Lebanese Kafta Easy (Printable)

Juicy spiced lamb or beef kebabs with onions, parsley, and warm Middle Eastern spices. Ready in 35 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1.1 lbs ground lamb or beef (or a mix)

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
03 - 0.5 bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped

→ Spices & Seasoning

04 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 1 tsp ground allspice
06 - 1 tsp ground cumin
07 - 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
08 - 1 tsp salt
09 - 0.5 tsp ground black pepper
10 - 0.25 tsp ground cayenne or chili flakes (optional)

→ To Serve (optional)

11 - Lemon wedges
12 - Chopped fresh parsley
13 - Pita bread
14 - Tahini sauce

# How to Make It:

01 - In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, onion, parsley, garlic, allspice, cumin, cinnamon, salt, pepper, and cayenne (if using).
02 - Mix thoroughly with your hands until fully combined and sticky.
03 - Divide the mixture into 8-10 portions. Shape each into an oval patty or around a skewer for kebabs.
04 - Preheat grill, grill pan, or oven broiler to medium-high heat.
05 - Grill or broil kafta for 8-10 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked through.
06 - Serve hot with pita bread, lemon wedges, fresh parsley, and tahini sauce, if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The spice blend hits that perfect balance between warming comfort food and something bright enough for summer grilling
  • Once you master the basic mixture, you will find yourself making double batches because everyone asks for seconds
02 -
  • The meat mixture needs to be mixed until it develops a tacky, sticky texture, otherwise the kebabs may fall apart on the grill
  • Letting the shaped kafta rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before cooking helps them hold their shape better
03 -
  • If your meat mixture feels too wet to shape, refrigerate it for 20 minutes and it will become much easier to work with
  • Soak wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes so they do not burn on the grill

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