Lamb kofta kebabs are wildly popular in my house. The aroma of ground lamb mixed with lots of fresh herbs, Middle Eastern spices, and garlic searing on the grill or grill pan is always welcome.
I like to serve my lamb kofta (also sometimes called lamb kefta) with hummus, tzatziki, rice or pita bread, and either harissa or chermoula. A tomato and cucumber salad is a refreshing side, as well.
How to make lamb kofta kebabs
There are endless recipes for lamb kofta throughout the Middle East. Every country and region in that part of the world seems to have its own method for seasoning and cooking this flavorful lamb dish.
For the most part, of these recipes involve seasoning ground lamb and forming it into patties, balls, or oblongs and grilling them on skewers. Here’s my basic method:
- Chop fresh mint, cilantro, garlic, and onion.
- Mix the minced herbs and aromatics into ground lamb.
- Add toasted and ground spices including cumin, fennel, and coriander.
- Wrap the mixture around wooden skewers (they’ll be more or less cigar-shaped). You can also form them into oblongs (football-shaped), patties, or balls.
- Grill over medium-high heat.
- Serve with warm pita bread, tzatziki, chermoula, harissa, rice, and a chopped tomato-and-cucumber salad.
What is the difference between Shish Kebabs and Kofta Kebabs?
Shish kebabs are usually chunks of seasoned meat that are grilled on skewers, which kofta kebabs are minced meat mixed with seasonings, formed into balls, and grilled on skewers.
What are the ingredients of lamb kofta kebabs?
- Ground lamb
- Fresh herbs (I use mint and cilantro)
- Garlic
- Onion
- Middle Eastern spices (I use cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds)
- Salt and pepper
Many recipes for kofta include some sort of grain. Bulgur (cracked wheat berries) is traditional, but I’ve seen recipes that included rice, quinoa, or breadcrumbs. I prefer a meatier version, so I leave the grains out, but feel free to add them if you like.
What to serve with lamb kofta
In the Middle East, you’ll most often see kofta served with an assortment of breads, salads, pickled vegetables, and sauces or dips. Here are a few options (choose one or two or offer them all as part of a lavish Middle Eastern feast):
- Pita bread or Middle Eastern flatbread
- Tzatziki or other yogurt-based dip/sauce
- Hummus
- Tomato and cucumber salad
- Pickled and raw vegetables
- Charmoula sauce
- Harissa
- Cooked rice or rice pilaf
- Lemon wedges
When do you serve this recipe?
This is a great recipe for weeknight meals or for entertaining because it doesn’t take long to put together and most of the work can be done up to two days in advance.
You can also make the sides and sauces in advance if you like. Better yet, you can purchase many of the accompaniments like pita bread, hummus, and tzatziki, making it that much easier to put on a lavish spread with little effort.
Do you cook or eat lamb regularly?
Most Americans either never eat lamb or eat it only rarely, perhaps while dining out. I used to be the same way, but then I discovered that lamb is surprisingly easy to cook and many cuts are quite affordable.
I can buy ground lamb at my regular supermarket for around $8 a pound (or at Grocery Outlet for around $6 a pound).
Cooking ground lamb is not much different from cooking ground beef, but in my opinion, it’s a whole lot more flavorful. If you haven’t cooked lamb before, this recipe is a great place to start.
More Jewish holiday recipes you’ll love
Lamb Kofta Kebabs
Ground lamb is mixed with lots of fresh herbs, aromatics, and spices and then grilled on skewers. I like to serve these with pita bread, hummus, tzatziki, harissa or chermoula, and a salad of romaine, cucumbers, and tomatoes with lemon dressing. Brown basmati rice is a great accompaniment as well.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon fennel seed
- 1 teaspoon cumin seed
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 cup cilantro
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves
- 1½ pounds ground lamb
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Toast the fennel and cumin seeds in a pan just
until starting to brown, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately transfer the seeds to a spice grinder and grind the seeds to a fine powder. - Put the onion, garlic, cilantro, and mint in a food processor and process until very finely chopped.
