rounds: This is a childhood favorite for me. Basically, use the same meat mix we prepped but instead of shaping it on skewers, you spread it on pita bread and pop it in the oven for a few minutes. Drizzle with some pomegranate molasses when it's out of the oven and thank me later.
    • Kafta meatballs: My grandma always saves a little bit of the kafta mix and shapes it into meatballs that we later use in soups and stews.

    Equipment

    • Grill pan, cast iron grill skillet, or outdoor grill to grill the kafta skewers
    • Large mixing bowl to mix the ground meat and spices together
    • Wooden skewers or metal skewers

    Storage

    Kafta kabobs taste best when they're eaten hot right from the grill pan. If you want to store some for later, shape the mix on skewers and keep them in the fridge (for up to 2 days) or in the freezer (for up to 6 months). You can then cook them right before you want to serve them.

    FAQs

    How do I reheat kafta kabobs?


    It's best to avoid reheating the kabobs in a microwave because that makes the meat dry. To reheat cooked kafta kabobs place them on a grill pan and heat for a few minutes on each side.

    What type of meat is best for kafta?


    Beef or lamb both work for kafta with a moderate fat content (around 85% fat).

    Minced Meat Recipes

    • Kafta Bil Sanieh - Baked Kafta and Potatoes
    • Ouzi Spiced Rice With Lamb
    • Baked Chicken Kafta Patties
    • Kousa Mahshi Lebanese Stuffed Zucchini

    Delicious Lebanese Recipes

    • Lebanese Tabouli Salad (Tabbouleh)
    • Shish Tawook Lebanese Chicken Kabobs
    • Homemade Labneh Dip From Milk
    • Epic Fatoosh Salad With Pomegranate

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    Lebanese kafta kabob skewers

    Lebanese Kafta Kabobs

    Author: Mariam
    Course: Main Dish
    Cuisine: Lebanese
    Prep: 10 mins
    Cook: 20 mins
    Total: 30 mins
    5 from 7 votes
    Print Pin Rate Email
    Servings 24
    Lebanese kafta kabobs are skewered minced meat kabobs that are often grilled, but can also be baked or pan-roasted.

    Ingredients
     
    US Customary - Metric

    • 2.2 lbs minced meat (beef or lamb)
    • 2 medium-sized onions, chopped
    • 3 cloves of garlic minced
    • 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
    • 1 teaspoon seven spice
    • 1 teaspoon allspice
    • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 2 teaspoons salt
    • 2 tablespoons ghee or butter

    Instructions

    • Wash the parsley. Remove the stems. Chop the parsley finely. Mince the garlic. Finely chop the onion.
    • Place the minced meat in a deep mixing bowl (make sure it's large enough to mix in all the other ingredients). Add in the chopped parsley, minced garlic, finely chopped onion, and all of the spices.
    • Mix them in really well, dip your hand in a bit of water to help the mixture come together.
    • Take a handful of the meat mixture and start shaping it on a wooden skewer. Dip your hand in some water before shaping meat on each skewer. Repeat until all of the kafta meat is skewered.
    • Place the kabobs in a hot grill pan greased with ghee or butter.
    • Cook for a few minutes on each side until your meat reaches the desired wellness.

    Notes

    1. Serve hot. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 4skewers | Calories: 416kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 878mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g

    More Ultimate Main Dishes For Lunch and Dinner

    • Grilled Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
    • Grilled Lamb Chops
    • Rotisserie Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuits
    • Crustless Chicken Pot Pie

    About Mariam

    I am Mariam Nabbout, a writer and content creator. I’ve spent years dedicating research, digital, and filmmaking skills to come up with content that's just as meaningful as it is inspiring. A few of my obsessions include good branding, films, photography, design, art, and of course, food.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Noura

      December 29, 2022 at 2:35 am

      5 stars
      Love your recipes

      Reply
      • Lily

        December 29, 2022 at 9:17 am

        Thank you Noura!

        Reply
    2. Lucy

      November 15, 2021 at 5:48 am

      5 stars
      These kaftas are so delicious. They are spiced perfectly and are a meal that is enjoyed by everyone, thank you!

      Reply
      • Lily

        November 15, 2021 at 9:00 am

        Thank you so much for the comment

        Reply
    3. Heather Johnson

      November 14, 2021 at 9:15 pm

      5 stars
      so delicious - i did meatballs and they were so tasty but I still want to do it on the pita rounds and try that!!!!

      Reply
      • Lily

        November 15, 2021 at 8:58 am

        Meatball kafta is the best! It's such a versatile recipe really.

        Reply
    4. Jacqueline

      November 14, 2021 at 4:54 am

      5 stars
      I've never made kaftas but have eaten them in Lebanese restaurants. Really good! I'm not sure I can buy ready 7 spice mix but will make my own. I've seen other recipes I want to try that use it! Making meatballs with the kafta meat sounds delicious too!

      Reply
      • Lily

        November 15, 2021 at 8:59 am

        Thank you so much for the comment! Kafta meatballs are really easy and delicious too.

        Reply
    5. Claudia

      November 12, 2021 at 6:28 am

      5 stars
      This sounds delicious our family will enjoy this and it looks so easy to make thanks!

      Reply
      • Lily

        November 15, 2021 at 9:00 am

        Thank you so much for the comment!

        Reply
    6. Maria San Juan

      November 10, 2021 at 9:44 pm

      5 stars
      Lamb meat lover here! I am so excited about this recipe! Will surely try this~

      Reply
      • Lily

        November 15, 2021 at 8:58 am

        I'm a big lamb fan too, hope you enjoy them!

        Reply

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