- In a bowl, combine the lamb with the ground fennel and cumin seeds, coriander, salt, pepper, and the finely chopped herb mixture. Stir to mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Wrap the lamb mixture around wooden skewers (about 10 skewers) and grill them, turning every few minutes to cook all sides, over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, until cooked through.
Notes
1. If you don’t have a spice grinder, you can use pre-ground
spices, just reduce the amount to ½ teaspoon of each ground cumin and ground fennel seed. Or you can grind the seeds by hand with a mortar and pestle.
2. You can cook these on an outdoor grill or on a grill pan on the stovetop.
Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 505Total Fat 34gSaturated Fat 14gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 17gCholesterol 165mgSodium 673mgCarbohydrates 5gFiber 1gSugar 1gProtein 43g
Nutrient values are estimates only. Variations may occur due to product availability and manner of food preparation. Nutrition may vary based on methods of preparation, origin, freshness of ingredients, and other factors.
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Jewish recipes are the heart of every Jewish holiday celebration. There’s a special dish (or five!) for every occasion, from the high holidays to Shabbat dinners! Here are my favorite Jewish recipes for the holidays or any day.
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Instant Pot Applesauce
This Instant Pot applesauce is super quick and easy to make. It's delicious on top of crispy potato latkes--or just eat it plain!
Instant Pot Falafel
Crispy, golden brown patties are tender and moist on the inside. They're seasoned just right with cumin, coriander, cayenne, and fresh parsley.
Instant Pot Hummus
This Instant Pot hummus from scratch starts with dried chickpeas and takes less than an hour to make—and that's start to finish time. There's no need to soak the beans. The result is lush, rich, creamy, and full of flavor.
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This is a great way to use up leftover cooked couscous. The dressing can be whisked together in a bowl, but is especially easy to make in a food processor—chop the parsley leaves in the processor first, then add the other ingredients and process until smooth.
Lamb Kofta Kebabs
Ground lamb is mixed with lots of fresh herbs, aromatics, and spices and then grilled on skewers. I like to serve these with pita bread, hummus, tzatziki, harissa or chermoula, and a salad of romaine, cucumbers, and tomatoes with lemon dressing. Brown basmati rice is a great accompaniment as well.
Homemade Pita Bread
Pita bread is surprisingly easy to make and watching the rounds puff up in the oven is so, so satisfying. Use them for sandwiches or cut them into triangles and use them to scoop savory Middle Eastern dips like my Instant Pot Hummus, baba ganoush, or tzatziki.
Matzoh Fattoush or Bread Salad for Passover
This bright, fresh, kosher for Passover salad—a take on the popular Middle Eastern bread salad called fattoush—gives the plain crackers new life. Spiced, baked matzo “chips” replace the usual flat bread, but other than that, this hearty salad packs all the fresh herby, tangy, spicy flavor you expect from fattoush.
Whipped Feta Spread with Garlic and Fresh Dill
Whipped Feta Spread is a great addition to a mezze appetizer platter. It's a tangy, salty, creamy dip with a punch of garlic and fresh dill. Scoop it up with pita chips or raw veggies.
Grandma Fran's Vegetarian Chopped Liver
Made of mostly walnuts, butter, and onions, this chopped liver is just as good as the original, but meat free!
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Sufganiyot are traditional Israeli jelly donuts often eaten during Hanukkah, along with other fried foods. Because, of course, fried foods celebrate the miracle of the oil! This recipe makes a simple, lightly sweetened fried dough that can be filled with jelly or the fillling of your choice and dusted with powdered sugar.
Israeli Salad with Egg and Feta Cheese
Israeli Salad, distinguished by finely diced tomatoes and cucumbers, is described (by Wikipedia) as "the most well-known national dish of Israel." Variations on the theme are limitless. Our version includes hard boiled eggs and feta cheese.
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Orange Sponge Cake
This simple orange sponge cake is light, moist, and full of citrus flavor. It's perfect for Passover, but delicious any time of year.
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